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
http://www.impantokratoros.gr/D54FB02F.en.aspx
