The “Heritage of Cyril and Methodius” exhibition, timed to the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture, is held on the 2nd floor from May 21 to July 30.
In many countries of Eastern and Southern Europe the day of May 24 is dedicated to the memory of the great Slavic enlighteners Cyril and Methodius. In Belarus this day is celebrated as the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture.
In 863, the prince of Great Moravia Rostislav invited missionaries from Byzantium to translate the Bible and introduce Church Slavic language. For this purpose, the brothers Cyril and Methodius, born in Solun, created the first Slavic alphabet, ordered the Slavic alphabet, translated the Bible to Old Church Slavonic, and taught several hundred people to read and write. The peoples of Southern, partly Central and Eastern Europe gained access to the unique spiritual heritage of ancient civilizations. The translation of the sacred texts into the Old Slavonic language laid the foundation for a long independent existence of this language as a literary one.
The day of commemoration of the Saints Cyril and Methodius reflects spiritual striving for ecclesiastical independence, national self-determination, flourishing of enlightenment and culture of Eastern and Southern Slavs.
To this significant date, the National Library of Belarus prepared the book exhibition “Heritage of Cyril and Methodius” to emphasize the significance of their activities for European civilization. The exhibition presents about 50 documents, the publication period of which covers more than 120 years. Among them they are the original editions of the first significant scholars of Cyril and Methodius live: Y. Dobrovsky, I. Malyshevsky, P. Lavrovsky, and others. There are also works by Russian and Western European authors, collection of first Saints Cyril and Methodius’s Church Slavonic manuals.
The exhibition also presents facsimile publications of the Ostromir Gospel (1056–1057), Izbornik Sviatoslava (1073) and the Turov Gospel − the earliest manuscript book on Belarusian lands (the 11th century).
The exhibition will be interesting to researchers and visitors.
The opening hours of the exhibition corresponds to the library’s opening hours.
Entrance to the exhibition is available by the library ticket or ticket of the library's social and cultural center.
For more info: (+375 17) 293 29 80.
Gallery Activity Department
