The apostles from the slavs ss. cyril and methodius co-patrons of europe – archeparchy of pittsburgharcheparchy of pittsburgh

1. On September 30, 1880, Pope Leo XIII by his Encyclcial Letter, “Grande Munus,” extended the veneration from the Apostles from the Slavs, SS. Cyril and Methodius, towards the entire Catholic Church.

This course of action for the final Pontiff meant the recogn ition from the important contribution from the Slavic Apostles in shaping the future from the entire Europe and call nna unity the Western and eastern Places of worship.

A century later, on December 31 , 1980, Pope John Paul I by his Apostolic Letter, ” Egregiae Virtutis,” announced SS. Cyril and Methodius Patrons of Europe along with St. Benedict, saying : ” It appeared to all of us the protection regarding the entire of Europe are the best highlighted when we put into the truly amazing work from the Holy Western Patriarch (St. Benedict) particular merits of these two Holy Siblings, SS. Cyril and Methodius.”

This announcement also coincided using the 1,100 anniversary from the approval from the Slavic Liturgy through the Apostolic Letter of Pope John VIII, “Industriae Tuae,” issued in June, 880 A.D., where the Pope states:

“We appropriately approve the Slavic letters devised by Constantine the Philosopher (St. Cyril) that by their means God might be truly recognized. We ordain the words and functions in our Lord Jesus (meaning the Gospels) be described for the reason that (Slavic) language .. . It’s not by any means from the true belief and teaching to chant the Liturgy, to see the Holy Gospel along with other Sacred Training, in order to chant canonical (liturgical) services within the Slavonic language, as long as they are very well converted and construed.”

2. The papal confirmation of using the Slavic language within the Liturgy had significant effects for the Slavic peoples. To begin with, SS. Cyril and Methodius needed to devise a Slavic alphabet on their behalf which grew to become the foundation of the cultural development. While using then Slavic language within their translations from the liturgical books, the Holy Siblings always formed a literary language for that Slavs. By creating Slavic missionary schools they laid the building blocks of the formal education one of the Slavic peoples.

With no protection from the Holy See and also the papal approval from the Slavic letters, all of the apostolic and cultural efforts of SS. Cyril and Methodius could have been frustrated and also the very first step toward the Slavic Christian culture might have collapsed. This time was perfectly taken by Pope John Paul ” in the homily, delivered within the Basilica of St. Clement on Feb 14, 1981 , as he stated:

“The complex apostolic work of SS. Cyril and Methodius, considered in the outlook during the eleven centuries, is wealthy , extremely fruitful and important in the theological, cultural and ecumenical perspective. Fundamental essentials facets of their missionary work that interest not just a brief history from the Church, but the civil and also the political good reputation for an excellent area of the European continent. The translation in to the vernacular from the Sacred Books for that liturgical and catechetical use made SS. Cyril and Methodius not just the Apostles from the Slavic peoples but the FATHERS Of The CULTURE.”

3. The Ecu civilization, which incorrectly was known as the “Western Civilization,” was progressively transplanted through the immigrants, over the past 220 years, towards the U . s . States. But this ” Western Civilization” is because of the interaction of two primary Christian currents, Roman and Byzantine, both making their important and complementary contribution to the formation.

St. Benedict, who had been announced the Patron Saint of Europe by Pope Paul Mire in 1964, was in the center from the Roman cultural current that began its course in the See of St. Peter. However the two Holy Siblings, SS. Cyril and Methodius, introduced together the Byzantine tradition of Constantinople, which grew to become very deeply inscribed within the spirituality and culture of a lot of peoples of Eastern Europe. Thus the ecu Civilization is definitely due to the fusion of two fundamental cultures:

The Roman, that was salvaged from the complete destruction by Western Christianity and also the Greek culture, that was ennobled and extended into Europe by Byzantine Christianity.

Pope John Paul II, proclaiming SS. Cyril and Methodius Co-Patrons of Europe, wanted to link their missionary and cultural try to those of St. Benedict to be able to underscore their common contribution towards the spiritual, cultural and social existence from the European peoples. It had been limited to the turn from the 1700s, throughout the so-known as “Age of Reason,” the important contribution from the Apostles from the Slavs towards the formation of ” Western Civilization” was minimized or completely overlooked through the Civilized world. Pope Leo XIII who, by his encyclical ” Grande Munus” in 1880, introduced back the figures of SS. Cyril and Methodius, in addition to their merits, from oblivion, and stated the significance of their apostolic activity in Central Europe. In support of this proposition, there are lots of historic proofs which belong both to the current and also to yesteryear. Plus they all find their justification within the good reputation for the ecu nations.

4. SS. Cyril and Methodius transported out their missionary operate in syntony using the Byzantine Church of Constantinople, through which they were sent as missionaries to Great Moravia. Additionally they transported out their missionary operate in syntony using the Roman See of st. Peter, through which their Moravian mission was approved as well as their jurisdiction confirmed. In this manner the Apostles from the Slavs grew to become authentic witnesses from the unity from the Christian Church, which in their there was a time not affected by any division or schism. Because of this , why Pope John Paul II in the Apostolic Letter writes:

“Since today, after centuries of division from the Church between your East and also the West, between Rome and Constantinople, . .. decisive steps in direction of full breaking of the bread happen to be taken, the announcement of SS. Cyril and Methodius as Co-Patrons of Europe alongside of St. Benedict appears to completely match signs of our time. Particularly if that occurs around where the two Places of worship, Catholic and Orthodox, have joined happens of the decisive dialogue, which began around the Island of Patmos, associated with the tradition of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist.”

To demonstrate this time from the Pope’s affirmation we are able to quote the Prayer of St. Cyril, that they recited right before his dying and that was preserved for all of us in the ” Slavic Existence.” In st. Cyril’s prayer we are able to catch a peek at our prime ideals, that the Holy Siblings of Thessalonica resided, labored, and endured. Because he was dying, St. Cyril interceded :

“0 Lord, my God, keep the flock in belief, increase the amount of faithful inside your Church, and gather all of the peoples in unity. Help Make Your People holy, unanimous within the true belief and it is profession, and encourage their hearts having a understanding individuals … All individuals you have provided to me, I send them back back, given that they all fit in with You. Guide all of them with Your effective right hands and shelter them below your protective wings, so they all may glorify Your holy name, Father, Boy and Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Resourse: http://archpitt.org/the-apostles-of-the-slavs-ss-cyril-and-methodius-co-patrons-of-europe/