Slavic Writing Day is a holiday that is celebrated by many peoples of Slavic origin (Russians, Ukrainians, Belarussians, Bulgarians, etc.). It is dedicated to the memory of the creators of the famous Cyrillic letter - the Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers Methodius and Cyril.
Cyril and Methodius, originally from Byzantium, from the city of Thessaloniki (Solun). Their father Leo was a noble and wealthy officer. Michael (future Methodius) was the oldest of the seven sons, and Constantine (future Cyril) was the youngest. Since Thessaloniki was a bilingual city, the brothers from childhood spoke good not only in Greek, but also in Slavic, in the so-called Solun dialect.
history of the holiday
Initially, Slavic Writing Day began to be celebrated in Bulgaria thanks to the deep veneration of the holy brothers in the Bulgarian church. This holiday reminded the representatives of the Bulgarian ethnic group persecuted by the Turks about their historical roots, exalted them above harsh reality, expressing the people's desire for national self-determination and the continuation of cultural traditions. In connection with close contact with the Bulgarian culture (and, as you know, it was the Russians who liberated the Bulgarians from Turkish rule after the 1950s), this holiday came to Russia. In 1863, a decree was issued in our country to honor the memory of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, which also set a date for this - May 11 (i.e. May 24, new style).
By the way, the memory of the outstanding enlightenment of the Slavs lived in the hearts of those peoples who perceived the Cyrillic alphabet. For example, in Russia the memory of St. Cyril is dedicated on February 14, and of St. Methodius on April 6. However, the appearance of a new holiday in honor of both saints and the glorification of the alphabet they created, which contributed to the unification of the Slavs and the spread among them of the Christian faith in its Orthodox movement, contributed to a deeper appreciation of the enlightenment's deed.
In modern Russia, Slavic Writing Day is celebrated annually on May 24 in different cities - Moscow, Vladimir, Kostroma, Saratov, Orel, Ryazan, etc. Since 2010, the main celebrations have been held in Moscow. The Orthodox Church organizes religious processions, pilgrimages and prayers for the glory of the great brothers.
Philological and historical faculties of various universities and institutes celebrate Slavic Writing Day every May. The celebration script includes theatrical performances on the subjects “Tales of Bygone Years” and “Words on Igor's Regiment”, competitive readings of excerpts from them in the Old Slavonic language, performance of folklore ensembles and much more. In addition, celebrations include meetings with famous writers, historians, composers, folk art exhibitions, book festivals. The days of Slavic writing call for the unification of fraternal peoples, to preserve the historical past, without which the further development of the cultural and political life of the Slavic countries is unthinkable.