Greetings,
February 14, contrary to popular opinion, is actually the feast day of Saints Cyril (826-869) & Methodius (c.815-885). Cyril and Methodius were born in Thessalonica and educated in Constantinople. Cyril, whose name until 868 when he entered a monastery was Constantine, was the librarian at the famous church of St. Sophia (now a Mosque, but still one of the finest structures in the world). Cyril accompanied his brother Methodius to the Volga region of Russia to convert the Khazars; because of their success, Photius sent them to Moravia to preach the faith, and convert the Moravians. They both prepared Slavic liturgical texts in what would subsequently be known as the Cyrillic alphabet. Both were summoned to Rome, where Cyril entered the monastery, while Methodius was consecrated bishop of Moravia and went to Pannonia where he tirelessly preached the Gospel. Cyril died on February 14, 869.
Methodius suffered much from detractors, especially the Germans who wanted to control the region, but received assistance from the Roman Pontiffs. He was imprisoned for a period by Prince Sviatopolk, but his release was arranged by Pope John VIII, and he was later consecrated archbishop of Pannonia. As an apostle to the Slavs, he also fought for the unity of the Eastern and Western Churches. Methodius died on April 6, 885 in Velehrad, the Czech Republic. After his death, many of his followers took refuge in Bulgaria.
The memory of Cyril and Methodius is still treasured by Czechs, Croats, Serbs, and Bulgars. How tragic that many “Christians” in those regions today fail to live by the principles of Cyril and Methodius, or the work of Methodius to bring people together across the cultural, ethnic, religious and political divisions so prevalent in the region.
Methodius is the link in a chain which stretches from Jesus to John Wesley. He was born and raised in the Christian tradition of the church at Thessalonica in Macedonia, which was founded, developed and molded by Paul and Silas on Paul’s second missionary journey. Paul, who was instructed directly by Jesus after his conversion, wrote to the new church to strengthen and encourage it, and his first letter to the Thessalonians is the earliest of Paul’s canonical letters (unless you are of the school of thought which gives a very early date of 48-49 to Galatians). The church at Thessalonica continued to thrive for many centuries. It was in this tradition that Methodius and Cyril were raised and trained. It was the direct theological heritage which shaped Methodius’s thinking and actions throughout his life. The Moravians held fast to the teachings which Methodius gave to them, and continued that theological heritage, against all odds, for a thousand years. The Moravians had a tremendous influence on John Wesley, both on his trip to Georgia and thereafter. It is that influence which shapes so much of the theology and practice of the United Methodist Church today.
Methodius stands half way between Jesus and John Wesley in terms of years. There is also a great irony that the disciplined, methodical practices of Wesley and his Holy Club at Oxford in 1729 gave rise to what Charles Wesley called “the harmless nickname of Methodist.” It was readily accepted by John, who provided his own definition: “A Methodist is one who lives according to the method laid down in the Bible.” Then Wesley’s theology is shaped by the Moravians and Wesley comes to stand in the heritage of Methodius. Our apostolic succession and the nickname Methodist come out of the Church of England. Our theological heritage and identification as Methodists comes in large part from Methodius.
Happy Saints Cyril and Methodius Day.
Yours & His,
DED
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