The characters of Saints Cyril and Methodius in the prism of the hymn Brothers Chosen by God

Sławomir Ropiak

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Abstract

The Liturgy of the Hours in Polish honours Saints Cyril and Methodius on the fourteenth of February, which is in accordance with the current Roman ecclesiastical calendar. The inclusion, for this day, of its own hymn, Brothers Chosen by God, is what distinguishes Polish piety from other communities of the Universal Church of the Latin rite, which have dispensed with their own hymn in honour of these two saints. The Polish-language hymn has a melody as well as an elaboration in the form of a liturgical song.

According to the hymn in question, the brotherhood of Cyril and Methodius flows from their love for Christ. It is His love that is the source of the two missionaries' unity and the foundation of their apostolic zeal. This truth is in line with the Latin tradition and the pastoral direction set by the Second Vatican Council and the teaching of John Paul II.

            Cyril and Methodius were endowed by God with wisdom, zeal, knowledge and fortitude. Bringing the light of the Gospel, they shine like torches on the path of the nations. They are shown in the teaching dynamics of the Slavs. The identity of Cyril and Methodius stems from their response to the gift of calling and showing pagan peoples the way to God. The virtues with which they are endowed include wisdom, evangelising zeal, knowledge and fortitude.

By giving the peoples a language of prayer, the Brothers became a blessing to the Slavic family. As God's messengers, today they enjoy the fame due to them and surround the people so that their sufferings bear a hundredfold fruit for heaven.

Roman tradition praises Saints Cyril and Methodius sparingly and with restraint, compared to the Eastern Rite Churches, which owe a great deal to the Solunski brothers, because the Christian faith, as well as liturgy and culture, grew out of the Gospel language. For Western Rite Catholics, Cyril and Methodius are more like: saints inviting people to sing doxologies to God, protectors of suffering people and apostles inviting people to learn about the Christian traditions of the Eastern European nations.