Not many people are familiar with the other saints celebrated on Feb. 14. That’s right – it’s not just a day for St. Valentine. And while you probably won’t find greeting cards, boxes of chocolates, or memes about Saints Cyril and Methodius, their impact through missionary love is epic in its own right.
Cyril and Methodius were brothers, born in the early ninth century in Thessalonica, Greece. They came from a noble family and held teaching and political positions in their native country. Both were known for their deep faith, and Cyril was especially sought after for his linguistic skills. So in 862, when Prince Rastislav of the Great Moravian Empire asked Byzantine Emperor Michael III for help in firmly establishing and spreading the faith among the Slavic people, the brothers were chosen as emissaries of the faith.
The work of these two Greek men was nothing short of miraculous. They set out to translate the Bible into Slavonic using an alphabet they created – now known as the Cyrillic alphabet, still in use today. The brothers worked tirelessly to make the faith accessible to the Slavic people, even seeking permission to have Mass celebrated in the local language – a practice that was unprecedented at the time and drew the ire of several Church officials. Eventually, Pope Adrian II sided with Cyril and Methodius, and the faithfulness of the Slavic people flourished.
One could say that Saints Cyril and Methodius embodied the spirit of St. Valentine’s Day in that their work was an act of love for the Slavs. They are commonly referred to as the Apostles to the Slavs, for they truly were apostolic in their missionary approach, doing whatever they could to satisfy the spiritual hunger of the people they served.
When we hear the word “missionary” today, some of us cringe a little, influenced by negative associations with imperialistic colonization, which often encompassed missionary endeavours as well. A prevailing sentiment is that mission work imposes one’s faith on others and that celebrating these saints reopens wounds from the past.
I’ve been thinking about these things a lot lately, as all three of my sons are involved in Catholic mission work. My 19-year-old is spending the year as a missionary in Ontario, working mostly with youth, offering retreats, and doing street mission outreach. My 16-year-old plans to join his older brother for a March Break mission in Montreal, and my 14-year-old has applied for a month-long summer mission program. I guess you could say mission fever has hit our family pretty hard, and the idea of missionary brothers is still alive and well. My husband and I are thrilled at our boys’ interest in mission work, even if the idea is foreign – one might even say disdainful – to the secular world.
But here’s the thing about missionary work: we are all called to be missionaries by virtue of our baptism. While Catholics are not obligated to go on a foreign mission, we are called to share our faith and bring Christ to others however we can. Some argue that a “missionary attitude” is arrogant or superior, but being a missionary is never about forcing people to accept Christ. While individual missionaries throughout history may have abused their positions, that has never been the Church’s teaching. Missionaries are meant to be Christ to others, which can take many forms – offering to pray with or for someone, serving those in need, or organizing programs that teach the faith. Ultimately, a missionary’s role is to live out their faith and mirror God’s love to the world, which in turn may spark interest in him.
No one has to go far to be a missionary, though some are called to do so. In my experience, youth who step outside their comfort zones for mission work gain a new perspective on how thirsty the world is for Christ.
St. Cyril is quoted as saying: “However tired and physically worn out I am, I will go with joy to that land; with joy I depart for the sake of the Christian faith.” Now that’s a missionary heart worth celebrating this Valentine’s Day.
Lazzuri writes from her home in Nova Scotia, where she lives with her husband, four of her six children, and her mom. She can be reached at clarelazzuri@gmail.com.
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