March 31, 2009

The work of Cyril and Methodius is inseparable part of the development of the European civilization, said National Assembly chairman Georgi Pirinski at the opening of an International Conference themed: “The lifework of Sts Cyril and Methodius and the contemporary dimensions of their ideas”.

In his address to the participants Georgi Pirinski noticed that the creation of the Slavonic alphabet by the two brothers made possible the integration of many Slavonic peoples to the written European civilization. He mentioned that the Slavonic alphabet is the only one, during the Middle Ages, which had developed following the language spoken at the time and that its purpose according to its creators was to serve the needs of the Christian religion and rites.

He also noted that the idea of the brothers that all people are equal and have the right to choose their own way of life was leading in their deeds. Mr. Pirinski pointed out that exactly this concept led to the unconditional support for the brother’s activities in Bulgaria and throughout the lands populated by the south and eastern Slavs and even among some non Slavic communities which today are part of the orthodox Christianity. In his words, as a result of this concept, the traditions left by Cyril and Methodius had spread even among the Catholic World and had survived to the present.

The International Conference is held under the patronage of the National Assembly Chairman Georgi Pirinski and the President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, academician Nikola Sabotinov. At the opening, the latter stressed that the ideas of Cyril and Methodius have been the symbol and inspiration for the Academy of Sciences to work, along the years, towards the spiritual development of Bulgaria. He said that the founders of the Bulgarian Literary Society, which bore the name of ”Cyril and Methodius”(and marked the beginning of the academy) in their draft statutes have laid its task as being the spread of universal education and the development of Bulgarian written and oral language.

The International Scientific Conference is taking place in parallel with the Session of the International Secretariat and Committee Chairpersons of the Inter- Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, also hosted by the National Assembly. The session is attended by MPs and prominent representatives of scientific, clerical and public institutions from Bulgaria, Greece, Russia, Italy, Great Britain, USA, Poland, Slovakia, Serbia and Macedonia.

Greetings to the participants were sent by the Bulgarian and Russian Patriarchs Maxim and Cyril. The attendants were welcomed as well by the President of the Inter -Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy Sergey Popov and by the Deputy Secretary General of the International Assembly of Orthodoxy Teoharis Tsokas.