Literacy Through the Ages
When we say "literacy," we often think of school, books, and learning letters. But literacy is much more than that—it is the foundation of a nation’s culture, identity, and communication. At the heart of this foundation for all Slavic peoples stand two brothers from Thessaloniki—Cyril and Methodius.
Somewhere in the 9th century, in Byzantine Thessaloniki, two brothers were born whose work would forever change the course of Slavic civilization. Constantine, later known as Cyril, and Methodius were not just scholars—they were a bridge between East and West, between faith and language, between nations and literacy. Their mission was not political, but deeply cultural and educational: to bring sacred texts closer to the people—in a language they could understand.
When they set out for Moravia, Cyril and Methodius did not carry swords, but something far more powerful—the written word. They created Glagolitic, the first Slavic script, and used it to translate key church texts. In doing so, they laid the foundations not only of religious life, but of general education among the Slavic peoples. This act marked the beginning of cultural emancipation and the first sense of political awareness among the Slavs.
Their work did not stop in Moravia. Their disciples continued the mission across the Balkans, especially in Bulgaria and Macedonia, and later in Russia. The Serbian Orthodox Church and other Orthodox communities still commemorate them today as "equal-to-the-apostles"—individuals who worked as tirelessly as the apostles themselves to spread both faith and literacy.
In Serbia, their day is celebrated on May 24th as a national holiday—The Day of Slavic Literacy and Culture. Officially recognized in 2019, this date carries an important message: that literacy is not merely a relic of the past, but a key to the future.
In today’s digital age, literacy has expanded into the media and digital spheres. But its essential meaning remains the same—the ability to think, express ourselves, and understand one another. Cyril and Methodius would likely be seen today as “knowledge influencers,” as their mission laid the groundwork for a legacy that still endures—the need to be literate not only in letters, but also in heart and spirit.
Reading Recommendation: Literacy as the Guardian of Identity
In the spirit of preserving cultural memory and linguistic heritage, we recommend the book "A Short History of Belgrade" by Professor Slavenko Terzić—a work that clearly, accessibly, and insightfully guides readers through the layered history of Serbia’s capital. The publisher is Click for Serbia, and this edition was created as part of their broader mission to promote knowledge, history, and literacy in modern society. Through such projects, literacy is not only preserved, but actively developed and shared with future generations.
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