In 1980 Pope John Paul II proclaimed Cyril and Methodius as co-patrons of Europe. This was a sign of the new extension of Europe to include places like Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and the Ukraine where these saints had been famous in their lifetimes and ever since but virtually unknown in the West.
They came from a very influential diplomatic family in the Byzantine Empire. Cyril[1] was a great linguist becoming fluent in Latin, Arabic, Hebrew, Slavonic and Greek, his mother tongue. He taught philosophy and theology in the university as well as showing a great knowledge of mathematics, music and rhetoric, the art of persuasive public speaking. Of course, the government would not allow a talent like that to go to waste and he was sent on a mission to improve relations between the Byzantine and Muslim Empires. His success led to a second government mission to try to prevent the spread of Jewish influence in the Crimea. This mission failed and Cyril went back to the university in Constantinople.
In 860, Cyril and Methodius went on a missionary journey to the wilds of the Ukraine. At that time the Ukraine was pagan and primitive, without a written language. It had never been included in the Roman or Greek Empires. The Ukraine was also disputed territory. The Slavic princes were fighting for independence from German influence and incursion. When Prince Ratislav asked the Byzantine Emperor to help out by sending missionaries who would, besides converting people to Christianity, incidentally tie the Prince’s fortunes to the immensely powerful Empire, the Emperor saw an opportunity to spread his influence westwards. Cyril, the teacher, and Methodius, the great administrator, were the Emperor’s natural choice.
Both Cyril and Methodius understood the value of speaking to people in their own language. Their own Greek alphabet lacked the letters or combinations of letters to express themselves in writing to the Slavonic people. So they set to, invented the Glagolitic[1] alphabet and began translating the liturgy into Slavonic. Their alphabet became the basis for the Cyrillic alphabet, named after Saint Cyril, still used in Russia today. Their good idea brought many converts to the faith. Writing and the Christian faith were the two great civilising influences. Being Christian and being civilised were synonymous.
This good idea unfortunately brought them into conflict with German missionaries coming from the west. The Archbishop of Salzburg claimed control of the region. He and his missionaries believed that the liturgy belonged in Latin. Cyril and Methodius were summoned to Rome to have the dispute decided. The Pope chose spirituality over politics and gave the Slavonic Church his blessing and permission to celebrate and read scripture in their own language and alphabet. However, the Salzburg faction did not give in easily and Methodius ended up in prison in Germany for two years.
Eventually the Pope intervened and Methodius was set free though the German bishops still forbade the use of anything but Latin in the liturgy wherever they could. After Methodius’ death, the next Pope sided with the German bishops and the Eastern Church began to become ever more distant from the west.
Cyril and Methodius are saints because they persevered against all obstacles to make spiritual life take precedence over any considerations of personal power or political convenience. For them, success meant bringing people to God. They were canonised by public acclaim at their funerals. However, they could not escape politics even in death. Naming them co-patrons of Europe was a political act designed to help heal divisions between East and West.
Author: C B Whittle