May 11 is the commemoration of Sts. Cyril and Methodios, Equal to the Apostles, Enlighteners of the Slavs.

Born in Thessalonica, Saint Methodius was a military man before becoming a monk on Mount Olympus. His brother Constantine, known as the Philosopher because of his erudition, was Librarian at the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople; he later became a monk with the name of Cyril. The Emperor Michael sent him with his brother Methodius to the Khazars in response to their petition for teachers to expound to them the Christian Faith. On their way, they stayed in Cherson, where they recovered from the Black Sea the relics of Saint Clement of Rome. Later, they were called by Prince Rostislav of Moravia to instruct his people in the Orthodox Faith (Saint Rostislav died a martyr's death and is celebrated Oct. 15). The Saints devised an alphabet for the Slavs, and used it to translate the Greek books into the language of the people. In their apostolic labours throughout the Balkans, the holy brothers were slandered by certain Germanic bishops who opposed the use of the vernacular in the church services. Summoned to court at Rome in 867, they presented their Slavonic translations to Pope Adrian II, who received them with love and full approval. Two years later, Saint Cyril reposed in Rome on February 14 and was buried in the Church of Saint Clement. Saint Methodius was made Bishop of Moravia, but at the intrigues of certain Latin clergy, was cast into prison by the "Holy Roman Emperor" (the Germanic Emperor of the West), where he was cruelly tormented for some three years. In 874, through the defence of Pope John VIII, he was freed and made Archbishop of Moravia. Because he reproved the lax morals of the German priests in Moravia, he was soon accused of heresy by them, and was forbidden to celebrate the Liturgy in Slavonic. Summoned to Rome again in 879, he was completely exonerated and allowed once again to use the Slavonic tongue for the divine services. He reposed on April 6, 885. (Information from the Greek Archdiocese site.)

Coming to Orthodoxy through my studies of Eastern European History and Literature, I have a very soft spot for these two holy brothers. Our parish has a chapel in the foothills - about 45 minutes north of our current church building founded by Czech and Slovak immigrants in the late 1800s and built in 1906. On the back wall is a large icon of these brothers – they are well loved in the Carpathian region by all Christians – Orthodox and both Eastern and Western Rite Catholics.
One of the things that Sts. Cyril and Methodios did was to translate the Gospel and Liturgy into the Slavic tongue, creating the Glagolitic alphabet, later refined into the current Cyrillic.

They found themselves caught up in the controversies swirling around church language – the Orthodox have always believed that people should worship in their native tongue, the Catholic church taught that worship should be in three languages – Greek, Latin, or Hebrew (there’s a term for this, and I’m not remembering it – can someone help me?) An excellent book on not only their journey and translation, but what they represented in the development of Christianity is Cyril and Methodios of Thessolonika and the Acculturation of the Slavs by by Anthony-Emil Tachiaos.

They are truly a testament to the attachment of Christians to the missionaries who evangelized their forefathers, despite later theological divisions. May these Holy Saints pray to God for us who are their heirs, by ancestry or by faith.

Troparion of Ss Cyril and Methodios Tone 4
O Cyril and Methodios, Equals-to-the-Apostles/ and teachers of the Slavonic
lands,/ pray to Christ our God to strengthen all nations in Orthodoxy in one
spirit,/ to convert and reconcile the world to God,/ and to save our souls.

Kontakion of Ss Cyril and Methodios Tone 3
Let us honour our two holy enlighteners,/ who by translating the divine
writings/ have poured forth a well-spring of knowledge from which we still
draw today./ We call you blessed, O Cyril and Methodios:/ as you stand
before God intercede fervently for our souls.