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2018 marked the 1,150th anniversary of Old Church Slavonic, the fourth church liturgical language along with Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. The language stems from Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Greek missionary monks sent from Constantinople in the 9th century. The language served as the basis for Slavic languages and literature and continues today as liturgical language in Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches. The Feast of Ss Cyril and Methodius, the educators among the Slavic peoples, is a public holiday in Russia (since 1991), Bulgaria, Macedonia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In Russia, Bulgaria and Macedonia, it is currently commemorated on 24 May. In Macedonia it is named for the brothers - Sts Cyril and Methodius' Day, in Russia and Bulgaria it is called the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the feast is celebrated on 5 July. Artist František Horniak and engraver Dušan Kállay collaborated in the production of a 110 x 160mm miniature sheet for the anniversary. The top design depicts Ss. Cyril and Methodius presenting the relics of Pope Clement I and the texts of the four Gospels translated into Old Slavonic. The design is based upon apse mosaics at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the Codex Zographensis, located at the Zograf Monastery on Mt. Athos. Text on the postage stamp includes the first four verses of the first chapter of St Mark's Gospel. "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you: he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'" The €5,95 miniature sheet is a joint issue of the Slovak Republic and Vatican City. Technical Details: Scott Catalogue - 1686 - 1686 Date Issued - 03 May 2018 Face Value - €5,95 Perforations - 13x13 Printing Process - taille-douce/offset Printer - Phil @Poste (France) Max Printed - 80,000 Joint Issue - Slovac Republic |
| (Source - Vatican Notes: Volume: 66 Issue: 377 Page: 4-7 en.wikipedia.org) |
