<P> Saints Cyril and Methodius ( 826 -- 869 , 815 -- 885 ; Greek : Κύριλλος καὶ Μεθόδιος ; Old Church Slavonic : К ѷ риллъ и Ме ѳ одїи ) were two brothers who were Byzantine Christian theologians and Christian missionaries . Through their work they influenced the cultural development of all Slavs , for which they received 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 continued 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 . </P>
<P> Saints Cyril and Methodius ( 826 -- 869 , 815 -- 885 ; Greek : Κύριλλος καὶ Μεθόδιος ; Old Church Slavonic : К ѷ риллъ и Ме ѳ одїи ) were two brothers who were Byzantine Christian theologians and Christian missionaries . Through their work they influenced the cultural development of all Slavs , for which they received 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 continued 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 . </P>
who invented an alphabet for the slavic language
who invented an alphabet for the slavic language
Cyril Methodius
Cyril Methodius