Serbian state television grossly distorted the historical truth by denying Bulgaria's role in the work of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius and their students. In an extensive report broadcast today, May 24, the Serbian media deliberately kept silent about the key role of the Bulgarian state in the preservation and development of the mission of the Thessaloniki brothers, wrote BGNES.
The article emphasizes that the work of Cyril and Methodius “is celebrated in Serbia, North Macedonia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia and Ukraine”, without mentioning Bulgaria – the state, without whose decisive support this work would not have existed and echoed through the centuries.
Even more crudely, the report says that “after the death of the holy brothers, their work was continued by their faithful disciples Clement and Naum”, but it is silent that it was the Bulgarian prince Boris I who accepted and protected them, provided them with conditions for work and through their work Bulgaria became a spiritual and literary center.
The historical facts are indisputable and not subject to interpretation. Because of the persecutions in Great Moravia, the students of Cyril and Methodius found refuge in Bulgaria. They laid the foundations of the Preslav and Ohrid literary schools, where large-scale educational, translation and literary activity in the Old Bulgarian language began.
It was in Bulgaria that the Cyrillic alphabet was created - the script that Serbia and a number of other Slavic peoples use today. Created by the disciples of Cyril and Methodius - Clement, Naum, Angelarius and their followers - the Cyrillic alphabet played a role not only in education, but also in the cultural and spiritual identity of half of Europe. Bulgaria was the first country to not only introduce the Old Bulgarian language as an official liturgical and state language, but also to spread it beyond its borders.