Bulgarians Honor the Founders of Cyrillic Script on St. Cyril and Methodius Day

A large number of Bulgarians gathered on Saturday to pay tribute to Saint Cyril and Methodius, the creators of the Cyrillic script, during one of the nation’s most significant cultural and national celebrations in the Balkan nation.

Individuals convened to place blooms at the foot of a monument dedicated to the two saints of the Orthodox Church situated in downtown Sofia.

In the ninth century, these individuals were born in what we now know as Greece and are recognized for developing the Glagolitic script. This writing system was subsequently refined by various academics throughout the Balkan region before evolving into the Cyrillic alphabet.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov stated at the official event in Sofia, "The greatest and most important legacy that saints Cyril and Methodius bestowed upon Bulgaria was literacy."

The mayor of Sofia, addressing the gathering, also highlighted the power that language wields over us.

"Let’s keep in mind not just the content of our words but also their delivery – words possess great power. They can bring people together, mend wounds, and motivate," stated Mayor Vasil Teziev.

Saints Cyril and Methodius bequeathed more than just the creation of the Cyrillic and Glagolitic scripts.

In both the Slavic countries and Bulgaria, their efforts mark a significant point of change for the Orthodox Church as well as Balkan cultural legacy.

Occasionally called "Spiritual Easter" in Bulgaria, the dates 11 May and 24 May are currently acknowledged as the "Days of Bulgarian Education and Culture and of the Slavic Alphabet."

Currently, the Cyrillic alphabet is utilized by Slavic, Turkic, Uralic, Caucasian, and other ethnic groups, including Mongolia, which embraced it in 1941.