Bulgarians pay tribute to Cyrillic script forefathers on St Cyril and Methodius Day

Published connected 24/05/2025 - 20:47 GMT+2•Updated 25/05/2025 - 11:02 GMT+2

Bulgarians turned retired en masse connected Saturday to honour nan bequest of Saint Cyril and Methodius, nan founders of nan Cyrillic alphabet, during 1 of their astir important taste and nationalist holidays successful nan Balkan country.

People gathered to laic flowers astatine nan guidelines of a statue of nan 2 Orthodox Church saints successful cardinal Sofia.

The 2 were calved successful today's Greece successful nan 9th period and are credited pinch creating Glagolic, an alphabet that was later adapted by aggregate scholars crossed nan Balkans and evolved into nan Cyrillic alphabet.

"The biggest and astir important gift that nan beatified brothers Cyril and Methodius near to Bulgaria was writing," Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Jelyazkov said during nan general ceremonial successful Sofia.

The politician of Sofia, who said astatine nan ceremony, besides reminded nan crowd of nan power connection holds.

“Let america retrieve not only what we opportunity but really we opportunity it – words person power. They tin unite, they tin heal, they tin inspire,” Mayor Vasil Teziev said.

St Cyril and Methodius near a bequest that goes beyond nan improvement of nan Cyrillic and Glagolitic alphabets.

In nan Slavic world and Bulgaria alike, their activity represents a watershed infinitesimal for nan Orthodox Church and Balkan taste heritage.

Sometimes referred to successful Bulgaria arsenic "Spiritual Easter," 11 May and 24 May are now recognised arsenic nan "Days of Bulgarian Education and Culture and of nan Slavic Alphabet."

Today, nan Cyrillic alphabet is utilized by Slavic, Turkic, Uralic, Caucasian and different nations, including Mongolia, which adopted it successful 1941.