About Today

February 14

Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop

Memorial

Today we celebrate the memorials of St. Cyril, Monk, and his brother St. Methodius, Bishop. Both brothers had appointments in the Byzantine civil service before embracing monastic life. The brothers were sent as missionaries to Moravia. There they translated the liturgical books into the Slavonic language; to do so they had to invent a new script. Then, while they were traveling to Constantinople to seek ordination, the pope invited them to Rome. The pope ordained Methodius and sanctioned their translation of the liturgy. Cyril died in Rome in 869 and was buried in the church of San Clemente. Methodius returned to Moravia, where he was later appointed archbishop. Before his death in 884, Methodius had translated almost the entire Bible into Slavonic. Pope John Paul named them patrons of Europe, along with St. Benedict.[1][2]

Written by Sarah Ciotti and Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD
[1] Catholicpedia: The Original Catholic Encyclopedia (1917) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. s.v. “Sts. Cyril and Methodius.”
[2] Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD, The Martyrology of the Monastery of the Ascension, 2008.
Note: Optional Memorials and Commemorations are optional celebrations and, at present, we do not include content specific to these special days. This “About Today” is provided so that you can celebrate these Saints as you worship Christ.