Equal-to-the-Apostles · c. 826–869
Cyril the Apostle of the Slavs
Saint Cyril, Equal of the Apostles and Teacher of the Slavs
New Calendar May 11 Old Calendar May 24
Why they are a saint
Cyril the Apostle of the Slavs with his brother Methodius, devised the Slavonic letters and translated the Scriptures and services; apostles of the Slavs. The years given for this life are c. 826–869. The faithful keep his memory with the other equals of the apostles.
Life
Saints Cyril and Methodius were brothers from a pious family in Thessalonica; Methodius was the eldest of seven brothers and Constantine (Cyril was his monastic name) the youngest. Constantine studied in Constantinople under the finest teachers, including Saint Photius, and knew several languages; Methodius served first in the military and as a governor, then became a monk on Mount Olympus.
Sent by the emperor to the Khazars, they stopped in Korsun, where they found the relics of Saint Clement of Rome. When Prince Rostislav of Moravia asked for teachers who could preach in the Slavic tongue, Constantine, with Methodius and their disciples Gorazd, Clement, Savva, Naum and Angelyar, devised a Slavonic alphabet and translated the Gospel, Epistles, Psalter and other books needed for the services.
Methodius continued preaching among the Slavs despite persecution by German bishops, and baptized the Czech prince Borivoi and his wife Ludmilla. Foreseeing his death, he named Gorazd his successor, and died on April 6, 885; his funeral was sung in Slavonic, Greek and Latin, and he was buried at Velehrad.
Sources: OCA Lives of the Saints. Retold in our own words.
Traditional patronage
The cited source names no specific patronage.
Patronage / why chosen as patron
Traditionally asked to pray for slavic peoples, translators, linguists (with Methodius). The reason for this custom is not recorded here.
Prayer
O holy Cyril the Apostle of the Slavs, pray to God for us.
A short general prayer to a saint, not a liturgical text. No public-domain troparion for this saint is included.
Do not confuse with Cyril of Alexandria; Cyril of Jerusalem; Cyril of White Lake.