Saints Cyril (827-869) and Methodius (815 - 885) are Byzantine Greek brothers born in Thessaloniki in the 9th century.

They are Christian missionaries among the Slavic peoples of the First Bulgarian Empire, Great Moravia, and Pannonia.

Through their work, they influence the cultural development of all Slavs, for which they receive the title "Apostles to the Slavs".

They are credited with devising the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet used to transcribe Old Church Slavonic.

After their deaths, their pupils continue their missionary work among other Slavs.

Both brothers are venerated in the Orthodox Church as saints with the title of "equal-to-apostles".

In 1880, Pope Leo XIII introduced their feast into the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1980, Pope John Paul II declared them co-patron saints of Europe, together with Benedict of Nursia.