# Matins Nocturn 2 reading for Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Bishops and
# Confessors (July 7). Sourced directly from
# web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/07-07.txt, English/Sancti/07-07.txt --
# Lectio4-6, an excerpt from Pope Leo XIII's own encyclical letter on
# the two saints, combined into one reading. No Lectio7-9 in their own
# file (a direct `@Commune/C1a:LectioN` cross-reference) -- not
# transcribed, per the bare-cross-reference convention.
id: ss-cyril-and-methodius
readings:
  - nocturn: 2
    isGospel: false
    source: "Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter (Grande Munus)"
    text:
      la: >-
        Cyrillus et Methodius fratres germani, Thessalonícæ amplíssimo loco nati,
        Constantinopolim mature concessérunt, ut in ipsa urbe Oriéntis príncipe
        humanitátis artes addíscerent. Uterque plurimum brevi profecérunt; sed
        maxime Cyrillus, qui tantam scientiárum laudem adeptus est, ut singuláris
        honoris causa Philósophus appellarétur. Deínde mónachum ágere Methodius
        cœpit; Cyrillus autem dignus est hábitus, cui Theodora imperátrix, auctore
        Ignátio patriarcha, negotium daret erudiéndi ad fidem christianam
        Cházaros, trans Chersonésum incoléntes, quos, præceptis suis edoctos et
        Dei numine instinctos, multiplici superstitióne deleta, ad Jesum Christum
        adjunxit. Recénti Christianórum communitáte óptime constituta,
        Constantinopolim rediit álacer, atque in monastérium Polychrónis, quo se
        jam Methodius receperat, Cyrillus ipse secessit. Interim cum res trans
        Chersonésum próspere gestas ad Rastilláum Moraviæ príncipem fama
        detulísset, is de aliquot operariis evangelicis Constantinopoli
        arcesséndis cum imperatóre Michaéle tertio egit. Igitur Cyrillus et
        Methodius illi expeditióni destináti, et in Moraviam celebri lætítia
        excepti, animos christiánis institutiónibus tanta vi tamque operosa
        industria excolendos aggrediúntur, ut non longo intervallo ea gens nomen
        Jesu Christo libentíssime dederit. Ad eam rem non parum sciéntia váluit
        dictiónis Slavónicæ, quam Cyrillus ante percéperat, multumque potuérunt
        sacræ utriusque Testaménti litteræ, quas proprio pópuli sermóne
        reddiderat; nam Cyrillus et Methodius príncipes inveniéndi fuérunt ipsas
        litteras, quibus est sermo ipsórum Slavórum signátus et expréssus eáque
        de causa ejusdem sermónis auctores non immérito habentur.


        Cum rerum gestárum glóriam secundus rumor Romam nuntiásset, sanctus
        Nicoláus primus Pontifex maximus fratres optimos Romam conténdere jussit.
        Illi Romanum iter ingressi, relíquias sancti Clementis primi Pontificis
        maximi, quas Cyrillus Chersónæ repérerat, secum ádvehunt. Quo nuntio,
        Hadrianus secundus, qui Nicoláo demortuo fuerat suffectus, clero populóque
        comitante, obviam eis magna cum honóre significatióne progréditur. Deínde
        Cyrillus et Methodius de munere apostolico in quo essent sancte
        laborioséque versáti ad Pontificem maximum, assidénte clero, réferunt.
        Cum autem eo nómine ab ínvidis accusaréntur, quod sermónem Slavónicum in
        perfunctióne munerum sacrórum usurpavissent, causam dixére ratiónibus tam
        certis tamque illustribus, ut Pontifex et clerus et laudarint hómines et
        probarint. Tum ambo, juráti se in fide beáti Petri et Pontificum
        Romanórum permansuros, epíscopi ab Hadriáno consecráti sunt. Sed erat
        provisum divinitus, ut Cyrillus vitæ cursum Romæ cónderet, virtúte magis
        quam ætate matúrus. Methodius vero in Moraviam regréssus, ibique factus
        forma gregis ex animo, rei catholicæ inservire majore in dies studio
        ínstitit. Quin étiam Pannonios, Búlgaros, Dálmatas in fide christiáni
        nóminis confirmávit; in Carinthiis autem ad uníus veri Dei cultum
        traducéndis plurimum elaborávit.


        Apud Joánnem octavum, qui Hadriáno successerat, íterum de suspecta fide
        vialatoque more majórum accusatus, ac Romam veníre jussus, coram Joánne et
        epíscopis aliquot cleroque urbano, facile vicit catholicam prorsus fidem et
        se retinuisse constanter, et ceteros diligenter edocuísse. Quapropter in re
        præsénti complexus Methódium Pontifex, potestátem ejus archiepiscopálem
        expeditionémque Slavónicam, datis étiam litteris, ratam esse jussit. Quare
        Methodius in Moraviam reversus assignátum sibi munus explere vigilantius
        perseverávit, pro quo et exsílium libenter passus est. Bohemórum príncipem
        ejusque uxórem ad fidem perdúxit, et in ea gente christianum nomen longe
        lateque vulgávit. Evangélii lumen in Polóniam invéxit, et, ut nonnulli
        scriptores tradunt, sede episcopali Leópoli fundata, in Moscóviam proprii
        nóminis digréssus, thronum pontificalem Kiowensem constítuit. Demum in
        Moraviam reversus est ad suos; jamque sese ábripi ad humánum éxitum
        sentiens, ípsemet sibi successórem designávit, clerumque et pópulum
        supremis præceptis ad virtútem cohortatus, ea vita, quæ sibi via in cælum
        fuit, placidíssime defunctus est. Uti Cyrillum Roma, sic Methódium Moravia
        decedentem summo honóre prosecuta est. Illórum vero festum, quod apud
        Slavoniæ pópulos jamdiu celebrari consueverat, Leo décimus tertius
        Pontifex maximus cum Officio ac Missa propria in univérsa Ecclésia
        quotannis agi præcépit.
      en: >-
        The brethren Cyril and Methodius were born in an honourable position at
        Thessalonica. As they advanced in years they went to Constantinople to study
        letters in the capital of the Eastern world. Both made quick progress, but
        most chiefly Cyril, who gained such learning that he was called for
        excellency the Philosopher. Methodius became a monk, but the Empress
        Theodora, on the recommendation of the Patriarch Ignatius, deemed Cyril
        worthy of receiving the task of teaching Christianity to the Khazar who
        dwelt beyond the Crimea. By the grace of God he so taught them that they
        laid aside their many superstitions and were joined to Jesus Christ. After
        properly establishing the new community of Christians, Cyril hastened back
        to Constantinople, where he entered the monastery of Polychron, whither
        Methodius had already withdrawn himself. Rastilaw, Prince of Moravia, having
        heard tell of the good deeds beyond the Crimea, sent to Constantinople to
        the Emperor Michael III to obtain some Gospel labourers. Cyril and Methodius
        were sent to him, and gladly received in Moravia, and applied themselves
        with such power and industry to the work of Christianising souls that it
        was not long before that nation also joyfully submitted to Jesus Christ. To
        this end Cyril found of great use the knowledge of the Slavonic language,
        which he had already acquired, and much effect was produced by the
        translation of holy Scripture which he made into the language of the
        people. Cyril and Methodius were the inventors of the alphabet in which the
        language of the Slavs is characteristically expressed, and for this reason
        they have been not unjustly termed the fathers of Slavonic literature.


        Then the happy tidings of what they had done reached Rome, the Supreme
        Pontiff the holy Nicholas I. commanded these excellent brethren to come to
        Rome. When they started for Rome they brought with them the relics of the
        supreme Pontiff the holy Clement I which Cyril had discovered at Cherson.
        On hearing of their approach Adrian II, who had succeeded to the Papacy
        upon the death of Nicholas, went forth to meet them accompanied by the
        clergy and people with every sign of honour. Then Cyril and Methodius gave
        to the Supreme Pontiff in the presence of the clergy an account of the
        Apostolic office which they had discharged in so holy and toilsome a
        manner. When it was made blame to them by some enviers that they had used
        the Slavonic language for the purposes of public worship, they stated their
        reasons with such clearness and force that the Pontiff and clergy praised
        and approved them. When they had both taken an oath that they would remain
        in the faith of blessed Peter and of the Roman Pontiffs, they were
        consecrated bishops by Adrian, but it was the Will of God that Cyril, old
        in grace rather than in years, should close his life at Rome. Methodius
        went back to Moravia, and there became from his whole soul a pattern to his
        flock, and from day to day more zealous in the service of Catholicism. He
        confirmed the Pannonians, the Bulgarians, and the Dalmatians in the
        Christian religion, and laboured much to bring the Corinthians to the
        worship of the one true God.


        Methodius was again accused before John VIII, the successor of Adrian, of
        unsoundness in faith, and transgression of the traditions of the elders; he
        was summoned to Rome, and there easily proved, in the presence of John and
        of some Bishops and clergy of the city, that he had himself always firmly
        held the Catholic faith, and had carefully taught it to others, and that as
        regarded the use of the Slavonic language for public worship, he had acted
        lawfully from certain reasons, and the permission of Pope Adrian. The
        Pontiff therefore in this matter concurred with Methodius, and confirmed
        even in writing his archepiscopal authority and his mission among the
        Slavs. Methodius therefore went back to Moravia and resumed more earnestly
        than before the task committed to him, for the which also he cheerfully
        suffered exile. He converted the Prince of the Bohemians and his wife, and
        spread the Christian name far and wide among that people. He carried the
        light of the Gospel into Poland, and according to some writers, after
        establishing the see of Leopolis, went into Muscovy properly so called and
        established the see of Kieff. At the last he returned into Moravia, and
        when he felt that he was about to go the way of all flesh he named his own
        successor, exhorted the clergy and people for the last time to good living,
        and then calmly departed that life which had been to him a path to heaven.
        As Rome had honoured Cyril in his death, so did Moravia honour Methodius.
        The festival of these Saints, which had long been observed among the Slav
        nations, the Supreme Pontiff Leo XIII. ordered to be kept throughout the
        Universal Church with a special office and Mass.
    status: { la: verified, en: verified }
