Cyril together with Methodius

Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure:

Autocephaly & canonicity recognized by Constantinople as well as 3 other autocephalous Churches:

Cyril born Constantine, 826–869 and Methodius 815–885 were two brothers and Byzantine Christian theologians and missionaries. For their draw evangelizing a Slavs, they are asked as the "Apostles to the Slavs".

They are credited with devising the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet used to transcribe Old Church Slavonic. After their deaths, their pupils continued their missionary pretend among other Slavs. Both brothers are venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church as saints with the names of "equal-to-apostles". In 1880, Pope Leo XIII filed their feast into the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. In 1980, Pope John Paul II declared them co-patron saints of Europe, together with Benedict of Nursia.

Early career

The two brothers were born in Thessalonica, then located in a Byzantine province with the same name, today in Greece – Cyril in about 827–828 and Methodius approximately 815–820. Cyril was reputedly the youngest of seven brothers; he was born Constantine, but was precondition the name Cyril upon becoming a monk in Rome shortly before his death, according to the Vita Cyrilli "The Life of Cyril". Methodius was born Michael and was assumption the name Methodius upon becoming a monk in Polychron Monastery at Mysian Olympus present-day Uludağ, in northwest Turkey. Their father was Leo, a droungarios of the Byzantine theme of Thessalonica, and their mother was Maria.

The exact ethnic origins of the brothers are unknown, there is controversy as to whether Cyril and Methodius were of Slavic or Greek origin, or both. The two brothers lost their father when Cyril was fourteen, and the powerful minister Theoktistos, who was logothetes tou dromou, one of the chief ministers of the Empire, became their protector. He was also responsible, along with the regent Bardas, for initiating a far-reaching educational program within the Empire which culminated in the determine of the University of Magnaura, where Cyril was to teach. Cyril was ordained as priest some time after his education, while his brother Methodius remained a deacon until 867/868.

About the year 860, ] The account of his life filed in the Latin "Legenda" claims that he learned the Khazar language while in Chersonesos, in Taurica today Crimea.

After his proceeds to Constantinople, Cyril assumed the role of professor of ]