CONSTANTINE-CYRIL

CONSTANTINE-CYRIL, “The Philosopher,” Apostle to the Slavs, linguist, St. (ca. 820/7–869). Brother of Methodius (q.v.), the two were sons of a Byzantine official in Macedonia (q.v.). Constantine was a scholar and linguist, a protege of the immensely learned Patriarch Photius (qq.v.), and was trusted at different points in his life with the chair of philosophy at the imperial university, sensitive diplomatic missions to the Arabs and Khazars, and the care and keeping of the patriarchal chancery. He and his brother were therefore singled out in 863 to head the mission to the Slavic kingdom of Moravia requested by its prince, Rastislav. Constantine met the challenge of his final assignment by preparing an alphabet for the Slavs (the script that survives under the name Glagolitic) and by beginning the task of translating the Scriptures and liturgical texts. Finding resistance in Moravia to his mission-German clergy were already in the field and resented the newcomers working on quite different missionary principles-he and Methodius traveled to Rome (q.v.) to seek the support of Pope Hadrian. It was granted willingly (though withdrawn by Hadrian’s successor), but Constantine-Cyril’s life came to an end while in the city. He received monastic tonsure on his deathbed under the name of Cyril, by which he continues to be commemorated in the Orthodox world. He died in May 869.

While Methodius did try to continue the mission, the work of the two brothers was not to succeed in Moravia. On the other hand, their disciples Naum and Clement of Ochrid (qq.v.) found more fertile ground for their labors. They (probably Naum) originated important work with the Cyrillic alphabet, while continuing to work in Glagolitic (i.e., Clement) as well. The nations of Bulgaria, Serbia, Russia, and Ukraine (qq.v.) all owe their Christianity, and in important ways their language and literature, to the brothers’ efforts.