Bulgaria on May 11 marks the church feast dedicated to the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, honoring the creators of Slavic literacy, as well as the Day of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture, and Slavic Literature. The date also commemorates Saint Simeon Divnogorets, a revered Christian ascetic from the sixth century.
Although the Bulgarian Orthodox Church adopted the new calendar style in 1968, the state celebration connected to the Solun brothers has remained on May 24. Because of this, Bulgaria uniquely honors Cyril and Methodius twice each year. The liturgical observance is held on May 11, while the nationwide secular celebrations continue later in the month.
Today, churches, schools, universities, and cultural institutions across the country organize prayer services and ceremonies dedicated to education, literature, and the Bulgarian alphabet. Other Orthodox Slavic nations that continue to follow the old calendar style, including Serbia, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, and North Macedonia, also commemorate the brothers on this date.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church describes Cyril and Methodius as equal-to-the-apostles because of their role in spreading Christianity and literacy among the Slavic peoples. Born in Thessaloniki during the Byzantine era, the brothers received exceptional education and later devoted themselves to religious and cultural work instead of pursuing public careers.
