The
Thessalonikian Saints Kyrillos and Methodios, Teachers of the Slavs.
By Panagiotis K. Christou Professor of the Theological School of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
in the 9th century.
Since the beginning of the 9th
century over one thousand and one hundred years had already passed since the foundation of the city of
Thessaloniki (315 BC). During this period the city saw days of brilliant glory
as well as terrible calamities but always remained famous and proud.
As the capital city of Illyria, during the
Byzantine period it had to struggle greatly in order to protect the Greek and
Christian culture from the
barbarian nations who kept coming without interruption from
the north, the Goths, the Unnus, the Abarians, and the Slavs.
Protector in these struggles was the most
glorious martyr Demetrios, who was appearing on the walls of the city with a
white mantle and strengthened the defenders every time the raiders worsened the
siege. That is why the Thessalonikians leave no opportunity to demonstrate
their gratitude to the Holy Saviour.
At the end of the 7th century
the raids ceased and Thessaloniki entered a period of new prosperity. Until
then Saint Demetrios guarded the city from the raids of the invading hordes but since then
he strengthened her on her work of enlightening the
uncivilized neighbouring countries, in word and in spirit.
This work was not unknown this work in the Christian tradition of the city
which during apostolic times was a centre for the spread of the Bible to the land
of the Greeks. For this the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonikians these
praising words: "that you become types that everyone in Macedonia and Ahaia
believe for out of you pours the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and
Ahaia but your faith in God was set free to all places that there is no need
for us to preach any more". These words were destined to come true again during
the time of the great hierapostles (missionaries) Kyrillos and Methodios.
The learned priest John Kameniatis at the
start of the 3rd century describes the city with its suburbs with
glowing colours. Rich meadows, he says, open on both sides of Mount Hortiati. A
high percentage of the area to the north is taken up by two lakes that are rich
in fish and the rest of the area is cultivated or used for grazing by farm
animals. The valley that extends to the south of the mountain and east of the
city is characterized by an indescribable beauty, with fields, vineyards,
gardens, dense forests and plenty of water. Numerous monasteries at the base of
the mountain and of the valley is pleasing to the eyes of the passers by and
the visitors. However, another valley similarly fertile extends to the west of
the city.
Thessaloniki then was big and densely
populated. It was circled by strong walls and bastions. Crowds of people
flooded to the market and the great avenue that divides the city into two
parts. Its economic flourishing made her a centre of attraction to the
merchants and to the plundering intentions of the pirates from the ends of the
world.
Glorious Churches and imposing public
buildings adorned its squares and could satisfactorily accommodate the crowds
for her religious and social needs. Her Archbishopric throne then was honoured
by two famous men from outside eparchies (provinces), Joseph the Hymnographer
and Leo the Mathematician, the later Dean of the University of Constantinople.
However her luminous crown of glory was
knitted by two of her children, Kyrillos and Methodios.
Methodios
and Constantine.
The parents of the two brothers were of
good stock. Their father Leon served in Thessaloniki as Drungarius (Officer in
the Byzantine army or navy) namely as Chiliarch (about Division level) and
later he was promoted to a general. He concentrated in his hands the political
and military authority of Macedonia. They had seven children from which the
last one, Constantine, was born in 827. Methodios perhaps was born in 820.
The atmosphere of piety that prevailed in
the house of Leon, gave to the two brothers the first push towards the
spiritual involvements. Their steps were guided often to the magnificent
churches of the city, to the "Without Hands" and "Saint Sophia" and more often
to the Church of the patron Saint Demetrios whose litany they followed every
year on the great avenue. Other times they went outside the walls of the city
to visit the numerous monasteries that were scattered in the country side.
Their involvement in the worshipful life of the Church cultivated and ennobled
their characters.
When their father died, Methodios had
finished his studies. He had followed a course of subjects that was intended
for those trained to assume higher government employment. He was appointed by Empress
Theodora, governor of "sklavenia", namely an eparchy (province) of the Greek
empire that was inhabited by mostly slavs who had peacefully entered and
occupied sparsely populated areas. There, he more systematically gave of
himself to the study of the Slavic language of which he already knew some
elements from the family servants who were of Slavic origin.
After a few years he resigned from this
position and withdrew to Olympus of Bithynia. This mountain was then what was
later Mount Athos (The Holy Mountain): Mountain of Monks. He settled therefore
at one of the monasteries and gave himself with zeal to ascesis, prayer and the
study of Theology.
Constantine who was renamed Kyrillos during
the last days of his life, showed from early age an impressive learning
capacity. At the age of 14, the age when his father died, he knew by heart the
writings of Gregory the Theologian. Later he went to Constantinople to continue
his studies at the university there, which just then was reconstructed and
operated under the administration of the distinguished mathematician Leon,
previous archbishop of Thessaloniki. He was hosted in the capital and had as
guardian the accountant of the way, namely the prime minister, Theoktistos who
was his relative. Under Leon and Photios he studied geometry, astronomy,
rhetoric, philology, dialectics and philosophy. He had greater proficiency in
the learning of languages. He became a multi-linguistic phenomenon not only for
that period during which the methods of foreign language teaching were unknown,
but also of all time, for apart from Greek he knew Slavic, Syrian, Hebrew,
Samarian, Arabic, Hazaric (Turkish), Latin and probably other languages.
Contrary to his brother, Constantine did not
depart from the capital, even though at a certain time he thought of imitating
him by going to an ascetic monastery at the Bosporus. He was anointed and was
appointed librarian of the patriarchate of Constantinople. From then on he was
called Constantine Philosopher. However he too lived ascetically.
The two brothers were preparing themselves
for important missions to which they were going to be selected. They possessed
a notable capability for action and they had acquired an enviable scientific
capability. They also wanted something else, spiritual perfection. In their
monastic cells they succeeded in the ascent towards God with prayer and the
ascent for them was a continuous experience. They were people in body but
angels in soul.
Redrafting
of Byzantium.
The Greek Byzantium now two hundred years
was in a situation of congestion (reduction of its area) which was due to three
reasons. Firstly due to the incessant raids by barbarians especially from the
North and the South that were causing continuous blood shedding wounds,
secondly due to giving up conquering foreign areas which was due to its desire
to maintain the ancestral inheritance and transmit it outwards; and thirdly due
to the hundred year civil quarrel on the icons. This situation on one hand was
being exploited by the Arabs by their unexpected awakening and on the other
hand by the Slavs with a long term and methodical infiltration, managed to deny
the Byzantium many of its richer regions, such as Egypt, Palestine, Syria and
large sections of Thrace and Illyria.
During this period Christianity was also
under unrelenting pressure. Since the period of the cessation of persecutions
and until the appearance of the above people at the frontiers of the Empire,
Christianity managed to spread to the depths of Africa and the farthest areas
of Asia, and then she retreats rapidly and loses one after the other, almost
all her possessions in these continents even to the northern regions of the
Emou Peninsula.
In the mid 9th century a radical
change of conditions is observed that coincided with the cessation of
iconoclasm. Under the rule of three men, of the emperor Michael 3rd,
of the prime minister Varda and the patriarch Photios, the byzantine Hellenism developed
in the interior, became militarily reorganized and spiritually reborn. This
spiritual renaissance is the main power that moved the whole march forward of
the nation.
The
Mission to Russia.
The previous mission of Constantine
happened by chance and was an isolated event. It has now been two centuries
that Christianity and the Greek empire were decreasing due to the raids by the
Arabs. Now it was time to wake up and begin an abrupt development after centuries
long congestion. Unfortunately the expansion attempt to the east was not
effective. However, if Christianity lost ground in the South and East due to
the bloody violence of the Muslims, there was ground for action to the North.
Patriarch Photios perceived early enough
that the Slavs and the Turks to the North also known as the Hazars, having come
in contact with the Greeks early on, they were by now ripe to be won over and
enter the team of the Christian people and at the same time in the circle of the
civilized humanity.
To ensure a firm foundation of each effort
in this direction, it was necessary to precede a careful study of the
institutions specifically of the Slavic people, the writing formation of the
Slavic language and the translation of the necessary books. For the preparation
of this work a special centre for the Slavic studies was founded in
Constantinople where missionaries and civil culturists were trained. The
Director of the centre, appointed by Emperor Michael and Photios, was
Constantine who from then on assumed the organization of every mission of
enlightenment.
On June 860 large Russian armies attempted
an invasion with uncommon savagery against Constantinople with dug out canoes.
Photios relates this in his speech thus: "the absurdity of the attack, the
unexpected speed, the inhumanity of the barbaric tribe, the hardness of their
attitude and their aggressive intent, displays the calamity as a lightning sent
from heaven". Fortunately the invasion was repulsed as unexpectedly as it was
carried out.
The Russians were a Slavic people then
subjugated by a small Scandinavian tribe, the Varagus, who descended from lake
Ladoga. Even though the Russians were enslaved, their language survived and
finally the Varagus were assimilated by them. At that time they owned the
region between the rivers Dneiper and Don. During their attack against the
Capital of the Greek Empire, the legendary Tsargrad, they all saw its
brilliance and during their repulsion they learned from experience her
strength.
They therefore perceived that it was more
favourable to have the friendship rather than the hatred of the Greeks. In
this, Byzantium made it easier. It would have been more useful to send a
delegation capable of setting the basis for the Christianization of the Slavs
of the North but also of the Hazars that were to their east. This would also be
favourable also from the political point of view. For Christianity always
brought the rise of morals and to a point a reduction of the aggressive
intentions of the
uncivilized people she accepted.
The Emperor and Photios could not find
anyone more suitable than Constantine. Even though he had just returned from
his mission to the Arabs a short time earlier, he accepted without hesitation
the order and took with him Methodios, who it seems had followed him from
Olympus to the Capital. Methodios was older than Constantine but he submitted
to him (Constantine) because he was better suited for the mission. He would
work more through prayer and Constantine by the word. However later he became a
very capable organizer.
The two brothers went by boat to the
Peninsula of Crimea. The situation at Crimea was very fluid; to the east they
were under the Hazars, to the north to the Russians, to the west under the
Hungarians, while a group of these tribes lived inside the peninsula. There
were also a number of Greeks and a few monks.
One day while the missionaries were at the
Greek monastery and were performing the liturgy, a crowd of Hungarians attacked
them, ready to tear them to pieces. The brothers were not disturbed at all.
They only said the "Lord have mercy" and continued the liturgy. When the
raiders saw that they were not frightened they became surprised and did not
bother them.
At Crimea, Constantine gave samples of his
contribution to the linguistic and translation works. He met educated Rabbis
and being close to them he had the opportunity to improve his Jewish language.
There, he also translated the Hebrew grammar, which now made its appearance for
the first time. He also met an elder Samaritan who showed him the Bible of His
community, namely the Samaritan Pentateuch, which he managed to read.
Among the Russians he found some extracts
from the Bible as well as from the Psalms translated in the Slavic language
with Syrian characters. Then for one more time, they understood that a new alphabet
was necessary, capable of producing all the sounds of the Slavic language.
Before continuing east, they recovered from
the sea the relics of Saint Klimi, bishop of Rome. According to an old account,
Klimi was exiled to the Peninsula in 100AD and his prison guards dumped him in
the sea having first tied a rock to his neck. The brothers took the relics to
the Church of the Peninsula and took with them some pieces, which they later
brought to Rome. Constantine in honour of Klimi composed the "Festive words and
Hymns".
The results of the mission were excellent.
They did not proceed to the interior of the Russian land but they had come in
contact with its representatives at Crimea and in areas north of the city. The
Russians from then on allowed the hierapostles (missionaries) to enter freely
into their land and accepted a bishop. Thus firm foundations were set for the
complete Christianization during the following century, of their huge land.
Mission
to Hazaria.
Following their many months stay at Crimea,
the missionaries travelled to Hazaria. At that time the leader of the Hazars with
a delegation requested their dispatch to their land, to prove the superiority
of Christianity over the Jewish and Muslim religions, so that it becomes
accepted by the people.
The two brothers received an order to also
visit their country. The Hazars, a tribe of the Turkic family, then owned the
region from the Crimea to the lower Volga and from the Black Sea to the
Caspian. They were civilized to a greater degree from the other Turkic tribes
and their land had a "magnetic attraction" to the Greeks, Arabs and Jewish
merchants.
They maintained friendly relations with the
Byzantines from the seventh century. Justinian 2nd went there and
married one of the daughters of their leader, Hagan. After a few decades the
daughter of another Hagan, Irene, became the wife of Constantine 5th. Now
the leaders felt the need to tighten their ties between them. One way was to
accept the Christian religion. They believed to one God, obviously as an
indirect influence from Judaism and Mohammedanism. Whatever idolatry they lost
was to their gain. The need to act was therefore urgent.
Constantine and Methodios left the
Peninsula by boat and disembarked at the eastern shores of the Black Sea. The
Capital of Hazaria was Itil but Hagan would sometimes live in Sarkel, a city
near the Black Sea which was built by Byzantine architects.
At the table of Hagan successive
discussions were made with representatives first of Judaism, then of
Mohammedanism, whom they trounced. It caused a great impression. Two hundred
officials were baptized immediately by the hierapostles and others declared
they will do so later. The same declared Hagan with a letter to the Emperor.
The hierapostles returned to Constantinople
through the Peninsula.
The
World of the Slavs.
The Slavs appeared for the first time in
history during the end of the 1st century AD. They then lived east
of the Germans, in the area of Vistula. The 6th century there were
three tribes: the Slavs, the Vends and the Antons. They existed in small groups
but the foreigners called them by the common name, Sklavins or Sklavs.
After continuous movements that started in
the 3rd century and lasted till the 9th century they
spread to the greatest part of Europe from the Don to the Alps and from the
Baltic to Emo. Their movements at least during the earlier times were normally
peaceful. Their greatest increase and spread is explained precisely because
they did not fight and therefore they did not have losses due to wars. When
they settled permanently in the areas they occupied they organized themselves
militarily.
The ninth century they had solidified in
approximately today's areas later with few changes. The Russians then occupied
as we have seen the area bounded by the Dneiper and the Don, while around them lived
other Slavic tribes which were later assimilated by them. The Poles lived
around the river Vistula. At Elba lived the Velets, Abordites and Sorabs who
were later assimilated by their neighbouring tribes. The Morabs, Czechs and
Slovakians also occupied their present region and part of Pannonia. In the rest
of Pannonia settled the Slovenians. North Illyria was divided by the Croats and
the Serbs while northern Thrace was occupied by the Bulgars. Different tribes
that inhabited in the Greek areas were later expelled or assimilated.
The Slavs lived nomadic lives in huts they
built temporarily. Slowly they created agricultural and pastoral estates. For
their security they built forts, "grads", which eventually became cities.
However this progression was observed just during the 9th century.
Justice was appropriated by the chieftains and by customs. They did not have
writing or education.
It was not possible until then to have
churches; instead of priests they had shamans from whom they would ask for help
during difficult times in their lives. Their worship ceremonies were performed
by the leaders of families on ancestral customs, who also guarded the sacred symbols.
The prime god of the Slavs seems to be the goddess of fertility. From this is
explained their immoral erotic life. Then was the sun or fire god who had
different names in every different tribe. Close to him would be many nymphs and
spirits whose abodes were believed to be fire, water, trees and houses. They
worshipped their ancestors but they did not have any depiction regarding Hades.
They believed that the soul was material and traveled around the world after
death. Their widows often committed suicide so that they be buried with their
dead husbands, while the children or the old people were killed during periods
of famine. In comparison with other people they were slow in becoming
Christians. This was due to the fact that for many centuries they were nomadic
and wherever they settled they forced the locals either to leave the area or
become assimilated. Wherever they met Christianity, as in Thrace. Illyria and
Pannonia they destroyed it.
The first elements of Christianity were
received by the Slavs from the inhabitants of the above areas that had remained
there. Even though they lost the religious organization they managed to
maintain certain basic elements of their religious faith which they passed on
also to the invaders without their understanding. That is why the southern
Slavs were the first to approach the idea of a single God. The Christian faith
was also spread by the prisoners of wars, the merchants and the missionaries.
Greek missionaries worked in all the Slavic nations, while the Italians and the
Germans limited themselves only to the western Slavs.
Christianity helped the Slavic nations to
fortify their national authority, to socially organize themselves and to enter
the team of the civilized nations.
The
expectation of the great mission.
On the return of the two missionaries to
Constantinople from Hazaria, the emperor Michael 3rd and the
patriarch Photios showed great satisfaction. On this opportunity they tried to
convince Methodios not to go to Olympus, as they considered him essential in
the service of the Church. They proposed to accept the position of Bishop,
intending him rather for Russia but he refused so they were forced to send
someone else. However he agreed not to go to Olympus but become instead the
Abbot of the Monastery of Polyhronios that is located at Propondis, east of
Kyzic. This way he was closer to the Capital.
Constantine was appointed professor at the
Patriarchal School of Theology that was sheltered in certain edifices of the
Holy Apostles. He would teach, study and prepare himself for something great
which he was waiting for.
In 862 the ruler of Moravia, Rostislav,
sent a delegation to Constantinople and requested for a person to teach
Christianity to his subjects. Byzantium and the ecumenical patriarchate had it
so arranged that the rulers themselves of the uncivilized world would request
the missions. The letter brought by those sent said: "We are Slavs, simple
people. Our people have refused idolatry and value the Christian Law but we do
not have a capable teacher to teach us the true faith in our language. Other
people will obviously follow our example. Send us therefore, Lord, such bishop
and teacher. From you, in fact, the good law is spread to all the countries".
A council was immediately convened with Emperor
Michael 3rd presiding in which took part the prime minister Varda,
the patriarch Photios and other personalities. They all wanted Constantine who
was invited by the emperor and told him: "I know philosopher that you must feel
tired but you must go there, for no one else can complete this mission". The philosopher
then answered that he was neither tired nor sick, he would go there gladly
suffice they have a proper alphabet for their language. Of course he himself
had translated articles in Slavic with Greek characters and he noticed that it
could not produce all the phonetics. The emperor then said: "My grand father,
my father and many others have sought an alphabet in vain. How could I achieve
this?" Constantine felt weak but the emperor continued "If you wish God could
help you to find, for He gives to those who ask and opens to those who knock".
The philosopher departed from the meeting
and by habit he began to pray with some colleagues. The help of God was not
late coming. Constantine being illumined by God, he created the first Slavic
alphabet and later he was occupied with the translation of the gospel of John:
"in the beginning was the Word".
The writing that Kyrillos devised is called
"glagolitic". While it is based originally on the lower case letters of the
Greek alphabet, it curves, twists and changes the characters. For the sounds
that are absent in the Greek language, he uses modified Hebrew characters or
others he devised by himself. Kyrillos wished with this difficult writing to
stress the national and linguistic oddity of the Slavs. Later the writing
changed, namely, it had as basis the higher case of the Greek alphabet and was
simplified. This way was created the so called "Cyrillic alphabet"
The language in which the brothers
translated the biblical and liturgical articles was the one spoken by the
southern Slavic tribes which had entered in areas belonging to the Greek
empire. Many Dragobites and Sagudates were coming for commercial reasons to
Thessaloniki and even many worked as servants of aristocratic families. The
members of these families, as the merchants, would learn many words of that
unrefined dialect by necessity because the not so culturally developed migrants
were not in a position to learn the highly developed and complex Greek
language, or otherwise it would have been impossible to communicate with each
other. Naturally people of the proficiency of Constantine and Methodios could
understand with ease the mechanics of this language.
Because the Slavic tribes had separated
from each other only some four hundreds years before, there were not great
dialectic differences. Therefore, the language of the southern Slavs was
understood by the western and northern Slavs.
However, the linguistic form which the two
brothers used was not completely same with the spoken dialect as it had changed
with their writing. Even though it was an artificial language to a point and
was never used intact in the spoken word, it composed the basis of development
of all the national Slavic languages and became a means of unity of the Slavic
people, from that period to the present.
Constantine before starting the great
travel, he had translated the four gospels, the epistles of the New Testament
and a collection of patristic articles. He also authored grammar and speeches.
In the translation of the gospels he placed as a prologue a poem of his, which
displays the ambitions of the hierapostles (missionaries).
"A mouth not made of sweetness
Converts man into stone
Far more a soul deprived of letters.
Becomes numb in human existence
Taking this into consideration therefore
my brothers
We bring you a suitable advice
Which frees the whole world
From the animal life and the passions.
Mission to Moravia.
The Moravians in the 9th
century had a monarchal constitution of agricultural form. Those who settled in
the region which previously was inhabited by Loggovards, were subjugated by the
German nation, but were continuously in a revolutionary movement and at times
they enjoyed complete freedom. Under the authority of their leaders- apart from
the Moravians- were also Czechs, Slovaks and other groups of Poles and the
Slavic tribes of Elba. It was experiencing progress, which after a few decades
stopped due to the Hungarian situation.
Christianity started being spread to the
Moravians by the Greeks, Italians and German missionaries. The leader and many
aristocrats were baptized but the people still practiced idolatry. When
Rostislav was saying that the people had accepted the Christian faith he was
anticipating a development which he hoped would not take too long to happen. He
turned to the Byzantium to get some bishops with the purpose to completely
spread the Christian religion and the organization of the Church in his land.
The turning to Byzantium is due to two reasons; first in that he knew that
preparation was being taken to translate ecclesiastic books in the Slavic
language and secondly in that they were not fearful of political interference,
as they were fearful of the German nation.
The Byzantium did not send a bishop
because according to Greek Orthodox view a bishop governs an existing eparchy
and cannot perform missionary work. Because of this instead of a bishop they
sent a group of missionaries. This group led by Constantine and Methodios set
off for Moravia in the spring of 863. In the group were also Klimis, Naoum,
Angelarios, Savvas and some other helpers who later distinguished themselves in
the missionary work.
The Emperor Michael 3rd
supplied the leader of the mission with a letter in which he said; "Here I send
you the person to whom God revealed this alphabet. He is a pious and Orthodox
man, of great wisdom and a philosopher.
Most probably they followed the road
through Traianoupolis, Phillipon, Thessaloniki, Skopje, Naissa, Siggidon
(Belgrade), Sirmi to the borders of Moravia, where representatives of the Ruler
were waiting for them.
The inhabitants of Moravia received the
Greek missionaries warmly. In any case it was not a small honour that was made
to a proud but illiterate people, through the visit and stay of so many
educated byzantine monks, who brought them the gift of an alphabet and books
translated in their language.
The first station of the missionaries
was the palace of Rostislav in the area of today's Mikoultsitsa. Later they
settled in the area of today's Stare Nesto, where earlier had settled the first
byzantine missionaries and many Greek merchants. It was called Belehrad.
The Moravians used to live in
agricultural settlements based on families structure. In every area there was
one or more forts, hrad (grad) where many officers with their armies were
staying. The forts later evolved into cities. Belehrad was the only fort of
Moravia that had already evolved into a city.
Constantine and Methodios gave
themselves to their task systematically and with determination. They first
built a school where the children of aristocratic families studied to learn the
alphabet, grammar, the Holy Bible and the ceremonies.
At the same time they extended the
teaching to the people and baptized those who had accepted Christianity.
Through this teaching they sent their colleagues to the scattered settlements
of the land. Thus, while Christianity had spread until then to a few forts
which had built wooden churches, it was spread from one end of the land to the
other, not only of the Moravians but also of the Czechs, Slovaks and Poles.
The missionaries translated the
ceremonies so that they were slowly, slowly used in the worship according to
the progress of the calendar. It was also their care to erect stone churches,
many of which have been discovered today through the archeological mattock.
The work of these Greek missionaries was
far more successful in comparison to that of the Italians and Germans. In any
case the Greeks tolerated them, even though they observed that they not only
were allowing some disorders but they had brought in some superstitions from
the idolatrous Moravians. They however attacked them. They used the opportunity
of the subjugation of Rostislav under Ludwig the German in 864 shortly after
the arrival of the Greek missionaries, to discourage and condemn them. They
maintained that God can only be worshipped in three languages only, Jewish, Greek
and Latin (namely in the tongues on the inscription that Pilate nailed to the
Cross of the Lord) but not Slavic. Constantine easily reproached their
postulations and characterized them "the three tongues and Pilatics". Of course
the reason for the attack was something else. The Germans were greatly angered
by the official invitation to the Greek missionaries because they disliked the
Byzantines.
From their part also the Greeks ignored
the Germans as
uncultured, contesting the imperial title. The Slavs on the
other side characterized them under the name "nemetz", namely barbarians. The
leader of the German clergy of Moravia was Vihig while of the Italians was
John.
Rostislav forced by the developments of
the political conditions, wished to reconcile the situation. He invited all the
groups to allow them to express their views but at the end there was no
agreement.
The hierapostles stayed during the
initial period in Moravia for three years and four months, namely from the fall
of 863 to the beginning of 967. They had trained already many students among whom
were 100 theologians. They did not however have enough priests to perform the
liturgy. It is known that of those only Constantine was a priest, but it is
obvious that they were anointed and some of them even by their colleagues as
well as by the early Greek missionaries that were added to them. In any case
they were enough to cover all the needs of the flock that was continuously
increasing. They had to request for one or two bishops be anointed to pass on
the priesthood to others.
At Rome
The two brothers departed from Moravia,
after leaving there some colleagues. In the beginning they went to Vladinski
Costel, capital of Pannonia. This country that previously belonged to the Roman
Empire had already been taken over by Slovenians. Christianity was destroyed
and was now returning to the region. The ruler Kotsel who was Christian was
jealous of the luck of Moravians for having got such teachers. He had come in
contact with missionaries earlier. Now they were coming to his country to
satisfy his request to teach the Slovenes. The leader received them with
justified enthusiasm, learned himself Slavic and read their books. They
remained six months at Pannonia and taught 50 students.
Later the missionaries continued on
their course. What was their destination? Of course Constantinople. They had
received a long letter from the Emperor Michael 3rd and from the
Patriarch Photios. They followed all their commands and now that they could see
that the churches of Moravia and Slovenia could be organized into metropolises,
they were now going to the Capital of the Empire to receive the anointment.
However, while they were still in
Pannonia (Slovenia) they learned of the unfortunate news. Boris of Bulgaria had
taken away the Bulgarian Church from the influence of the patriarchate and
turned towards the west. It was therefore not wise to pass through the
Bulgarian land on their return to Constantinople but had to follow the sea route.
They thus went down to Venice. In this city they were received by the western
bishops and monks with aggressive intentions, accusing them that they use
Slavic language during the worship. Constantine replied that all the countries
have the right to read the Bible and worship God in their own language.
The Venetians placed the missionaries in
confinement while Pope Nicholas 1st who was acutely opposed to
Photios, called them to Rome for investigation. They arrived there in December
of 867. However, the situation had
already changed. Nicholas had passed away while the new Pope Adrian 2nd,
together with the clergy and the people received the missionaries with joy
because- as they were later informed - they had brought with them a precious
gift, the relics of Saint Clement. For this reason and due to the desire of the
Pope to reconcile the tense relations with Constantinople, there appeared no
objections in the pursuits of the two brothers. The pope accepted the Slavic
books and placed them at the central church of the city.
Later, through the instruction of the
pope, the bishops of Formosa -later pope- and Gauderich, anointed some Readers.
The liturgy after the anointing was performed in Slavic.
The two brothers together with their
students stayed at the Greek monasteries of Rome and were waiting the time of
the anointing to bishops. Time however was passing and the anointing was
delayed. The Pope was hesitant because he feared the spreading of the Greek
influence in the region which he considered his.
In the mean time Constantine always
being sickly, became sick. He just understood that his end was close, so he
wore his vestments and would remain dressed the whole day, while he would
joyfully say: "I am no longer the servant of the emperor, nor of anyone else on
earth but only of the Almighty God. I did not exist, I existed and I shall
exist into eternity, Amen". The following day he wore his monastic vestment and
was named Kyrillos. He remained in these vestments for 50 days, and when he
understood that the hour of his death was close, he prayed: "Lord my God, You
who has created all the angelic orders and the heavenly powers; You who
stretched out the heavens, firmed up the earth and brought everything from
nothing into being; You who always
listens to the doers of Your will, those who fear You and keep Your
commandments, hear my prayer and guard the faithful flock to which You placed
me as their leader, me Your servant, the unfit and unworthy. Save them from the
impious and idolatric evil doing of those who blaspheme You. Destroy the heresy
of the three languages.
He died at the age of 42 in 869. The
pope instructed that he be given a grand funeral but Methodios did not agree.
He thought of transferring his body to Constantinople, but the Romans did not
allow it. Thus Kyrillos was buried at the Church of Saint Clement, at the right
of the altar
In Slovenia
The Moravians and Slovenians impatiently
waited for the brothers, but they would not appear. Kotsel of Slovenia asked
Methodios by letter and the pope sent him during the spring of 869 shortly
after the death of Kyrillos. The pope in a letter to Kotsel and Rostislav would
praise the Orthodox conviction of Methodios and instructed that the ceremonies
be performed in the Slavic language and depicted as wolves those who ignored
the books which were written in this language.
The disappointment in Slovenia however
was great because the Slovenes requested a bishop and the pope had hesitated to
anoint Methodios bishop. He was afraid that perhaps Methodios would declare an
independent Church in Slovenia and Moravia as he truly sought. Kotsel then
acted decisively. He again sent Methodios to Rome accompanied by 20 Slovenian
officials and demanded his anointment to bishop, warning that otherwise he
would ask the Byzantium for the anointment. The decisiveness of the ruler won.
The pope anointed Methodios bishop and he settled in the capital of the
Slovenian nation, having the title of archbishop of Sirmia, the capital of
Illyria which was a little south of the Danube.
The ecclesiastic system that was created
following the activity of the two brothers was autocephalous, according to the
byzantine traditions. The two great parts of the then united Church
differentiated on this due to the difference in tradition and mentality. In the
West the ideal of the absolute concentration and union that was inherited from
ancient Rome, demanded that the Christianized regions to be set up into units
of the one and inseparable Western Church, in the Latin language and - for this
period- under the authority of the German nation. In the East, the ideal of the
federated union that was inherited from the Greek and Christian past, provided
that the newly Christianized world be set up in autocephalous Churches, with
the use of the local language and under the political authority of the
independent nations.
This way the governing of the Church did
not depend either on Constantinople or on Rome but maintained a relationship
with both. It was built according to the guidance of Constantinople and with
the Greek spirit of self dependence. In fact it proved a prototype on which the
organization of the rest of the Slavic Church was based, with the difference
that they were luckier in that they were not subjected to foreign factors.
The activity of Methodios was greater
now that he had a more responsible position. He anointed many of his students,
Slovenians, Croats and Serbs to whom extended his jurisdiction. The Croats and
the Serbs received the first hierapostles from the Byzantine possessions in the
Adriatic under the care of the government of Byzantium. Now Christianity to
them was progressing in area and depth. The three Churches had Slavic character
but the Croat Church turned later towards Rome under the ruler Vranimir who in
879 murdered Zdeslav. In Slovenia this character was maintained partly in our
time despite the fact that later Roman Catholicism predominated there. In fact
there the first Slavic writing, the "glagolitic" was kept.
The same period Methodios anointed many
of his students from Moravia, whom he sent to their country to continue his
work. Among them was Gorasdos.
But this work ceased early. The German
ecclesiastics and political rulers were disappointed by the results of the
activity of Methodios. This was giving to the Slavic Churches not only Slavic
and also Greek character to the great disappointment of the Latin clergy and
was closing the road to a return to Germany.
That time exactly, Ludwig the German had
invaded Moravia with three armies and subjugated her again. Rostislav, who had
called that time the Greek hierapostles was dethroned and blinded. Kotsel began
fearing that the same will happen to him. For this, when the German clerics of
Slovenia arrested Methodios and brought him to Germany, he did not react.
On November 870, Methodios was convicted
by the Bavarian bishops at Regensburg, because he had supposedly occupied a
region that belonged to the archbishopric of Salzburg.
That period there was an acute tendency
towards a schism of the Church of Germany from Rome which we see at the present
time. Methodios called his persecutors "barbarians" in front of Ludwig. Having
been convicted, he was jailed at the prison of Ellvagen of Souab. They did not
allow him any communication with the Pope and they killed his messenger monk
Lazarus. From his students some escaped to Moravia, Croatia and Serbia while
others remained secretly in Slovenia.
Pope Adrian was never informed of his
adventures and the new Pope John 8th learned about them somehow
late. The pope then wrote to King Ludwig and complained because an archbishop,
having a seat - that to his opinion- was always under Rome and not Germany, was
persecuted. He also wrote to the archbishop of Salzburg, Adavin and various
other German bishops.
After this intervention Methodios was
freed while his persecutors had convicted him to life in prison.
Back again in Moravia.
The intervention of the Pope was not the
only reason for the freeing of Methodios. The intervention of the Emperor Basil
of Macedonia contributed towards it which was made by a delegation to Ludwig in
872 as well as the change in Moravia. There, the young ruler Sviatopluk, nephew
of Rostislav, gained independence after a new revolution between the leaders
one of whom was the priest Slavomir. The clerics of the Slavic Church of
Moravia always worked towards the political independence of their country.
After two and a half years imprisonment
Methodios was set free. From then on he did not return to Slovenia but to
Moravia, maintaining the title of Archbishop of Sirmi. His numerous students
received him with joy during the summer of 873 after a six year wait.
From then on started the period of
flourishing of the emergent Church of Moravia. The great hierapostles received
a double task. On one side he continued the training of theologians, clerics
and teachers and on the other side he extended his preaching to the broad
masses of the people. He place clerics in all the settlements, while other
inhabitants having denounced the idolatric deceits, believed in the true God.
He vistited all the regions that were then included in the country of
Sviatopluk and inhabited by Slavs, such as Boehmia, Saxony, Silesia and South
Poland. He baptized the first Czech Christian ruler Borivai. He reached up to
the region of Kiev where he preached to the Russians.
This work was realized in Moravia under
difficult conditions because Sviatopluk in 874 was forced after a new hard
struggle, to submit to the Germans. The Germans clerics were again emboldened
while the ruler, to avoid stirring them up, discovered the following method of
compromise to maintain balance; he would continue to follow the worship in
Latin however he allowed the people to follow it in Slavic. This way Methodios would
slowly became alienated from the ruler and more so when he transferred his
Capital to the distant Nitra. Certain discontents also intervened that were
born out of the remarks of Methodios specifically on the moral deviations of
Sviatopluk. For these reason and generally because the ruler and many of the
aristocracy that surrounded him wished to avoid any occasion of a new clash
with the Germans, the Greek mission found itself in an unpleasant situation.
Sviatopluk pressured by two priests, the
German Vihig and the Italian John, he turned to Pope John 8th
because he was aiming to transfer the weight of any activity on someone else.
The pope then wrote to Methodios: "We hear that you do not preach what the
Roman Church was taught by Peter himself, the leader of the apostles and
whatever he preached daily and that you lead the people to deceit. For this
with this letter we order you to present yourself before us without delay, so
that we may listen and learn exactly of your teaching. We have heard also that
you perform the liturgy in a barbaric language, namely, Slavic while by letter
that was brought by the bishop of Angone, Paul, he forbade you to perform the
holy service of the Liturgy in that language. You cannot perform it but only in
the Latin and Greek languages". The invitation to Rome was also justified by
the need of the Pope to see if Methodios maintains whatever he promised to the
holy Roman See, whether orally or in writing.
Methodios was pressured to go over to
Rome in 879 where he would have been judged. At the same time he was sent as a
representative of the Moravian Ruler and of Vihig whom Sviatopluk intended him
as a successor of Methodios in case he was purged. However things had changed.
The personality of Methodios was so strong that just his presence would
influence the situations. Moreover it was obvious that the minds of the popes
of that period were very confused. What the predecessor said was different to
what his successor said, but often the politics of the same person were
changeable. The change in the position of John was due to the fear that perhaps
the western Slavs may depart from the Roman influence as had happened with the
Bulgarians.
So John 8th with another
letter he suggested exactly the opposite of what he was asking in his previous
letter. He said that he had investigated Methodios briefly and confirmed that
he had the creed of the faith of the Roman Church, which of course it was then
the same as the Greek creed of Faith. The addition of the "filioque" had been
added to the Creed but only as a teaching, especially among the German
theologians. Also he asked that the works of the Lord be preached also in the
Slavic tongue, for the Holy Bible commands that we worship the Lord not only in
the three but in all the languages.
Methodios to prove the disinterest of
the matter, he translated into Slavic also the Latin Liturgy that at that time
had primacy so that in his Church it was possible to perform both the Eastern
or Western Liturgy.
Thus he returned vindicated to Moravia.
The pope however in order to satisfy also the ruler, ordered Methodios to
anoint Vihig bishop of Nitra and also requested one more person, so that there
will be three bishops in the region, thus forming a metropolis.
In Constantinople
Many years had passed since the two
brothers left Constantinople in 863. Their intention to visit her in 867 did
not materialize as we saw. The following year Kyrillos died while Methodios working
ceasessly against thousands of obstacles did not find the opportunity for such
a visit. He however always believed that he had to undertake such a distant
trip for many reasons. Firstly, because he wanted to see one more time the
places where he was born, brought up, studied and lived his youthful age.
Secondly, because it was important that he exchange views with the rulers of
Byzantium on the direction of his work, and thirdly, because the German clergy
were spreading rumours that he had lost the trust of the Greek Emperor.
Moreover, the patriarch Photios and the Emperor Basil 1st both asked
him to make the effort to come to the Capital.
In 881 Pope John invited him to Rome
again, because the accusations of Vihig were continuing. However, he now
refused the invitation for it was too much to continue "ad infinitum" the
challenges and inquiries. This formed one more reason to try to return to Constantinople.
The trip was realized in 881. At the
Capital the rulers, the clergy and the people received him enthusiastically.
They were aware of his amazing achievements at the distant countries of Central
Europe and their joy in seeing the great hierapostle close to them was
indescribable. The Byzantines approved his activities in those countries and
discussed the future of the church of the Slavs of the West. Unfortunately
Constantinople could not afford to provide him with any potent help because
between the Byzantium and Moravia, the Bulgarians interposed. However, it was
recommended to maintain the autocephaly of his Church and not to accept any
interventions from anywhere.
With this opportunity Methodios briefed
Photios on the spreading of the teaching concerning the proceeding of the Holy
Spirit and from the Son. Therefore, the Patriarch wrote then his well known
letter in which he fought this teaching. Methodios left a priest and a deacon
in Constantinople as his representatives but also that they work at the centre
on Slavic studies.
At his return he passed by Bulgaria and
met with king Boris at his capital Preslavan and advised him on the
organization of the Bulgarian Church. He promised to send him some of his
students for this work, who actually did go there but after his death.
The last years
After his return from Constantinople,
Methodios applied himself with particular zeal to the translation of articles
that were indispensible for his Church. It seems that at the capital they
stressed that he should be careful with this point. His adventures and his
numerous duties had forced him to set aside this task. In 883 he translated the
whole Old Testament except of the Psalms and the book of Maccabees which were
already translated by Kyrillos. He began the translation in March and he
finished it within seven months, on the eve of the feast of his guardian, Saint
Demetrios.
He also translated certain patristic
articles and the Canon Law. This way he gave to the Moravians and the rest of
the Slavs the first written laws which allowed the organization of social life
based on objective and impersonal expression and independent of the will of the
chiefs.
In 884 a new clash occurred in Moravia,
this time dogmatic in nature. It seems that the cause was the letter of Photios
regarding the Holy Spirit in the West which became known to the public. As with
Photios so also Methodios called heretics those who used the term "Filioque"
and accepted the proceeding of the Holy Spirit and from the Son. Vihig reacted strongly and caused problems
to Methodios. The archbishop finally then forced to take recourse to the
ultimate means of anathematism, which he declared together with the
congregation of the clergy.
Sviatopluk was impressed so much that
since then he became friend of Methodios. This way the unity of the Moravian
Church was achieved, unfortunately for a short time.
Methodios was approximately 65 years old
when he felt his end approaching. His students sorrowfully and restless asked
him; "Reverend father and teacher who of your students must succeed you in your
teaching?" He then appointed his very famous student, Gorasdo, saying "He is a
free man and from your country, well trained in books, Latin and Orthodox. Let
the will of God be done and may it also be agreeable to you as it is for me".
That he appointed a successor is not
odd. This consists of a simple blessing of the hierapostle, which was accepted
by all the clergy and the people of Moravia. It is possible that Gorasdos was
already a bishop, in other words he was already elected and anointed earlier
bishop of Nitra in place of the anathematized Vihig. Now though it was not
bishopric election but his appointing to the archbishopric throne.
On Palm Sunday of 885, Methodios went to
the Cathedral of Velehrad where the people had assembled. He was very sick. He
thanked the Emperor of Constantinople, the ruler of Moravia, the clergy and his
people. Finally he said, "My children wait till the third day". So they did.
The dawn of the third day he spoke his last words: "Lord, in Your hands I
submit my spirit" and he died in the arms of his clergy on the 6th
April, indiction 3, Year 6393 from creation, namely, on the 6th
April 885.
His disciples performed the funeral
ceremony in Greek, Latin and Slavic languages at the same time while
immediately after they placed his body in the Cathedral. Thus, Methodios was
added with the fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, teachers and martyrs. A
huge number of people followed the funeral procession. They all cried for the
good teacher, men and women, young and old, rich and poor, free and slaves,
passersby and locals, sick and healthy.
The disciples of Kyrillos and Methodios.
Gorasdos assumed with zeal the governing
of the Church. But his enemies did not take long to act. Vihig from the moment
it appeared the end of Methodios was approaching, went to Rome, to ensure his
succession. He convinced the Pope Stephen 5th to oppose again the
Greek-Slavic Church of Moravia. In his letter (Stephen) he demanded the
acceptance of the teaching with regards to the procession of the Holy Spirit
"and from the Father and from the Son". At the same time he recognized Vihig as
leader of the governance of that Church and forbade Gorasdo to take over the
bishopric duties before he came to Rome to be recognized by the pope himself.
This meant that for starters he would receive Gorasdo as bishop but not as
leader of the Moravian Church. Also he forbade the use of the Slavic language
which, so to speak, was introduced by Methodios despite its prohibition by John
the 8th. Stephen completely ignored those things because John had earlier
allowed its use.
Sviatopluk to whom the letter of Stephen
was addressed, remembered his old sympathy towards the Latin worship. He forgot
the anathema of Vihig and was emboldened. With his consent the German clergy
again brought about the matter concerning the Holy Spirit. Gorasdos and Klimi
opposed them but the Germans would not stop attacking.
Then, Sviatopluk pretending that he
wished to compromise, invited the leaders of the opposing groups to Nitra and
told them: "I am almost illiterate and do not know the dogmas. Therefore, I
shall deliver the Church to the one who will swear first that he has the
Orthodox faith". Before he finished his speech, the Germans - obviously
conspiring- swore, while the Byzantines refused to give such an oath because
they considered it idolatric.
Sviatopluk delivered the leaders and the
clergy of the Greek-Slavic Church to the disposal of the Germans. They were in
total 200. Of course it concerned those who were then at Nitra, as well as
those who were serving in Belehrad and other similar large centres. Those who
worked at distant communities and those who were in distant eparchies did not
accept, at least not immediately.
Those unlucky clerics were tortured in
the beginning and then the younger ones were sold as slaves to the Jews, while the
older ones - among them were also their leaders- were jailed. And those who
were sold were freed a few months later at Venice by the representatives of the
Emperor who paid the ransoms. From there they came to Constantinople and spread
later in the Slavic countries. The jailed ones having been delivered to savage
soldiers, were abandoned near the banks of the Danube during the time of the
cold weather. Some of them died. The survivors followed different ways. Those
who were of Greek descent walked the length of the Danube until they arrived at
Belgrad. Among them were Klimi, Naoum and Angelarios, who later distinguished
themselves in the organization of the Bulgarian Church with centre the town of
Ochrid.
The local ones hid in the house of
relatives and friends and went to the eparchies which were spared from the
persecution, such as in Bohemia and Poland. Among them was Gorasdos. In 899 the
Greek-Slavic Church of Moravia was reorganized with a new archbishop and three
bishops. Perhaps the archbishop was Gorasdos.
At the start of the 10th
century the country of Moravia was taken over by a new invader, the Hungarians.
Together with the society, the Church was also destroyed. However her relics
still remain today. Through the centuries in Belehrad a pilgrimage is made in
memory of the hierapostles Kyrillos and Methodios.
The great march of Christianity within
the Slavic nations was tumultuous and grand. After many years preparation it
began in 860 and was completed within 20 years, except in the case of Russians
which was delayed for a few more decades.
The events that history refers to
regarding the Christianization of these people appeared sometimes as isolated
and incoherent activities. If this corresponded to them it would have remained
inexplicable that within those twenty years so many things happened to the
Slavs that did not happen in all the preceding centuries. In fact there exists
among this a cohesive bond and behind them a power becomes evident which sets
in motion a properly planned program. The power is the ecumenical patriarchate
which pre-programmed the whole task. The doers of this program were the
brothers from Thessaloniki, Kyrillos and Methodios who untiringly worked among
the Slavic people, Russians, Moravians, Slovenians, Croats, Serbs, Slovaks,
Czechs, Poles and Bulgarians.
Their task was basically religious.
Through their activities and those of their disciples, all the Slavic people
entered the group of Christian nations. However, together with the
Christianization they were also delivered all the taming powers. Together with
the ideal of Faith, the apostles taught the Slavs love and politeness and
planted the spirit of sacrifice. They gave them the first written laws with
which they organized a regime of law and order and due process. They provided
them a language that could be written and ready to be used in theology,
literature, science and education. This language became the link that connected
the whole Slavic world.
For this the Slavic nations feel an
eternal debt to the two Thessalonikian brothers, while Thessaloniki with all
the Greek people feels proud of them.
Publication by the Committee for the
1100 year
anniversary of the Saints Kyrillos and Methodios
Thessaloniki 1967
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