Cyril was born in Thessalonica and educated in Constantinople. He accompanied his brother Methodius to Moravia, Bohemia and Bulgaria to preach the faith. They both prepared Slavic liturgical texts in what would subsequently known as the Cyrillic alphabet. Both were summoned to Rome, where Cyril died on 14 Feb 869, while Methodius was consecrated bishop and went to Pannonia (Hungary) where he tirelessly preached the Gospel. Though suffering much from detractors he received assistance from the Roman pontiffs. Methodius died on 6 April 885 in Velehrad, Czechoslovakia. John Paul II proclaimed them Patrons of Europe, along with St Benedict. – CTS New Daily Missal 2012, p 2567; Christian Prayer, Saint Paul Publications Philippines 1990, p 1082.
