Memorial Showplace

Monument Slavic educators Cyril and Methodius

Spring May 22, 1990 in a small park, which is located not far from the building of scientific regional library in Murmansk took place the opening ceremony of the monument dedicated to equal to the apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius. As is known, the brothers Cyril and Methodius were born in a family of respected military leader, in a town called Thessaloniki that happened more than a thousand years ago. Methodius was the oldest of seven brothers, and Cyril – younger. Following the example of his father Methodius entered military service, and for 10 years was the manager of one of the Slavic regions. Soon Methodius goes to the monastery, located on the coast of the Sea of ​​Marmara.

In his childhood and teenage years Cyril was very keen on “book case”, and then began to show his great ability in the sciences. Having a talented boy, he was called to the emperor’s court in the capital and was appointed tutor of the young Emperor Michael III. Young talent perfectly mastered mathematics, grammar, geometry, dialectics, astronomy and other sciences. After some time, Cyril was deeply study philosophy, but soon went to the monastery to his brother.

Shortly after visiting Byzantium Cyril decided to establish on the basis of the Greek alphabet Slavic alphabet. So the brothers Cyril and Methodius became the founders of the literary written Slavic language, which became the impetus for the creation of ancient and ancient Bulgarian literary language.

Monument to the famous Slavic educators appeared in Murmansk thanks to the polar writers, on whose initiative May 24, 1986 for the first time in the Soviet Union had a holiday of Slavonic Literature and Culture Day, will soon become a national holiday.

In the spring of 1990, which coincided with the Day of Bulgaria’s independence, His Holiness Patriarch Maxim Bulgarian in the presence of Bulgarian and Soviet officials held a formal ceremony of consecration of the monument. At the same time an instrument of transfer of the monument to the Government of Murmansk was signed.

Cyril and Methodius Monument – is the author’s copy of the famous sculptor from Bulgaria Vladimir Ginovski, and the original of this monument is located right in front of the facade of the building of the National Library in Sofia, where he established the date of the 1100th anniversary of the appearance of Slavic Literature.

In Murmansk there are two statues made of bronze, which symbolize their views inextinguishable candles. They are located on a concrete pedestal, put on consisting of 12 granite slabs basis. Available in front of the monument area is laid out with the help of the fragmentary sawn stone. The monumental complex includes also a framing square, which carried out a small gray granite blocks. It is worth noting that, despite its simplicity and ordinariness, two sculptures look particularly grand, with the face looks especially Cyril soulfully and thoughtfully a few. In the hand of Cyril has a pen that gives an idea of how to prepare for writing open letters to them. His brother Methodius with caution and careful cuddle Scripture, which becomes a kind of evidence of persistent and tireless work. Figure Methodius literally riddled with unquenchable strength and energy, and the person expresses the incredible wisdom. Both brothers are dressed in ample robes of the monks of the past time. Sculptures support small scroll that displays the first few letters of the Slavic alphabet developed. We can say with confidence that presented sculptures express exactly individualized, despite the fact that the real image of Cyril and Methodius not reached our time.

Today, a monument did not manage to build up to the end. For example, the idea was to perform a pedestal of polished cast stone, which was supposed to clear several zones in the form of an ornament consisting of Glagolitic letters. In the future we plan to implement all the components in a single artistic style of composition.

Address: Str. Sophia Perovskoy, Square Regional Scientific Library, Murmansk, Russia