This holiday is associated with the names of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius - Slavic enlighteners, creators of the Slavic alphabet, the first translators of liturgical books from Greek into Slavic.
To the 1152nd anniversary of the creation of Slavic writing
It was they, the Bulgarian enlighteners Cyril and Methodius, who created the first Slavic alphabet, which we use to this day. The alphabet got its name from the name of the youngest of the brothers - the Cyrillic alphabet.
The history of the Cyrillic alphabet is inseparably linked with Orthodoxy. Using the alphabet they had created, the brothers translated from Greek language Holy Scripture and a number of liturgical books.
The first words written in Slavic alphabet were the opening lines of the Easter Gospel of John:
In the beginning was the Word
And the Word was with God,
And the Word was God.
It is no coincidence that the life feat of Cyril and Methodius is equated with the apostolic one, calling them the “first teachers” of the Slavs. Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius were canonized in ancient times. In the Russian Orthodox Church, the memory of the Equal-to-the-Apostles enlighteners of the Slavs has been honored since the 11th century.
The solemn celebration of the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius was established in the Russian Church in 1863.
The day of remembrance of Cyril and Methodius established by the church is May 24, new style.- is now celebrated in Russia as a public holiday.
The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is the only church and state holiday in our country.
During the Days of Slavic Literature and Culture, scientific conferences, readings, exhibitions and concerts are held in many cities. Festive services and solemn religious processions are held in the churches of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The holiday of Slavic writing reminds us of the origins of our spirituality, that Russian culture inherits the ancient and great traditions of Slavic culture, and the role of writing in its formation and development.
2015 marks 1152 years since the emergence of Slavic writing - on May 24, 863, in the city of Pliska, the then capital of Bulgaria, the Solun brothers Cyril and Methodius announced the invention of the Slavic alphabet.
Enlighteners of the Slavs - Saints Equal to the Apostles Cyril and Methodius
The holy Equal-to-the-Apostles first teachers and Slavic educators Methodius (about 815-885) and Cyril (about 827-869; before accepting monasticism in early 869 - Constantine) - brothers, originally from the city of Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki).
Coming from a noble and wealthy background Christian family, they received an excellent education. Methodius, the elder brother, being on military service, ruled one of the Slavic principalities subordinate to the Byzantine Empire (possibly Bulgarian), where he learned the Slavic language. Ten years later, he left his reign and became a monk on Mount Olympus (in Asia Minor). Constantine, who surprised everyone with his abilities as a child, received an education together with the young son of the Byzantine Emperor Michael III from the best teachers in Constantinople. He perfectly comprehended the sciences of his time and many languages, for which he was nicknamed the Philosopher. Having been ordained a priest, he became the keeper of the patriarchal library at the Church of St. Sophia, then taught philosophy at the highest school in Constantinople. At the age of 24, he was sent on a dangerous and difficult mission to the Muslim Saracens to conduct a philosophical and theological debate. Constantine coped with the task brilliantly, refuting all the arguments of Muslim philosophers, for which they even tried to kill (poison) the young Christian, but he remained unharmed. Returning to his homeland, Constantine retired to Olympus to his brother Methodius. However, in 858, Emperor Michael summoned both brothers to preach the Gospel among the Khazars. On the way, the brothers stopped in Korsun (the ancient Russian name for the city of Chersonesos), where Constantine learned the Hebrew and Samaritan languages.
After some time, the emperor again summoned the brothers, responding to the request of the Moravian prince Rostislav to send teachers who could preach Christianity in the Slavic language.
Cyril and Methodius - miniature from the Radziwill Chronicle (XIII century)
In 863, Constantine, with the help of Methodius and several disciples, compiled the Slavic alphabet and translated several books, without which it is impossible to perform divine services: the Gospel, the Apostle, the Psalter and selected services. It is no coincidence that the Slavic alphabet created by Konstantin (Kirill) is called the Cyrillic alphabet. In fact, we still use it today.
In 1708, at the direction of Peter I, the alphabet was reformed for publications in the civil press; it was this version that formed the basis of the modern Russian font.
In Rome, Saint Constantine fell ill and shortly before his death (February 14, 869) he accepted the schema with the name Cyril. By decision of Pope Adrian II, the relics of St. Cyril were placed in the Basilica of St. Clement in Rome, where miracles began to be performed from them.
The Pope ordained Saint Methodius as Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia. While in this post, Saint Methodius continued to establish divine services in the Slavic language; he did a lot to educate the Slavs with the help of book writing.
The first teacher of Slovenia, Methodius, ended his high earthly ministry on April 6, 885. He was buried in the cathedral church of Velehrad, the capital of Great Moravia.
The spiritual feat of Saints Cyril and Methodius, equal to the apostles, is attested in extensive hagiographic literature, in words of praise and religious hymns, in ancient church services and chants, on icons and in church paintings, in artistic prose, in poetry and in numerous scientific works.
CYRILLIC AND GLAGOLITIC
The question of the conditions for the appearance of two alphabets in Old Church Slavonic writing, their comparative antiquity, their sources and their compilers was for a long time one of the most controversial and discussed.
In Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, the Day of Education, Culture and Slavic Literature is an official national holiday.
The tradition of celebrating the Day of Slavic Literature arose in mid-19th century, but its roots go back to the capital of Pliska - the ancient capital of Bulgaria. It was here in 886, after the death of both enlighteners, that their disciples arrived - Clement, Naum, Gorazd, Angelarius, whom the Bulgarian ruler Prince Boris received with triumphal honors.
In Pliska, a comprehensive program for distributing the alphabet within the then Bulgarian state was soon developed.
It turned out that just two decades after the adoption of Christianity in Bulgaria, thanks to the alphabet of Cyril and Methodius, liturgical and theological literature began to be translated into Slavic. A fact that is significant because for the first time in the history of Christianity the monopoly of the three “ancient sacred languages” - Latin, Greek and Hebrew - in the spiritual life of Europe was broken (in France the Gospel was translated into the national language only after three, in England - through five, and in Germany - seven centuries after Bulgaria).
In 1892, a music teacher from Ruse, Stoyan Mihailovsky (1856-1927), wrote the text of a school anthem called “The Hymn of Saints Cyril and Methodius.” The anthem consisted of 14 stanzas, of which the first six are usually sung. Bulgarians know him by the first line: “Varvi, people vzrodeni!” (“Forward, reborn people!”). In 1900, composer Panayot Pipkov (1871-1942), then a teacher in Lovech, wrote music for the anthem.
With the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in Bulgaria in 1916, the church and secular holiday were combined into one - May 24. In 1969 church calendar was artificially separated from the secular, and the holiday fell on May 11 and 24, respectively. In 1990, by the decision of the 9th National Assembly of Bulgaria, May 24 was declared an official holiday - the Day of Bulgarian Education, Culture and Slavic Literature.
In Russia
And the native Rus' of the Holy Apostles of the Slavs will glorify...
From the hymn in honor of Cyril and Methodius
In Russia, the first traditions of honoring the memory of Cyril and Methodius were established in the 11th century. One evidence of this is the Archangel Gospel of 1092, which mentions Cyril on February 14, and Methodius on April 6. It was Russia that introduced the general date of celebration into the church calendar - May 11 (May 24, new style).
Bishop Anthony of Smolensk (Amphitheaters) attracted wide attention to the fate of the holiday of Slavic enlighteners. The first celebrations of the Slavic word took place in Moscow in 1862. The monument “Millennium of Russia” was unveiled in Novgorod, on which the images of Cyril and Methodius, whose activities coincided with the formation of Russian statehood, were immortalized.
Since 1863, holiday celebrations took place in other cities, and in each city the program had its own characteristics. In Kyiv, for example, students founded the Slavic library of Saints Cyril and Methodius.
IN pre-revolutionary Russia Day of Remembrance of the Thessaloniki Brothers different time noted differently. Widely - in 1869 and 1885, when it was a thousand years since the death of the Slavic enlighteners, more modestly - in other years.
For some time, celebrations in honor of the creators of the first Slavic alphabet were not held at all.
The first scientific celebrations took place only in May 1963. Scientists then organized a conference dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of the creation of the Slavic alphabet.
The initiative to revive the celebration of the Days of Slavic Literature in Russia belongs to the Murmansk Writers' Organization and in particular to the writer Vitaly Maslov. In 1986, the first holiday called the “Festival of Writing” was held in Murmansk. As a token of gratitude to Murmansk residents for renewing ancient traditions, the Bulgarians presented the city with a monument to the creators of the Slavic alphabet.
In 1988, the holiday was especially lucky - it coincided with the 1000th anniversary of the baptism of Rus' and was held in ancient Novgorod. The Baptism of Rus' marked the beginning of writing, but writing also contributed to the spread of the new faith. Here, in the ancient center of Russia, writing began to spread after Kiev.
In 1989, the main celebrations took place in Kyiv. For the first time, the holiday was held with the active participation of the Foundation of Slavic Literature and Culture, created in 1989.
Since 1991, the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture has become a public holiday, the center of the celebrations was in Smolensk. Then, in order to unite the Slavic peoples on the basis of common roots, the Slavic Movement was carried out.
In 1992, Moscow became the center of the holiday. The First International Congress of Slavic Cultures took place in the capital. A monument to Cyril and Methodius was unveiled on Slavyanskaya Square.
Since 2010, Moscow has become the annual capital of the Days of Slavic Literature. This decision was made in March 2009 by participants in a visiting meeting of the festival’s organizing committee in Saratov. Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna made such a proposal on behalf of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'. The proposal to designate Moscow as the capital of the holiday was supported by the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, Alexander Avdeev.
“The capital of the holiday should be Moscow, since this is a state, church holiday, and it should be celebrated as actively as possible throughout the country. In this sense, the centers of the federal subjects should become its regional capitals,” the minister said.
In Pskov
In Pskov, festivities dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius took place for the first time on April 6, 1885. During the celebrations, the Trinity Cathedral was presented with an icon of Saints Cyril and Methodius, purchased with funds from the Pskov City Duma.
In the same year, a brotherhood was created in Pskov in the name of the holy first teachers. Its goal is to raise charitable funds to support parochial schools, create parish libraries and maintain existing ones.
After the Days of Slavic Literature were declared a state holiday in Russia in 1991, celebrations in Pskov began to be celebrated more widely and variedly.
In 1993, an organizational meeting of the Pskov Religious and Philosophical Society named after Cyril and Methodius took place, which continued the educational traditions of the pre-revolutionary Cyril and Methodius Society.
In 1999, Pskov became the center of celebration of the Days of Slavic Literature and Culture.
On the Days of Celebrations, May 24, 1999 on the wall of the Holy Trinity cathedral A memorial plaque dedicated to Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius was unveiled. The board was made and donated to Pskov by sculptor V. M. Klykov.
For more than 10 years, on May 24, the Day of Slavic Literature, a holiday for school graduates of the city has been held in the Pskov Kremlin on Vechevaya Square near the Trinity Cathedral.
According to tradition, paying tribute to the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the best graduates lay flowers at the memorial plaque of Saints Cyril and Methodius at the walls of the Trinity Cathedral.
The film tells the story of the emergence of the Slavic alphabet - the Cyrillic alphabet - and how Russia took its place as the leader of the Eastern Christian Cyrillic civilization.
The great saints Cyril and Methodius created a universal principle - every people deserves to learn the Word of God in their native language. And now this principle continues to be implemented. The film tells how alphabets are created on the basis of the Cyrillic alphabet for the previously unwritten languages of the peoples of Russia. And the Russian Orthodox priest - the modern successor of Cyril and Methodius - comes with dogs to the yurts and teaches the Kamchatka Koryaks to read the Gospel, printed in Cyrillic in Koryak.
But there were times when the fate of the Russian alphabet seemed to hang by a thread. In the 20s of the last century, the Bolsheviks hatched plans to replace the Cyrillic alphabet with the Latin alphabet. Lunacharsky actively supported this project. The Cyrillic alphabet was then considered a reactionary tsarist alphabet that interfered with the world revolution. But the main goal of the Bolsheviks was, of course, to format the spiritual memory of the people in their own way, to deprive future generations of the opportunity to read everything that had been accumulated over the course of centuries of Russian history.
On May 24, Russia celebrates the “Day of Slavic Literature and Culture.” The history of the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture. It should be said that this is a holiday of Christian enlightenment, a holiday of native words, native books, native literature, native culture. By learning various sciences in our native language, we, in the words of the ancient Russian chronicler, are reaping what was sown by the most ancient enlighteners of Rus', who adopted writing from the first teachers of the Slavic peoples - Saints Cyril and Methodius.
For the first time, the day of Slavic writing began to be celebrated in Bulgaria in 1857. In Russia - in 1863. In our country, the holiday of Slavic writing and culture was revived in 1986 in Murmansk under the leadership of the writer Vitaly Semenovich Maslov. Since 1991, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the holiday was given state status.
All Slavs who preserve Orthodoxy and Orthodox culture, sacredly honor the saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius. For more than a thousand years, in all Orthodox churches in Russia, at every festive church service, Saints Cyril and Methodius are remembered and glorified as the first “Slovenian teachers.” The veneration of the enlighteners of the Slavic peoples especially intensified in Russia in the 19th century. This was facilitated by whole line significant anniversaries, as well as the participation of the Russian people in the liberation movement of the Balkan peoples.
For the first time, the Bulgarians came up with the initiative to hold a holiday of Slavic writing in 1857. On the initiative of the same Bulgaria, this holiday is celebrated in other “Cyrillic” countries: Serbia, Montenegro, even in the Catholic Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Now in Russia, as well as in many former Soviet republics, cultural events and celebrations are held on this occasion. But only in Bulgaria is this a holiday of national scale: this day is a non-working day, everyone goes to festive services, demonstrations, religious processions, and concerts.
In Russia, the Day of Slavic Literature was first celebrated in 1863. Unfortunately, this tradition lasted only a few decades.
In 1869, it was 1000 years since the death of St. Constantine-Cyril. In all Slavic countries Solemn services were performed for the Slavic first teachers, poets dedicated poems to them, and composers composed songs of praise in their honor and memory.
In 1877, the war between Russia and Turkey for liberation began Balkan countries. Russia took an active part in liberating the Bulgarian people of the same faith from Turkish rule, and the Russian army sacrificed the lives of many of its best warriors to the altar of victory. Unity of two Orthodox peoples was sealed by Slavic blood shed at the Danube, on Shipka and near Plevna. On February 19 (March 3, Gregorian style), 1878, a peace treaty was signed under the walls of Constantinople, in San Stefano, which proclaimed “truth and freedom where previously lies and slavery reigned.”
The liberation of the Bulgarian people from the Ottoman yoke gave rise to the celebration of the “Day of Cyril and Methodius” (or, as this day is called in Bulgaria, the “Feast of Letters”) precisely because the national revival of the Bulgarians in the 19th century is directly related to the revival of national writing, school education and the Bulgarian culture in general. On May 24, on the day of remembrance of Saints Cyril and Methodius, it has become a tradition to hold demonstrations, literary evenings, and concerts every year throughout Bulgaria.
1885 marked the 1000th anniversary of the death of Saint Methodius. On this date, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church sent out a special holiday Message throughout Russia, which spoke of the great feat of the first teachers of the Slavic peoples. P.I. Tchaikovsky wrote a hymn in honor of Saints Cyril and Methodius.
Since 1901, by order of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, May 11 (24) has become a holiday for many educational institutions in Russia. By this day, classes ended in many schools, solemn prayers were served, and festive concerts and evenings were held.
After the revolution of 1917, the memory of Cyril and Methodius was preserved only by the Church and Russian Slavists who studied the scientific heritage of Cyril and Methodius.
Two significant anniversaries of the 20th century passed almost unnoticed by the general public: in 1969 - the 1100th anniversary of the death of St. Cyril, and in 1985 - the 1100th anniversary of the death of St. Methodius.
Only since 1963 in the Soviet Union (the year of the 1100th anniversary of the creation of the Slavic alphabet) scientific conferences dedicated to this holiday began to be held, and even then irregularly.
Murmansk writer Vitaly Semenovich Maslov (1935-2001) was one of the first who advocated for the revival of the tradition of holding holidays of Slavic writing already in 1980, but he managed to implement this only in 1986 in Murmansk. At the first holiday, it was decided to choose the center of the celebrations every year new town- a kind of capital of the holiday, in which this day is celebrated especially solemnly. In 1987 it was already Vologda, in 1988 - Novgorod, 1989 - Kyiv, 1990 - Minsk.
The significant year 1991 also became the year in the history of the holiday when, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR of January 30, May 24 was declared a public holiday - the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture. This year the holiday took place in Smolensk. In 1992, Moscow became the center of celebrations, in 1993 - Chersonese, 1994 - Thessaloniki, 1995 - Belgorod, 1996 - Orel, 1997 - Kostroma, 1998 - Pskov, 1999 - Yaroslavl, 2000 - Ryazan, 2001 - Kaluga, 2002 - Novosibirsk, 2003 – Voronezh, 2004 – Samara, in 2005 – Rostov-on-Don.
Day of Slavic Literature and Culture celebrated everywhere. In terms of its content, the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture has long been the only state-church holiday in Russia. By decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church and with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II, Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna has been co-chairman of the Organizing Committee of the holiday for several years.
With good reason we can talk about the uniqueness of this holiday of spirituality, held with the Russian Orthodox Church. Without a doubt, he represents a significant phenomenon in cultural and political life the entire Slavic world. Going back to the roots national cultures Slavic peoples, their close relationship emphasizes the organic unity and at the same time the diversity of Slavic cultural traditions.
IN last years the structure was formed and the main events of the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture were determined. Every year, regardless of the day of the week, the administration of the region hosting the holiday declares May 24 a day off. In the morning, in the main church of the city, the Divine Liturgy is served in honor of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius, followed by a procession of the festival participants. On one of central squares, festively decorated and furnished for this occasion, addresses an audience of thousands from the main organizers of the holiday: the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, as well as the co-chairs of the Organizing Committee - a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church and the head of the regional administration. As part of the holiday there is public lesson for students of schools, secondary and higher educational institutions.
The International Scientific Conference “Slavic World: Community and Diversity” is traditionally held. On this day, grandiose folk festivals take place on the streets and squares of cities in museums wooden architecture, in protected architectural ensembles. As a rule, almost all folk art groups of the city and region take part in them.
Peculiar artistic dominant The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is an original evening ceremonial event, taking place under open air in the most significant historical part of the city. The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is a holiday of Christian enlightenment, a holiday of native words, native books, native literature, native culture. By learning various sciences in our native language, we, in the words of the ancient Russian chronicler, are reaping what was sown by the most ancient enlighteners of Rus', who adopted writing from the first teachers of the Slavic peoples - Saints Cyril and Methodius.
Day of Slavic Literature and Culture (Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius) is the Russian name of the holiday dedicated to the day of remembrance of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers Methodius and Cyril (IX).
Equal to the Apostles Cyril and Methodius, Slovenian teachers
The holy Equal-to-the-Apostles first teachers and Slavic educators, the brothers Cyril and Methodius, came from a noble and pious family that lived in greek city Thessaloniki. Saint Methodius was the eldest of seven brothers, Saint Constantine (Cyril was his monastic name) the youngest. Saint Methodius was at first in a military rank and was a ruler in one of the Slavic principalities subordinate to the Byzantine Empire, apparently Bulgarian, which gave him the opportunity to learn the Slavic language. Having stayed there for about 10 years, Saint Methodius then became a monk in one of the monasteries on Mount Olympus. From an early age, Saint Constantine was distinguished by great abilities and studied together with the young Emperor Michael from the best teachers of Constantinople, including Photius, the future Patriarch of Constantinople. Saint Constantine perfectly comprehended all the sciences of his time and many languages; he especially diligently studied the works of Saint Gregory the Theologian. For his intelligence and outstanding knowledge, Saint Constantine received the nickname Philosopher (wise). At the end of his studies, Saint Constantine accepted the rank of priest and was appointed custodian of the patriarchal library at the Church of Saint Sophia, but soon left the capital and secretly entered a monastery. Found there and returned to Constantinople, he was appointed teacher of philosophy at the higher school of Constantinople. The wisdom and strength of faith of the still very young Constantine were so great that he managed to defeat the leader of the iconoclast heretics, Annius, in a debate. After this victory, Constantine was sent by the emperor to debate about the Holy Trinity with the Saracens (Muslims) and also won. Having returned, Saint Constantine retired to his brother Saint Methodius on Olympus, spending time in unceasing prayer and reading the works of the holy fathers.
Soon the emperor summoned both holy brothers from the monastery and sent them to the Khazars to preach the gospel. On the way, they stopped for some time in the city of Korsun, preparing for the sermon. There the holy brothers miraculously found the relics of the Hieromartyr Clement, Pope of Rome (November 25). There, in Korsun, Saint Constantine found the Gospel and the Psalter, written in “Russian letters,” and a man speaking Russian, and began to learn from this man to read and speak his language. After this, the holy brothers went to the Khazars, where they won the debate with Jews and Muslims, preaching the Gospel teaching. On the way home, the brothers again visited Korsun and, taking the relics of Saint Clement there, returned to Constantinople. Saint Constantine remained in the capital, and Saint Methodius received the abbess in the small monastery of Polychron, not far from Mount Olympus, where he had previously labored.
Soon, ambassadors from the Moravian prince Rostislav, oppressed by the German bishops, came to the emperor with a request to send teachers to Moravia who could preach in the native language of the Slavs. The emperor called Saint Constantine and told him: “You need to go there, because no one will do this better than you.” Saint Constantine, with fasting and prayer, began a new feat. With the help of his brother Saint Methodius and the disciples Gorazd, Clement, Savva, Naum and Angelar, he compiled the Slavic alphabet and translated into Slavic the books without which the Divine service could not be performed: the Gospel, the Apostle, the Psalter and selected services. This was in 863.
After completing the translation, the holy brothers went to Moravia, where they were received with great honor, and began to teach Divine services in the Slavic language. This aroused the anger of the German bishops, who performed divine services in Latin in the Moravian churches, and they rebelled against the holy brothers, arguing that divine services could only be performed in one of three languages: Hebrew, Greek or Latin. Saint Constantine answered them: “You recognize only three languages worthy of glorifying God in them. But David cries: Sing to the Lord, all the earth, praise the Lord, all nations, let every breath praise the Lord! And in the Holy Gospel it is said: Go and learn all languages...” The German bishops were disgraced, but became even more embittered and filed a complaint to Rome. The holy brothers were called to Rome to resolve this issue. Taking with them the relics of Saint Clement, Pope of Rome, Saints Constantine and Methodius went to Rome. Having learned that the holy brothers were carrying holy relics with them, Pope Adrian and the clergy went out to meet them. The holy brothers were greeted with honor, the Pope approved worship in the Slavic language, and ordered the books translated by the brothers to be placed in Roman churches and the liturgy to be performed in the Slavic language.
While in Rome, Saint Constantine fell ill and, informed by the Lord in a miraculous vision of his approaching death, he took the schema with the name Cyril. 50 days after accepting the schema, on February 14, 869, Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril died at the age of 42. Going to God, Saint Cyril commanded his brother Saint Methodius to continue their common cause - the enlightenment of the Slavic peoples with the light of the true faith. Saint Methodius begged the Pope to allow his brother’s body to be taken away for burial in native land, but the pope ordered the relics of St. Cyril to be placed in the church of St. Clement, where miracles began to be performed from them.
After the death of St. Cyril, the pope, following the request of the Slavic prince Kocel, sent St. Methodius to Pannonia, ordaining him as Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia, to the ancient throne of St. Andronicus the Apostle. In Pannonia, St. Methodius, together with his disciples, continued to spread worship, writing and books in the Slavic language . This again angered the German bishops. They achieved the arrest and trial of Saint Methodius, who was exiled to prison in Swabia, where he endured much suffering for two and a half years. Released by order of Pope John VIII and restored to his rights as an archbishop, Methodius continued preaching the gospel among the Slavs and baptized the Czech prince Borivoj and his wife Lyudmila (September 16), as well as one of the Polish princes. For the third time, German bishops initiated persecution against the saint for not accepting the Roman teaching about the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and from the Son. Saint Methodius was summoned to Rome, but justified himself before the pope, preserving the purity of the Orthodox teaching, and was again returned to the capital of Moravia - Velehrad.
Here, in the last years of his life, Saint Methodius, with the help of two disciple-priests, translated the entire Old Testament into Slavic, except for the Maccabean books, as well as the Nomocanon (Rules of the Holy Fathers) and the patristic books (Paterikon).
Anticipating the approach of his death, Saint Methodius pointed to one of his disciples, Gorazd, as a worthy successor. The saint predicted the day of his death and died on April 6, 885 at the age of about 60 years. The funeral service for the saint was performed in three languages - Slavic, Greek and Latin; he was buried in the cathedral church of Velehrad.
http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life1038.htm
Slavic glorious day
The feat of Saints Cyril and Methodius - the creation of the Slavic alphabet in 863 - gave us not only writing, but also the opportunity to perform divine services and read the Holy Scriptures in our native language. The very formation of Russian statehood coincided with the birth of the Slavic alphabet. The Cyril and Methodius celebrations in Russia and Moscow in the second half of the 19th century can be partly compared with Pushkin’s celebrations - they were the same understanding of the origins of national identity and the Russian idea in the light of the feat of the Thessaloniki brothers.
The first celebration in honor of Cyril and Methodius coincided with the celebration of the millennium of Russia in 1862, since the following year, 1863, marked the millennium of the Slavic alphabet. Such a combination was very symbolic and testified to the unity of the Church, nation and language. It is quite natural that, as a sign of the national holiday, they remembered the “Slavic apostles”, since, according to M.N. Katkov, the language is the people. Their holiday was especially “promoted” by the Slavophiles. The eve of the honoring of the Thessaloniki brothers was marked by a kind of miracle - in 1855, the historian M.N. Pogodin donated a piece of the holy relics of Cyril, once given to him in Prague, to the house church of Moscow University - the first Cyril and Methodius celebrations in Russia took place there.
The initiative was made by the Church, and this first holiday was exclusively church. In the 17th century, due to the editing of Russian liturgical books according to Greek models, the ancient service to the first teachers was not included in the official printed Monthly Book. That is why, at the beginning of 1860, Bishop Anthony of Smolensk (Amphiteatrov) turned to the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod with a request that the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius, established by the Church on May 11, should be honored in a more appropriate manner, especially considering their ancient celebrations in Rus'. He proposed drawing up a new solemn service and timing it in churches to coincide with the 1000th anniversary of Russia and the enlightenment of the Slavic peoples.
The service compiled by Bishop Anthony was approved and included in the liturgical books on May 11 and sent out to Russian churches.
“As the apostle of unanimity and the Slovenian countries, the teacher, Cyril and Methodius of God-wisdom, pray to the Lord of all, to establish all Slovenian languages in Orthodoxy and unanimity, to pacify the world and save our souls.”
This service was first performed in Russia on May 11, 1862. In Moscow, the first celebrations in honor of Cyril and Methodius took place in the house church of Moscow University - at the junction of faith and science, for the word, worship and education are interconnected. At the festive liturgy, the ancient canon of St. Cyril and Methodius, and at its end a prayer service was performed. Then, at the suggestion of the professors, a fund was opened for the construction of an icon of Cyril and Methodius for the university’s home church.
The first celebrations were modest, but marked the beginning of the return of the memory of the Slavic apostles in modern society and the beginning of the revival of the Slavic idea under the auspices of Russia, and most importantly - the understanding of national identity in the bosom of the Orthodox Church, which was a kind of opposition to militant liberalism and nihilism. I.S. Aksakov called this holiday “the guarantee of the future spiritual reunification of all Slavs, and a link connecting scattered brothers.”
The rumor about the May 11 celebration in Moscow will spread throughout all Slavic countries with the joyful news of future liberation; because the spiritual revival of the Slavs is impossible without the participation of the multi-million Russian tribe in the common feat of Slavic self-awareness.” So let this holiday in the future spread from the Assumption Cathedral to a rural church in the most remote outback.
The clergy called in the future to turn the holiday of Cyril and Methodius into a holiday of public enlightenment, for the holy brothers were folk teachers, and glorify them as patrons of public education. In the meantime, we decided that best memory about them in modern times - the continuation of their work both in enlightenment and in the development of Slavic speech. In the same 1862, Alexander II ordered the establishment of Cyril and Methodius scholarships - four personal scholarships for each Russian university. Sculptures of Cyril and Methodius were placed on the great monument “Millennium of Russia” in Novgorod.
In 1863, the 1000th anniversary of the Slavic script broke out, marked by a festive liturgy in the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral. Not long before that, the Holy Synod adopted a decree by which May 11 was once again officially declared the day of the annual church celebration of the memory of the Thessaloniki brothers “in memory of the completion of the millennium from the initial illumination of our native language with the Gospel and the faith of Christ.”
The time itself was conducive to such celebrations and moved Russia, and the entire Slavic world, to rethink its own existence in the light of the mission of the Slavic apostles, for anniversary dates moved with amazing speed. Already in 1869, a new millennium was celebrated: from the day of the death of St. Kirill. The day before, a miracle happened: two years earlier, the abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Leonid, during a trip to Athos, discovered the oldest icon image of Cyril and Methodius there. They painted an image from it and brought it to Russia.
Now the holiday was celebrated not only in churches, but took on the character of a civil celebration. On that day, February 14, festive services were held in the Kremlin Miracle Monastery and many Moscow churches, followed by public ceremonies. An open meeting of the Slavic Charity Committee was held at Moscow University, at which the establishment of the Kirillov Prize for students was announced, “in order to encourage young people to engage in Slavic studies,” which was not particularly successful at that time. And then the director of the Moscow Public and Rumyantsev Museums V.A. Dashkov promised to build a temple of Cyril and Methodius at the university museum in architectural style X century (at the time of the baptism of Rus') and with a chapel in the name of St. Prince Vladimir the Great.
The historical situation was truly amazing. On the one hand, the great anniversaries, marked by a surge of Orthodox, national and social thought, the events in the Balkans on the eve of the Russian-Turkish war encouraged reflection on the true mission of the Thessaloniki brothers and their heritage. On the other hand, their memory never managed to outgrow the church and scientific level and remain a national topic. After the end of the anniversaries, the euphoria subsided, the memory subsided, all undertakings and plans fell into oblivion, and the Slavic mission, together with the legacy of Cyril and Methodius, still remained the lot of the church and narrowly scientific environment.
However, after the Russian-Turkish war, the liberation of Bulgaria and the murder of Alexander the Liberator, when the third great anniversary came on April 6, 1885 - the 1000th anniversary of the death of Methodius, the holiday was given the character of a state and pan-Slavic celebration, in which the mission of the Thessaloniki brothers was conceptualized as pan-Slavic and exclusively in the bosom Orthodoxy. The situation was partly dictated by the fact that the Catholic Church also celebrated the holiday at the Velegrad celebrations, for Slavic Catholics, where Cyril and Methodius preached before the schism. In Russia, many considered it blasphemous to honor the memory of St. Methodius with a Mass in Latin. In addition, in the Catholic environment there were also “dreams” about the unification of the Western and Eastern Slavs under their auspices, as opposed to a similar desire in Russia. The creation of Slavic Orthodox worship by the Thessalonica brothers was what they tried to emphasize at the celebrations in Russia. After all, before Cyril and Methodius, only ancient Greek, Latin and Hebrew were considered worthy languages for performing divine services. (As explained, in these languages, by order of Pontius Pilate, the inscription was made on the Calvary Cross of the Lord.)
Now the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod, K.P. Pobedonostsev, personally took charge of preparing the anniversary, considering it necessary to organize a grandiose Orthodox celebration. He wrote to Alexander III:
I think that this celebration will not remain without important consequences and will confirm popular consciousness(which is especially important on the outskirts) a sense of nationality and the concept of enlightenment associated with the Church.
Pobedonostsev asked the sovereign to honor the celebration with his presence precisely to give the holiday the proper official status - not only church, but also state, national, and popular.
As a result, the festivities of 1885 became the apogee in the history of honoring the memory of the Slavic apostles. The preparation was thorough and wise. First of all, the lives of the holy brothers were printed in accessible Russian, which were distributed free of charge to the people, scientific and popular biographies, even ancient church services of St. Cyril and Methodius. Secondly, a broad educational campaign was carried out. “Moskovskie Vedomosti” was noted for the wisest article by M.N. Katkov, in which he, discussing the mission of the Slavic apostles and its significance for the world and Russia, called, among other things, to protect the language, to cleanse it of introduced “monstrous forms” and not to forget that The Slavic language is Russian, only in its most ancient state.
Hence, in order to translate the Holy Scripture from Old Church Slavonic into Russian for the people, it is necessary to preserve its “warehouse”, only replacing the “incomprehensible with the understandable”, and not translating “Our Father” as “Our Father” or instead of Lord - Master. That is, do not transmit “sacred objects in the form of everyday speech.” (Katkov rarely loses his sense of modernity). The merit of the Thessaloniki brothers is actually the birth of the Russian people.
They raised the new people who came into the world to historical life, they created a new force in the world, which is destined for its purpose in the economy of Providence, which, with the division of the Churches that arose, is destined to remain in the East... if Cyril and Methodius had not sanctified our primitive language, they would not have raised our word into the Divine Service Body, there would be no place left and no vessel for the Eastern Orthodox Church, there would be no one to carry out the work of its destinies.
Celebrations in Russia took place with the participation of the imperial couple and foreign delegations from Slavic countries. On April 6, before the festive service in St. Isaac's Cathedral, the consecration of Archimandrite Mitrofan (Ban), who was appointed Metropolitan of Montenegro, took place. Pobedonostsev asked the sovereign to grant him the highest episcopal vestments, similar to those that Russian bishops wore for their coronation.
And then the liturgy took place in the presence of the sovereign, the chief prosecutor of the Holy Synod, ministers and Slavic deputations, and the festive message of the Holy Synod was read out.
By the grace of God, through them the Gospel of Christ was sent down to us, through them we came to know the beauty of the Church and were brought from darkness to light and from death to eternal life
The next day, civil festivities took place. In the evening, a ceremonial meeting of the Slavic Charitable Society was held under the chairmanship of P.P. Durnovo. The same “Muscovite” ideas about unity were repeated Slavic tribe, “a solid foundation for which, a thousand years ago, was laid by Saints Cyril and Methodius.” There were also unexpected fresh thoughts. For example, V.I. Lamansky very much supported the idea of the Slavic Catholics about the restoration of an independent Moravian archbishopric (St. Methodius served as Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia) with Slavic dioceses and about the return of Latin Christianity to the apostolic traditions and customs of the ancient Roman Church. It was in this that he saw the beginning of real reconciliation and the resolution of many Slavic disputes.
Moscow celebrated in its own way, crowded with thousands of pilgrims surrounding the Kremlin, Red Square and the surrounding area. The liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was performed by Bishop Alexy of Tauride, where, by the way, several students from each school were present - that is, the idea of Cyril and Methodius’ patronage of public education began to gradually come true. From there the procession went to the Kremlin. There, in the Assumption Cathedral, after the end of the liturgy, a grand procession began to the ringing of all the Kremlin bells. The spectacle was majestic - hundreds of banners swayed, bells hummed, golden vestments sparkled, a thousand-spoken prayer was read out. The festive procession through the Spassky Gate entered Red Square, where the icon of St. Cyril and Methodius, walked to the Nikolsky Gate and through them returned to the Kremlin.
Then the civil festivities began. A solemn meeting was held at Moscow University, opening with the singing “Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us together.” At the Katkovsky Lyceum of Tsarevich Nicholas, after the liturgy in the house church, V.V. Nazarevsky, an outstanding historian of Moscow, delivered an anniversary speech. At the Moscow Theological Seminary, hymns to the Slavic apostles were performed, to the music of P.I. Tchaikovsky and priest V.F. Starorussky. Metropolitan Ioannikiy proposed to honor the memory of the Slavic pioneer teachers by establishing a “Brotherhood for assistance to parochial schools.” The Brotherhood of Cyril and Methodius was created and existed until 1917, and should not be confused with the Kostomarov society of the same name. Everyone that day cared about the national holiday of education - lectures were organized for ordinary Muscovites in libraries and reading rooms.
And there was also a completely logical thought expressed in Katkov’s article and in the speech of the Irkutsk cathedral archpriest Afanasy Vinogradov, consonant with it, regarding the Catholic and Orthodox celebration. Can they be considered united and equal? The Catholic Slavs, “Czechs, Moravians, Slovenians and Croats rightly celebrate because the missionary work of the brothers took place in their countries.” However Western Slavs fell away from the Orthodox faith of the holy brothers (who preached before the schism of the Churches), the order of worship introduced by them, and rejected the fruits of their educational activities. As a result, the service at the Velegrad celebrations is in Latin. As Katkov put it, the Russian people “put their cause at the forefront of their entire building - both church and state.” The Eastern Slavs preserved their teaching and worship in their original form, and although the Slavic dialects have already moved significantly away from one another, “the language of the Church still remains common among them” - this is the guarantee of the spiritual unity of the Slavic world, “under the moral influence of the Russian people, as the eldest member of this family."
Thus, Pobedonostsev, according to the modern researcher A. Popovkin, took a kind of revenge for the Berlin Congress, at which the achievements of the Russian-Turkish war were diplomatically failed. Now Russia finds itself at the head of the Slavic celebrations, claiming “the status of the imperial center of Slavic civilization.” The Emperor was pleased.
And then everything went downhill again. The pre-revolutionary, semi-liberal, semi-revolutionary Russian society, torn apart by political strife, turned out to be incapable of deeply comprehending the Slavic mission, and historical events this was not favored. It turned out to be easier to hold and attend one-time celebrations than to join them spiritually. The anniversary “ideas” were carried out for a long time and with difficulty, or were not even fulfilled. According to historian V.F. Kozlov, on the site near the Senate Tower, where the Historical Museum had almost appeared before, they were going to build the Moscow Church of Cyril and Methodius, but in the end only a mausoleum was built. The Encyclopedia of Slavic Philology was published a quarter of a century after the Methodius celebrations, but only in the form of the first volume. Only the idea of the patronage of the holy brothers for public education gained strength. In 1887, a house church in their name was consecrated in the Agricultural School on Smolensky Boulevard (later - the Military Veterinary Academy), and in 1911 - in a church-school near the Danilovsky Cemetery. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Synod ordered that on May 11 (24) a festive service be held in house churches in front of all educational institutions spiritual department with the release of students from classes.
The thread of history continues. In our time, the holiday to the creators of the Russian word has become a state holiday. In 1992, a wonderful monument to Cyril and Methodius with an unquenchable lamp was erected on Slavyanskaya Square, happily renamed from Nogin Square. The monument is a symbol of the revival of Russia and the same guarantee of Slavic unity.
Let us recall the words from the Tale of Bygone Years: “Whoever blasphemes the Slovenian Charter must be excommunicated from the church.”
Elena Lebedeva
At the end of the ninth century new era The Slavs finally have their own alphabet. Michael the Third, Emperor of Byzantium, gave the order to create an orderly writing system for the Old Church Slavonic language. The brothers Cyril and Methodius took up this matter. That is why the alphabet began to be called Cyrillic. And in honor of this important event for all Slavic states a special holiday was proposed. Unfortunately, many people know nothing about it. It’s even sadder that people often don’t understand its purpose, its meaning.
But before we talk about the holiday, let's turn to writing. Today we don't even think about the fact that we can write using the letters of a standardized and generally accepted alphabet. Moreover, our recordings will be understood in all corners of the country. Writing, which appeared more than a thousand years ago, undoubtedly became the engine of such areas of art as literature, theater, music and some others. In addition, it allowed people located far from each other to transmit information. What can I say: written sources are a tremendous help for historians and ethnographers.
With the advent of writing, people were able to write down the necessary information, and therefore receive and master new knowledge. And how quickly the culture began to develop! And the contribution of Cyril and Methodius to the entire life of people can hardly be overestimated. In general, we modern life It is very difficult to imagine how people lived before when they did not have letters.
And now about the holiday itself. Every year on May 24th the “Day of Slavic Literature and Culture” is celebrated in Russian Federation. In other states, whose population comes from the Slavic community, there are also similar holidays. They just have different names, as well as the dates (although in Bulgaria, as in Russia, it is May 24). In general, it was originally invented in Bulgaria in the nineteenth century, and then took root in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova. In any case, regardless of the country, the holiday is dedicated to the great work of the holy brothers, thanks to whom the Slavs got their own alphabet. 
It should also be noted that Slavic writing is a collective concept that includes writing in numerous Slavic languages (Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and others).
How it all began?
The history of the holiday “Day of Slavic Literature and Culture” goes back to the distant tenth (according to some sources - the eleventh) century of the new era. In general, this day was then called the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, who became the authors of the alphabet. They gave people writing.
In Rus', the “Day of Slavic Culture and Literature,” or rather the Day of Cyril and Methodius, was forgotten for some time, but was remembered again in 1863. The date was proposed: May 11 (now, according to the new style, it is May 24). But a little more than a hundred years later, a large-scale resumption of the celebration of the Day of Remembrance of these saints began. This was due to the round date - 1100 years have passed since the death of Methodius. In 1986, the Festival of Writing was held for the first time in the city of Murmansk. Five years later, a special Decree was issued by the authorities in force at that time. It stated that now every year a holiday called “Day of Slavic Literature and Culture” would be held. Moreover, it was noted that the Russian Orthodox Church will take direct part in it. And this is not surprising, because Cyril and Methodius are canonized.
Then every year a city was chosen to become the center of the holiday. The main cultural events took place there. This state of affairs continues to this day.
How is everything going today?
Days of Slavic culture and literature are not held according to one standardized plan, they are always different, always interesting and lively. 
There is also a place for discussion of pressing problems, in which cultural figures - poets, writers and others - take part.
When the “Day of Slavic Literature and Culture” is celebrated, scientific meetings and forums, festivals and exhibitions, as well as fairs and concerts are held in Russia. Such a cultural explosion awakens in the hearts of people true love for their people, their language, and pride in them. Of course, they do not forget to remember the brothers who gave people writing. The “Day of Slavic Culture” itself is intended to unite and preserve that cultural heritage, which we inherited from our ancestors. And this is certainly very important. The holiday reminds all Slavic countries of the unity of their origin, of their ancestors.
But the meaning and significance of this day exists not only for each individual country, but also for each person individually. After all, we all speak and write in Slavic! Our ancestors, our parents, our teachers spoke and wrote in it! But language and writing are the basis, the basis for culture and art. That is why we must not only take care of our Slavic culture, but also to raise it in your children. Agree that we have something to be proud of! It’s not for nothing that the works of Slavic writers and poets are famous for such insight, such bewitching and incredibly beautiful turns of speech! Reading their books is a pleasure. Therefore, let's love and respect our writing, our Slavic culture. She has given and continues to give us a lot!
The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture was widely celebrated in Russia.
On May 24, Saints Cyril and Methodius, the creators of Slavic writing, are solemnly glorified in all Slavic countries.
Among ancient monuments In Slavic writing, a special and honorable place is occupied by the biographies of the creators of Slavic literature - Saints Cyril and Methodius, such as “The Life of Constantine the Philosopher”, “The Life of Methodius” and “A Eulogy to Cyril and Methodius”. The holy brothers Cyril and Methodius are Christian preachers and missionaries, educators of the Slavic peoples.
Equal to the Apostles Cyril and Methodius are called Slovenian teachers.
From sources we learn that the brothers were from the Macedonian city of Thessaloniki. Now it is the city of Thessaloniki on the shores of the Aegean Sea. Methodius was the eldest of seven brothers, and the youngest was Constantine. He received the name Kirill when he was tonsured a monk just before his death. The father of Methodius and Constantine held the high position of assistant to the city manager. There is an assumption that their mother was Slavic, because from childhood the brothers knew the Slavic language as well as Greek.
The future Slavic educators received an excellent upbringing and education. From infancy, Konstantin discovered extraordinary mental gifts. While studying at the Thessaloniki school and not yet reaching the age of fifteen, he had already read the books of the most profound of the Church Fathers - Gregory the Theologian (IV century). As a man of great knowledge, Constantine was appointed chartophylax (librarian) at the patriarchal library. But this activity did not suit Konstantin’s mood. The rumor about Constantine's talent reached Constantinople, and then he was taken to the court, where he studied with the emperor's son from the best teachers in the capital of Byzantium. Constantine studied with the famous scientist Photius, the future Patriarch of Constantinople ancient literature. He also studied philosophy, rhetoric (oratory), mathematics, astronomy and music. A brilliant career at the imperial court, wealth and marriage to a noble woman awaited Constantine. beautiful girl. But he preferred to retire to the monastery “to Olympus to his brother Methodius,” says his biography, “he began to live there and constantly pray to God, occupied only with books.”
In 857, both brothers were sent by the emperor to preach Christianity in the then powerful Khazar Khaganate, threatening constant destructive raids of the Byzantine Empire. The task of converting this hostile people to the faith of Christ and making them an ally of Byzantium was not an easy one. Arriving at the Khazars, the holy brothers had a long conversation with them in a friendly and loving manner about the essence of Orthodoxy. Convinced by them, the Khazar prince, together with his entourage, adopted Christianity. The prince wanted to reward his teachers with gifts, but they only asked to release with them to their homeland the Greek prisoners captured by the Khazars during raids. And he released 200 captives with them.
In 862, Prince Rostislav of Moravia (Moravia was then one of the strongest Slavic states in Europe) asked the Byzantine emperor to send Christian preachers.
In 863, the Byzantine emperor sent the brothers to Moravia to preach to the Slavs. Arriving in Moravia, the holy brothers created the Slavic alphabet, translated the Gospel, the Psalter and many liturgical books into the Slavic language. Orthodox churches in Moravia began to serve in a language understandable to the local population. This was the main work of the life of Saints Cyril and Methodius.
After working for more than three years in Moravia, Constantine and Methodius with a group of their students went to Rome to present information about their business to the pope. Along the way they stopped for a while in Pannonia, where they taught about 50 students Slavic books(life of Constantine).
We need to deeply understand the gift of God that Saints Cyril and Methodius, Equal to the Apostles, presented to the Slavs. To the protests of the Latins, who argued that worship and the Bible cannot be desecrated by the barbaric Slavic language, Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril responded with the words of the prophet David: “Let every breath praise the Lord.”
Poor health, but imbued with a strong religious feeling and love of science, Konstantin from childhood dreamed of solitary prayer and book studies. His whole life was filled with frequent difficult trips, severe hardships and very hard work. Such a life undermined his strength, and at the age of 42 he became very ill. Anticipating his approaching end, he became a monk, changing his worldly name Konstantin to the name Cyril. After that he lived another 50 days, last time He read the prayer of confession himself, said goodbye to his brother and disciples, and died quietly on February 14, 869. This happened in Rome, when the brothers Once again They came to seek protection from the Pope for their cause - the spread of Slavic writing.
Immediately after the death of Cyril, his icon was painted. Cyril was buried in Rome in the Church of St. Clement.
The holy brothers courageously endured trials and persecutions for their feat of enlightening the peoples. We still enjoy the fruits of their deeds; they have determined our spiritual and cultural direction. Therefore, probably, the first public Orthodox organization created in Russia after the end of the persecution of the Church was the Slavic Foundation for Literature and Culture named after Saints Cyril and Methodius.
What is Cyrillic? Cyrillic is the same as the Cyrillic (or Cyrim) alphabet: one of two (along with Glagolitic) ancient alphabets for the Old Church Slavonic language. Cyrillic is a writing system and alphabet for a language, based on the Old Church Slavonic Cyrillic alphabet (they talk about Russian, Serbian, etc. Cyrillic alphabet; calling the formal unification of several or all national Cyrillic alphabet “Cyrillic alphabet” is incorrect).
The alphabets of many Slavic languages, as well as some non-Slavic languages that previously had no writing or had other writing systems, were built on the basis of the Cyrillic alphabet and were translated into Cyrillic in the late 1930s
Initially the Cyrillic alphabet was used East Slavs and part of the southern ones, as well as Romanians; Over time, their alphabets diverged somewhat from each other, although the style of letters and the principles of spelling remained (with the exception of the Western Serbian version, the so-called bosančica) generally the same.
Russia is multinational state. In addition to Russians, over 180 other peoples live in the Russian Federation. IN historically Russian culture, based on the Russian language, dominates, but this dominance has never been complete. Culture plays an important role in the development of Russian culture large nationalities Russia, such as Tatars, Bashkirs, Kalmyks, and others.
Today, Cyrillic is the official alphabet of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Yugoslavia, as well as Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Moldova and Kyrgyzstan. In Georgia, Abkhazians and Ossetians use it. In general, about 6% of the world's population consider the Cyrillic alphabet to be their native script, and “Cyrillic” countries occupy more than 18% of the landmass.
The Cyrillic alphabet as a writing system for the native (Russian) language is the basis for a child’s entry into the culture of his native people, passed on from generation to generation. The native language and the Slavic alphabet are the basis for the formation of a child as a linguistic personality, his linguistic picture of the world, his linguistic consciousness; This is a cultural and historical environment that forms a national linguistic personality, aware of its involvement in its native culture.
Through comprehension of the alphabet, the socialization of the student’s personality begins, introducing him to the life and culture of the society in which he was born and lives, as well as to the culture of humanity, world civilization as a whole: that is, the native language and native alphabet are also the basis for the formation of a social person. .
The native language and native alphabet are the first system that becomes the object of study in school; they are a theoretical introduction not only to linguistics, but also to the world scientific knowledge generally; This is the basis for the study of all school subjects, the foundation for the formation of a scientific picture of the world. The Cyrillic alphabet is the key to penetration into richest world Russian literature. According to some researchers, even visual recognition of characters from the familiar Cyrillic alphabet plays a unifying role.
Mari writing. Since ancient times, the Mari people have used various geometric signs (tishte, tamga), carved on bark (nymyshte) or on special wooden sticks (shereva toya) with a special knife (varash k?z?). As a rule, these signs were used for economic information (property accounting, debts, etc.) and were used unchanged by the Mari until the 30s of the 20th century.
For the first time, writing for the Mari language based on the Cyrillic alphabet was compiled in mid-16th century century for the training of priests who preached among the Mari. No information about this writing has survived.
The first example of Mari writing, which laid the foundation for the Mari literary language, considered “Works belonging to the grammar of the Cheremis language”, published in 1775.
In the 1920-1930s, all the letters of the Russian alphabet were introduced into the Mari alphabet to write words borrowed from the Russian language. The Mari alphabets for the mountain and meadow languages were finally approved in 1938.
On December 10, the Republic of Mari El celebrates the Day of Mari Writing - Mari Tishte Keche. During the period of its existence, Mari writing has gone through a long and complex path of development and achieved certain successes. December 9, 2011 at the National Museum of the Republic of Mari El named after. T. Evseev, the opening of the express exhibition “Mari Writing Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” took place, timed to coincide with the Day of Mari Writing.
Mordovian writing. Despite the use of the Latin alphabet in some early grammars, the Mordovian writing itself was always based on the Cyrillic alphabet and was a Russian alphabet with the addition of some letters.
In 1920, all additional characters from the Mordovian alphabets were removed.
In 1927, the Mordovian alphabet was reformed again and took on its modern form.
Udmurt writing. Since the 18th century, researchers have used the letters of the Cyrillic and Latin alphabet to record words in the Udmurt language, but the Udmurt writing itself has always been based only on the Cyrillic alphabet. The first Udmurt books were published in 1847. They were written using Russian graphics and spelling of the time (in essence, this system was Russian practical transcription).
The Udmurt alphabet in its current form was finally approved in 1927.
From the above, we understand that many peoples of Russia have successfully used the Cyrillic alphabet for half a century. During this time, many literary works were created in national languages, the culture of peoples developed, a new highly educated generation grew up, for whom the Cyrillic alphabets were an organic part of their native languages.
Thus, we can say that the Cyrillic alphabet is a valuable national and cultural heritage of all peoples of Russia, one of the important elements of the unified educational and cultural field of the Russian Federation. The Cyrillic alphabet will not be affected in any case. She has already made her truly invaluable contribution to the culture of peoples.
Each of us should be grateful to our people for our native language. After all, in it, our native language, each of us pronounces the first words dear to our hearts: mother, father. Apparently, that’s why it is also called the tongue absorbed with mother’s milk.