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Handout #95 |
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Cyril and Methodius among the Slavs (863 A.D.) |
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When the Slavs were baptized along with their
prince Rastislav Sviatopolk and Kotsel (members of the prince's family) sent
to the Emperor Michael (of Constantinople, 842-867 A.D.), saying: 'Our
country has been baptized, but we have no master to preach to us, instruct
us and explain the holy books to us. We understand neither Greek nor Latin:
some teach us one thing and some another, and we do not understand the
meaning of the sacred books and their power. So send us masters who are
capable of explaining to us the letter of the holy books and their spirit.
'On hearing this, the Emperor Michael assembled all his philosophers and told them all that the Slav princes had said. The philosophers replied: 'At Thessalonica there is a man called Leo: he has sons who know Slavonic well, two trained in the sciences, and philosophers. As soon as they arrived, Constantine (Cyril) and Methodius established the letters of the Slavonic alphabet and translated the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel. The Slavs rejoiced at hearing the mighty works of God in their own tongue ... Now some people began to find fault with the Slavonic books, saying, 'No people has the right to its alphabet save the Hebrews the Greeks and the Latins, as is shown by what Pilate wrote on the Savior's cross. 'The Pope of Rome (John VIII), on hearing that, found fault with those who murmured against the Slavonic books, saying: 'Let the words of Holy Scripture be fulfilled: that all tongues should praise God.' Nestorian Chronicle XX an eleventh-century text. |
