In history there are several varieties of writing among the Slavs. Slavic writing was used to conclude contracts, transmit notes and for other purposes. For example, you can find information about this from Archimandrite Leonid Kavelin in his Collection: “On the homeland and origin of the Glagolitic alphabet and its relationship to the Cyrillic alphabet” (1891). There is a special day dedicated to Slavic writing. Today it is celebrated by Russians as a day of veneration of Cyril and Methodius, although it is known that neither Cyril nor Methodius invented the Russian alphabet. They just transformed it - shortened it and adapted it to make it easier to translate Christian manuscripts from Greek language. For example, from the historian Dobner (Czech Republic), you can find a whole study on the topic: “Is the now so-called Cyrillic alphabet really an invention of the Slavic ap. Kirill? (1786 edition).

Writing, as a derivative of the famous Christian saints Cyril and Methodius, appeared in Rus' in the period from 900 to the early 1000s. Before this time, the Slavs used a different writing system. We find data from chroniclers about the conclusion of agreements by the prince. Igor and Prince Oleg with the Byzantine kingdom (907-911) even before the arrival of the Cyrillic alphabet in Rus'.

Some historians called it the “Khazar letter” (Persian, Fakhr ad-Din, 700), speaking about the southwestern Slavs of a specific historical period. Others called it “an independent Russian letter,” referring to the “Thessalonica Legend,” which contains a mention of Jerome (lived before 420) and his connection with Slavic writings. Some scientists consider Cyril and Jerome from this legend to be the same person, but the dating of the activities of these characters does not coincide.

There are now two directions in which Slavic writing developed:

1. Fine views. Creating a three-dimensional image and perception.
2. Descriptive types. Creating planar perception by drawings on a plane.

Previously, our ancestors, when talking about objectivity and functions, called their writing:

• in a word;
• by letter;
• a book;
• literacy.

Types of writing throughout the history of the Slavs, arranged in chronological order of their time of appearance and use:

• Glagolitic– mid-10th century;
• Initial letter(Old Slovenian) – presumably the end of the 10th century;
• ABC– a variant of pre-revolutionary tsarist Russia;
• Alphabet– 1918 (Lunacharsky reform).

Some scientists present the Glagolitic alphabet as one of the ways of pronunciation and writing of the Initial Letter. But this issue is still being investigated. This is what the Russian philologist I.I. Sreznevsky tells us. (1848):

Turning to the Glagolitic alphabet, let us note first of all how it is similar and how it differs from the Cyrillic alphabet. Most of its letters differ in shape not only from Kirill’s, but also from other known ones. Similar to Kirillov's d, x, m, p, f, sh... The selection of letters is the same. The order of the letters is also the same... The peculiarity of many Glagolitic letters has long led to the conclusion that the Glagolitic alphabet is the ancient alphabet of the pagan Slavs and, therefore, older than the Cyrillic alphabet; Count Grubisic, Doctor Anton, believed this; The now famous German philologist J. Grimm believes this. It is hardly possible to refute this, admitting that the simple ancient features were replaced by curly and complex ones in the now known Glagolitic alphabet later, due to special, unknown reasons; however, it is also difficult to refute the fact that the letters of the Glagolitic alphabet of unknown origin were never simpler, but were invented by an idle literate as they are, without any deviation from the ancient Slavic writings. It is true that the features of the Glagolitic alphabet are generally rough and some open to the left side, as if they were used for writing from the right hand to the left, but the roughness of the design of the letters is not a sign of antiquity, and the opening of some to the left side could be an accidental expression of the taste of the inventor...

Slavic writing was used in 4 variations: 2 main and 2 auxiliary. Separately, we should dwell on the types of writing that historians modern science They still can’t ignore it. These are the following types of writing among Slavs of different nationalities:

Traits and Res. By their names one can judge their origin - letters were drawn and cut. This is a type of lettering.

Da'Aryan Trags - were used to convey the multidimensionality and imagery of the runes.

Kh'Aryan Karuna (runic, runic, runic) - used by priests, consisted of 256 runes, which formed the basis of the Devanagari and Sanskrit languages.

Rasen Molvitsy - Etruscan writing.

Now there is enough evidence that Slavic tribes and peoples settled throughout the Earth long before Christianity. That’s why anthropologists often find blue-eyed Hindus in India, Kalash in Pakistan, or mummies of European appearance among archaeological excavations in China. Therefore, Aryan writing can also be vaguely called Slavic, or Slavic-Aryan, whichever is more convenient for you to understand. Slavs modern Russia and neighboring countries with ethnic identity are most similar - Glagolitic and Initial letters, as well as Runes, Traits and Res.

What is special about Slavic writing and culture?

Glagolitic was most often used for fastening business relations in trade matters. She drew up contracts and other papers confirming the concluded transaction. Today there is enough proof of this a large number of ancient treaties written down in the Slavic Glagolitic alphabet. The following words are associated with this name:

• verb - to speak;
• verb - speaking, pronouncing;
• verb - we speak;
• verb - action.

The initial letter as the capital part of words had different styles writing. As an example, we can cite the following several options for the artistic depiction of ancient letters:

Ostromir initial letters – taken from the Ostromir Gospel (1056-1057)

teratological (or animal) style - the image of the letter included features of animals and birds

initials - colored letters, which depicted, in addition to fantastic animals, also human characters (about 800)

Ottonian style of the Western Slavs - large letters, with gilding and patterned weaves

illustrated initial letter - each capital letter was illustrated with different fairy-tale characters and themes

filigree beeches (from the ancient name - “beeches”, and not “letters” from the All-World Charter of Shubin-Abramov Ananiy Fedorovich) - the letters were decorated with the finest patterns

Guslitsky style - comes from the Old Believer settlement of Guslitsy

Vetkovsky style in Belarus

There are many options for depicting Slavic letters. Our Slavic ancestors were famous masters of arts and crafts. Therefore, letters could be depicted by scribes with a creative approach. The main feature of the initial letter is that it formed the basis of such known languages ​​as Latin (Latin alphabet) and English.

The worldview of the Slavs was changed even by modifying the written language. If previously letters and words were perceived three-dimensionally with a semantic and figurative-symbolic load, now they are perceived on a plane, faceless, carrying only sounds that form words.

Researchers of Slavic mythology believe that such a transfer of perception from three-dimensional “holographic” to planar writing began approximately from the time of the Germanization of Rus'. Apparently, the influence of the West has always been fatal for Russians and Slavs in general, which is why the leading Russian minds of the times of Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy mentioned it so often.

When is the day of Slavic writing celebrated?

Slavic culture in historical data has undergone various changes. This suggests that scientists have not yet stopped their research - new discovered artifacts are being studied. The date when the writing of the Slavs and their culture was celebrated also changed. The very same Slavic mythology and history does not confirm the fact that the ancient Slavs celebrated some special day dedicated to their writing. However, it is worth considering the appearance of similar events at a later time, approximately when Christianity came to Rus'.

Most often this date was associated with Cyril and Methodius. It was during those times that they began to set aside a specific day on which the merits of these two reverend fathers were remembered. Only the date changed:

• May 11 – Christian educators were remembered by the “Thessaloniki Brothers”;
• May 24 – Bulgarians today, along with these two saints, also remember their culture;
• July 5 – in the Czech Republic;
• January 30 – residents of Russia remembered Slavic writing and culture at the instigation of the Presidium of the Armed Forces of the RSFSR (1991).

May 24- a generally accepted holiday in Slavic culture and writing. It was declared the “Day of Slavic Culture and Literature” in 1985, when the 1100th anniversary of the death of Methodius was celebrated in the USSR. Therefore, today this holiday is presented entirely from the point of view Orthodox Church. However, those who remember and honor the heritage of the more ancient ancestors of the Slavs still revere the Old Slovenian Letter. On this day, ancient letters are drawn on the asphalt, in underground passages, in squares, everywhere in the cities of the country.

In academic circles, some believe that the Slavs once had one language, but there were many ways to display it on any medium. Letters could be written on metal (coins, jewelry), birch bark, leather, and stone. The peculiarity of Slavic writing is that it, first of all, carried Svetorussian (in some reading - “Holy Russian”) images. Simply put, we understand that this was a figurative letter, not a flat one, carrying a deeper meaning than just sound.

On May 24, the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is celebrated annually in all Slavic countries. The origins of this holiday are inextricably linked with the honoring of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius - the enlighteners of the Slavs, the creators of the Slavic alphabet.

Cyril (secular name Constantine; c. 827-869) and Methodius (secular name unknown; c. 815-885) - brothers, Greeks, natives of the city of Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki), came from the family of a Byzantine military leader.

Methodius initially devoted himself military career, but around 852 he took monastic vows and later became abbot of the Polychron monastery on Bithynian Olympus (Asia Minor). Kirill s youth He was distinguished by his passion for science and exceptional philological abilities. He was educated in Constantinople by the greatest scientists of his time - Leo Grammar and Photius (the future patriarch). After training, he was ordained a priest, acted as a librarian, according to another version, skephophylax (vessel guard) of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, and taught philosophy. In 851-852, as part of the embassy of the asikrit (court secretary) George, he arrived at the court of the Arab caliph Muttawakil, where he conducted theological disputes with Muslim scholars.

Cyril and Methodius compiled Slavic alphabet, translated several liturgical books from Greek into the Slavic language (including selected readings from the Gospel, the Apostolic Epistles and the Psalter), which contributed to the introduction and spread of Slavic worship, and also, based on deep knowledge of Greek and Eastern cultures and generalizing the existing experience of Slavic letters, offered the Slavs their alphabet.

The legacy of Cyril and Methodius had a huge impact on the culture of the Slavic states: Bulgaria (and through its mediation - Rus' and Serbia), the Czech Republic, Croatia (the latter maintained the Glagolitic written tradition until modern times). The writing developed by Cyril and Methodius had a huge influence on the development of Russian books and literature. In the minds of many generations of Slavs, Cyril and Methodius are symbols of Slavic writing and Slavic culture.

The cult of Cyril and Methodius became widespread in all Slavic countries, both Orthodox and Catholic (the brothers were canonized soon after their death). Established by the church back in X-XI centuries The day of remembrance of Cyril and Methodius (May 24) in Bulgaria was subsequently turned into a holiday of national education and culture.

In Russia, the celebration of the Day of Remembrance of the Holy Brothers is rooted in the distant past and it was celebrated mainly by the church. There was a period when, under the influence of political circumstances, the historical merits of Cyril and Methodius were forgotten, but already in the 19th century this tradition was revived.

Officially at the state level, the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture was first solemnly celebrated in 1863, in connection with the 1000th anniversary of the creation of the Slavic alphabet by Saints Cyril and Methodius, in the same year a decree was adopted on the celebration of the Day of Remembrance of Saints Cyril and Methodius on May 11 (24 according to the new style).

During the years of Soviet power, this holiday was unfairly forgotten and restored only in 1986. The idea of ​​resuming a national, public celebration of the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius and the Days of Slavic Literature and Culture in Russia was born in 1985, when the Slavic peoples, together with the world community, celebrated the 1100th anniversary of the death of Saint Methodius, Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia.

In 1986, the first holiday was held in Murmansk, it was called the “Holiday of Writing”; in subsequent years, the holiday was held in Vologda (1987), Veliky Novgorod (1988), Kyiv (1989) and Minsk (1990).

On January 30, 1991, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR, by its resolution, declared May 24 the Holiday of Slavic Literature and Culture, thereby giving it state status.

During the celebration in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, all churches in Russia hold Divine Liturgies, religious processions, children's pilgrimage missions to Russian monasteries, scientific and practical conferences, exhibitions, concerts.

The International Scientific Conference "Slavic World: Community and Diversity" is traditionally held.

As part of the Days of Slavic Literature and Culture, the award ceremony for the laureates of the International Prize of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Brothers Cyril and Methodius, established by the Moscow Patriarchate and the Slavic Foundation of Russia. It is awarded to state and public figures, literary and artistic figures for the preservation and development of the Cyril and Methodius heritage. Prize winners are awarded a bronze sculpture of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius, a diploma and a commemorative medal.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Celebrated: in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other Slavic countries

Church name: Equal to the Apostles Methodius and Cyril, Slovenian teachers

Established:

• Resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation No. 568-1 of January 30, 1991
• Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 1096/2004 dated September 17, 2004
• Celebrated in Belarus since 1986 as a state-church holiday.

Meaning: in honor of Saints Cyril and Methodius

Traditions:

• divine liturgies;
• scientific and practical conferences;
• religious processions;
• Exhibitions;
• cultural and leisure events;
• pilgrimage.

The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is celebrated in memory of two enlighteners - Cyril and Methodius. The brothers made a huge contribution to the development of Slavic society and its culture. The writing they created in the 9th century made it possible to capture the best pages Russian history, biographies of great people. The expanded knowledge accumulated over many centuries by the Slavic people contributed to the spread of literacy. Socialization in world civilization allowed it to take its corresponding place among other nations.

Who celebrates and when?

The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is celebrated annually on May 24. On January 30, 1991, by Resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation No. 568-1, it received the status of a state holiday in Russia.

The date is celebrated by linguists, representatives of the progressive public and religious organizations, Slavic scholars, and cultural workers.

history of the holiday

In Russia, the holiday of writing was first officially celebrated in 1863, when a resolution was adopted to honor the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius on May 24. Official status received in 1991. Today is the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture - the only holiday in the Russian Federation that combines secular and religious events.

Brothers Cyril and Methodius were born into a noble family of a Byzantine military leader. Both were literate and educated people of their time. The elder brother Methodius devoted himself to military affairs at the beginning of his life, but his humanitarian inclinations and thirst for knowledge led him to the monastery. The youngest of the brothers, Kirill, was distinguished by philological inclinations from childhood. He determined for himself the path of enlightenment and purposefully walked towards it. Having received the priesthood, he conducted library activities at the Hagia Sophia and taught philosophical sciences.

The brothers' merit lies in the fact that they created the Slavic alphabet and developed a methodology for Slavic phrases. They translated several holy books, which contributed to the conduct and dissemination of worship in a language understandable to the Slavs.

Cyril and Methodius had deep knowledge of Greek and Eastern cultures. Summarizing their experience in the field of writing, the brothers created the first Slavic alphabet based on Slavic writings. It became a great impetus for the development of culture and education in the Slavic states. Writing made it possible to develop Russian bookmaking and literature.

The significance of the contribution of the enlightenment brothers to the dissemination of writing, and with it religious knowledge, was highly appreciated by church ministers. The brothers received the status of saints after their death and their own holiday.

The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is celebrated in memory of two enlighteners - Cyril and Methodius. The brothers made a huge contribution to the development of Slavic society and its culture. The writing they created in the 9th century made it possible to capture the best pages of Russian history and the biographies of great people. The expanded knowledge accumulated over many centuries by the Slavic people contributed to the spread of literacy. Socialization in world civilization allowed it to take its corresponding place among other nations.

When is it celebrated?

The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is celebrated annually on May 24, and 2020 is no exception. On January 30, 1991, by Resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation No. 568-1, it received the status of a state holiday in Russia.

Who's celebrating

The date is celebrated by linguists, representatives of the progressive public and religious organizations, Slavic scholars, and cultural workers.

history of the holiday

In Russia, the holiday of writing was first officially celebrated in 1863, when a resolution was adopted to honor the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius on May 24. Official status received in 1991. Today is the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture - the only holiday in the Russian Federation that combines secular and religious events.

Brothers Cyril and Methodius were born into a noble family of a Byzantine military leader. Both were literate and educated people of their time. The elder brother Methodius devoted himself to military affairs at the beginning of his life, but his humanitarian inclinations and thirst for knowledge led him to the monastery. The youngest of the brothers, Kirill, was distinguished by philological inclinations from childhood. He determined for himself the path of enlightenment and purposefully walked towards it. Having received the priesthood, he conducted library activities at the Hagia Sophia and taught philosophical sciences.

The brothers' merit lies in the fact that they created the Slavic alphabet and developed a methodology for Slavic phrases. They translated several holy books, which contributed to the conduct and dissemination of worship in a language understandable to the Slavs.

Cyril and Methodius had deep knowledge of Greek and Eastern cultures. Summarizing their experience in the field of writing, the brothers created the first Slavic alphabet based on Slavic writings. It became a great impetus for the development of culture and education in the Slavic states. Writing made it possible to develop Russian bookmaking and literature.

The significance of the contribution of the enlightenment brothers to the dissemination of writing, and with it religious knowledge, was highly appreciated by church ministers. The brothers received the status of saints after their death and their own holiday.

The Day of Slavic Writing and Culture is a holiday that calls for paying tribute to Slavic writing, the customs of our ancestors and honoring the memory of the creators of the Slavic alphabets, Cyril and Methodius. Celebrated on May 24th.

Why is this holiday important?

The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is not celebrated as New Year or March 8. And in general, only schoolchildren, language and literature teachers, librarians and some officials know and remember about it.

However, the emergence of our own writing system plays a big role for us. It doesn’t matter what language we write in - Ukrainian or Russian, they are both created on the basis Slavic alphabet Cyrillic alphabet.

Cyril and Methodius did a great job of giving the sounds of the Slavic language a graphic form. Thanks to their work, knowledge and translations of church books, which had previously been available only in foreign languages, began to spread. The creation of the Slavic writing system gave impetus to the development of the literary language and book publishing among many nations.

The history of the holiday

In ancient times, this holiday was celebrated by all Slavic peoples. But over time, as a result of various historical and political events, they stopped celebrating him. At first, Cyril and Methodius were revered only by the churches, as saints equal to the apostles who made a huge contribution to the development of Christianity.

Slavic countries resumed the celebration of the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture in different time: Czechs - in the 14th century, other peoples around the 19th century. In Ukraine, the event was legalized in 2004, although back in the 19th century the Cyril and Methodius Brotherhood recalled the role of Cyril and Methodius in the development of culture and education of Kievan Rus.

How to celebrate the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture

In addition to Ukraine, this holiday is celebrated by 8 other countries: Belarus, Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, Russia, Montenegro, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

On this day in educational institutions and libraries host various events: laying flowers at the monument to Cyril and Methodius, conversations, conferences, quizzes and concerts.

In Bulgaria this is a national event. There, citizens hang wreaths of fresh flowers on portraits of the Equal-to-the-Apostles saints and remember their hymn. Book exhibitions and fairs are held.

After Bulgaria joined the EU, the Cyrillic alphabet was accepted into the ranks of its official alphabets.

Traditionally, linguists, writers, librarians, and writers pay great attention to this date.

Interesting facts about Cyril, Methodius and Slavic writing

1) The Cyrillic alphabet was created on the basis of the Greek alphabet and consisted of 43 letters: 24 Greek and 19 special characters to indicate the sound features of the Slavic language.

2) It is still not known exactly which alphabet was created first: Cyrillic or Glagolitic. Many scholars believe that Cyril created only the Glagolitic alphabet, and the Cyrillic alphabet was written later by Methodius or the brothers' disciples.

3) Methodius outlived his brother by 16 years. The location of his grave is unknown.

4) There is an opinion that the Glagolitic and Proto-Cyrillic alphabet existed even before the birth of the Equal-to-the-Apostles saints. The first was used for church services, and the second was used in everyday life. Therefore, the Glagolitic alphabet has more complex and sophisticated letters than the Cyrillic alphabet. The Glagolitic alphabet retained its original appearance, and the Proto-Cyrillic alphabet was changed by Cyril.

5) Due to the lack of writing, the memory of ancient people was better developed than that of modern people. This is due to the fact that our ancestors had to remember a large amount of information.

6) Among the Slavs, writing and reading books had a magical meaning and was perceived as a sacred act. They believed that the use of the sacred alphabet (Glagolitic) in Everyday life leads to the loss of her magical abilities.

Cyrillic alphabets do not support everyone Slavic languages. Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia switched to the Latin alphabet long ago.In such non-Slavic countries as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, the peoples of the North, the Caucasus, Buryatia, Bashkiria, Kalmykia and a number of other nationalities use the Cyrillic alphabet.