Saints Cyril and Methodius Day

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saints Cyril and Methodius Day is a holiday, usually celebrated on 24 May in countries which observe Eastern Orthodox tradition, and on 5 July in countries that observe Roman Catholic tradition. It commemorates the creation of the Slavic Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets by the brothers Saints Cyril and Methodius. (There is evidence that the Cyrillic alphabet was not created by Cyril and Methodius but by their pupil, Clement of Ohrid, but the alphabet bears Cyril's name nonetheless, and the evidence is still not enough to dispove that.) The celebration also commemorates the introduction of literacy and the preaching of the gospels in the Slavonic language by the brothers.

It is celebrated as a public holiday in these countries:

• In Bulgaria it is celebrated on 24 May and is known as the Bulgarian Education and Culture, and Slavonic Literature Day (Bulgarian: Ден на българската просвета и култура и на славянската писменост), a national holiday celebrating Bulgarian culture and literature as well as the alphabet. It is also known as Alphabet, Culture, and Education Day (Bulgarian: Ден на азбуката, културата и просвещението).

• In the Czech Republic it is celebrated on 5 July as Slavic Missionaries Cyril and Methodius Day (Czech: Den slovanských věrozvěstů Cyrila a Metoděje).

• In Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, it is celebrated on 24 May and is known as the Slavonic Literature and Culture Day (Macedonian: Ден на славянската писменост и култура), celebrating Macedonian culture and literature as well as the alphabet. It is also known as the day of the "Solun Brothers" (Macedonian: Солунски браќа).

• In Russia, it is celebrated on 24 May and is known as the Slavonic Literature and Culture Day (Russian: День славянской письменности и культуры), celebrating Slavonic culture and literature as well as the alphabet. Its celebration is ecclesiastical, and it is not a public holiday in Russia.

• In Slovakia it is celebrated on 5 July as St. Cyril and Metod Day. (Slovak: Sviatok svätého Cyrila a Metoda)

[edit] External links

• Bulgarian Official Holidays, National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria: in English, in Bulgarian
• Bank holidays in the Czech Republic, Czech National Bank: in English, in Czech
• "Landmarks of Culture", Russian Federation Agency of Culture and Cinematography, in Russian
• US embassy in Bratislava's Embassy Holidays for 2006;
• British embassy in Bratislava's Embassy Holidays for 2006
• 24 May - The Day Of Slavonic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture [1];