SS.
Cyril & Methodius Parish
“UNITED IN FAITH”
SS. Cyril and Methodius
(Constantine and Methodius)
Constantine and Methodius
were Greek brothers, sons of a
high senatorial family of
Thessalonica. Methodius, the
older of the two brothers,
became an important civil
official. He grew tired of
worldly affairs and retired to a
monastery. Constantine
became a scholar and a
professor in Constantinople. Both were gifted theologians
and linguists.
They were living in a monastery when the Khazars sent
to Constantinople for a Christian teacher. Constantine was
selected and was accompanied by his brother. They learned
the Khazar language and converted many of the people.
Soon after there was a request from the Moravians for a
preacher of the Gospel. The Moravians wanted a teacher
who could instruct them and conduct Divine services in the
Slavonic tongue. Because of their familiarity with the
language, Constantine and Methodius were chosen for the
work. In preparation for it, Constantine invented the
Glagolitic alphabet (its descendant alphabet, the Cyrillic
alphabet is still used by many languages today). With the
help from Methodius, they translated the Gospels and
necessary liturgical books into Slavonic.
Despite their success, they were
regarded with distrust by the Germans
because they held the Church services
in the Slavonic language. They were
summoned to Rome by Nicholas I,
who died however, before their
arrival. His successor Adrian II
received them, and convinced of their
orthodoxy, commended their
missionary activity and sanctioned the
Slavonic Liturgy. Constantine never
returned to Moravia. Falling ill, he
retired to a monastery, assumed the
St. Cyril Statue monastic robes and the name Cyril
SS. Cyril & Methodius Church, and died on February 14, 869. Legend
Lemont, Illinois
tells us that his older brother was so
grief-stricken and perhaps upset by the political turmoil, that
he intended to withdraw to a monastery himself. Cyril’s
dying wish, however, was that Methodius return to the
missionary work they had begun.
One of the miracles said to have been performed by
Cyril and Methodius was the discovery of the body of St.
Clement who was the third successor to St. Peter in Rome.
The Romans were angered by St. Clement preaching
Christianity and had him martyred by tying him to an anchor
and throwing him into the Crimean Sea. Eight centuries
later, Cyril and Methodius miraculously found his body
through an angel who parted the sea. While the brothers
continued their missionary works they would bring along
the remains of St. Clement, impressing and inspiring the
Slavic natives, as well as the Papal court in Rome. They
returned St. Clement’s body to Rome for burial and when
Cyril died while still in Rome, Adrian II insisted Cyril be
buried in the basilica that would be named after St. Clement.
Adrian II formed an Archdiocese of Moravia, made it
independent of the German Church, and appointed
Methodius Archbishop. In 870 King Louis and the German
bishops summoned Methodius to a council in Germany.
Here he was deposed and condemned to prison. After three
years he was liberated at the command of Pope John VIII
and reinstated as Archbishop of Moravia. He zealously
endeavored to spread the faith among the Bohemians and
also among the Poles in Northern Moravia.
Soon, however, he was summoned to Rome again due
to allegations of the German priests who objected to the use
of Slavonic in the liturgy. But John VIII sanctioned the
Slavonic Liturgy, decreeing however, that in the Mass the
Gospel should be read first in Latin, then in Slavonic.
Methodius went to Constantinople
and with the assistance of several
priests, completed the translation of the
Holy Scriptures. The enemies of
Methodius did not cease to antagonize
him however. His health was worn out
from the long struggle and he died on
April 6, 884. He is buried at the
Cathedral of Velehrad in Moravia.
Cyril was regarded by his disciples
as a saint following his death. His cult
spread among the nations he
evangelized and subsequently to the St. Methodius Statue
SS. Cyril & Methodius Church,
wider Christian Church, resulting in the Lemont, Illinois
renown of his holiness, along with that
of his brother Methodius. They were canonized by Pope Leo
XIII in 1880. In 1980, Pope John Paul II declared them
Patrons of Europe. The two brothers are known as the
"Apostles of the Slavs" and are still highly regarded by both
Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians. Saints Cyril and
Methodius' feast day is celebrated on February 14th in the
Roman Catholic Church (to coincide with the date of St.
Cyril's death).
Prayer: Saints Cyril and Methodius, watch over all
missionaries but especially those in Slavic countries. Help
those that are in danger in the troubled areas. Watch over
the people you dedicated your lives to. Amen.
 SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish
“UNITED IN FAITH”
SS. Cyril and Methodius
(Constantine and Methodius)
Constantine and Methodius
were Greek brothers, sons of a
high senatorial family of
Thessalonica. Methodius, the
older of the two brothers,
became an important civil
official. He grew tired of
worldly affairs and retired to a
monastery. Constantine
became a scholar and a
professor in Constantinople. Both were gifted theologians
and linguists.
They were living in a monastery when the Khazars sent
to Constantinople for a Christian teacher. Constantine was
selected and was accompanied by his brother. They learned
the Khazar language and converted many of the people.
Soon after there was a request from the Moravians for a
preacher of the Gospel. The Moravians wanted a teacher
who could instruct them and conduct Divine services in the
Slavonic tongue. Because of their familiarity with the
language, Constantine and Methodius were chosen for the
work. In preparation for it, Constantine invented the
Glagolitic alphabet (its descendant alphabet, the Cyrillic
alphabet is still used by many languages today). With the
help from Methodius, they translated the Gospels and
necessary liturgical books into Slavonic.
Despite their success, they were
regarded with distrust by the Germans
because they held the Church services
in the Slavonic language. They were
summoned to Rome by Nicholas I,
who died however, before their
arrival. His successor Adrian II
received them, and convinced of their
orthodoxy, commended their
missionary activity and sanctioned the
Slavonic Liturgy. Constantine never
returned to Moravia. Falling ill, he
retired to a monastery, assumed the
St. Cyril Statue monastic robes and the name Cyril
SS. Cyril & Methodius Church, and died on February 14, 869. Legend
Lemont, Illinois
tells us that his older brother was so
grief-stricken and perhaps upset by the political turmoil, that
he intended to withdraw to a monastery himself. Cyril’s
dying wish, however, was that Methodius return to the
missionary work they had begun.
One of the miracles said to have been performed by
Cyril and Methodius was the discovery of the body of St.
Clement who was the third successor to St. Peter in Rome.
The Romans were angered by St. Clement preaching
Christianity and had him martyred by tying him to an anchor
and throwing him into the Crimean Sea. Eight centuries
later, Cyril and Methodius miraculously found his body
through an angel who parted the sea. While the brothers
continued their missionary works they would bring along
the remains of St. Clement, impressing and inspiring the
Slavic natives, as well as the Papal court in Rome. They
returned St. Clement’s body to Rome for burial and when
Cyril died while still in Rome, Adrian II insisted Cyril be
buried in the basilica that would be named after St. Clement.
Adrian II formed an Archdiocese of Moravia, made it
independent of the German Church, and appointed
Methodius Archbishop. In 870 King Louis and the German
bishops summoned Methodius to a council in Germany.
Here he was deposed and condemned to prison. After three
years he was liberated at the command of Pope John VIII
and reinstated as Archbishop of Moravia. He zealously
endeavored to spread the faith among the Bohemians and
also among the Poles in Northern Moravia.
Soon, however, he was summoned to Rome again due
to allegations of the German priests who objected to the use
of Slavonic in the liturgy. But John VIII sanctioned the
Slavonic Liturgy, decreeing however, that in the Mass the
Gospel should be read first in Latin, then in Slavonic.
Methodius went to Constantinople
and with the assistance of several
priests, completed the translation of the
Holy Scriptures. The enemies of
Methodius did not cease to antagonize
him however. His health was worn out
from the long struggle and he died on
April 6, 884. He is buried at the
Cathedral of Velehrad in Moravia.
Cyril was regarded by his disciples
as a saint following his death. His cult
spread among the nations he
evangelized and subsequently to the St. Methodius Statue
SS. Cyril & Methodius Church,
wider Christian Church, resulting in the Lemont, Illinois
renown of his holiness, along with that
of his brother Methodius. They were canonized by Pope Leo
XIII in 1880. In 1980, Pope John Paul II declared them
Patrons of Europe. The two brothers are known as the
"Apostles of the Slavs" and are still highly regarded by both
Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians. Saints Cyril and
Methodius' feast day is celebrated on February 14th in the
Roman Catholic Church (to coincide with the date of St.
Cyril's death).
Prayer: Saints Cyril and Methodius, watch over all
missionaries but especially those in Slavic countries. Help
those that are in danger in the troubled areas. Watch over
the people you dedicated your lives to. Amen.