Cyrille et Méthode
826-869 et 815-885 9th century Feast day: February 14
The conviction that every language and culture can carry the Word, and that God speaks to each person in their mother tongue.
Who was Cyrille et Méthode?
Two brothers from Thessalonica, learned and multilingual, sent as missionaries to the Slavic peoples of Great Moravia. So that these peoples could pray in their own language, they invented an alphabet and translated the Gospel and the liturgy, standing up to those who wanted worship confined to three sacred tongues. Cyril died a monk in Rome, Methodius a bishop among his people.
In their own words
Does not God's rain fall equally on all, and does not the sun also shine on all?
Hear, all you Slavic peoples, hear the Word that feeds souls.
Lord, make your Church grow in number and unite all its members in unity.