Cyril and Methodius

Cyril and Methodius (Μεθόδιος, Methódios; born Michael, 815–885) were brothers, <a href="/facts/Population_of_the_Byzantine_Empire/IB4Y8cAa">Byzantine</a> <a href="/facts/Christian_theologian/sLefEsAd">Christian theologians</a> and <a href="/facts/Christian_missionaries/xaxfBxWk">missionaries</a>. For their work evangelizing the <a href="/facts/Slavs/mphU6hzm">Slavs</a>, they are known as the "Apostles to the Slavs".
They are credited with devising the <a href="/facts/Glagolitic_alphabet/5la1tJtG">Glagolitic alphabet</a>, the first alphabet used to transcribe <a href="/facts/Old_Church_Slavonic/KCEH4cFL">Old Church Slavonic</a>. After their deaths, their pupils continued their missionary work among other Slavs. Both brothers are venerated in the <a href="/facts/Eastern_Orthodox_Church/5n20Akh5">Eastern Orthodox Church</a> as <a href="/facts/Saint/lDE6So1B">saints</a> with the title of "<a href="/facts/Equal-to-apostles/3rNJM8Pf">equal-to-apostles</a>". In 1880, <a href="/facts/Pope_Leo_XIII/bdovwR3o">Pope Leo XIII</a> introduced their feast into the calendar of the <a href="/facts/Roman_Rite/ET6mMUQm">Roman Rite</a> of the <a href="/facts/Catholic_Church/rJ4F4gqH">Catholic Church</a>. In 1980, the first Slav pope, <a href="/facts/Pope_John_Paul_II/Md3PoDuj">Pope John Paul II</a> declared them co-<a href="/facts/Patron_saint/Gw1cv1vH">patron saints</a> of Europe, together with <a href="/facts/Benedict_of_Nursia/6NbRzSI2">Benedict of Nursia</a>.

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Cyril and Methodius