Summer 1942. Reinhard Heydrich, one of the most powerful men in the Nazi Reich, dies in the Protectorate. Czech paratroopers, pursued by the Gestapo, disappear into the underground of the Church of St Cyril and Methodius in Resslova Street in Prague. In a cold crypt, between arches and dripping water, some of the most dramatic hours in modern Czech history are being written. It is here, under the names of two brothers who once brought writing and language to the Slavs, that the story of Prague takes on unexpected depth: faith, education and bravery meet across the centuries. The brothers Constantine and Methodius were born in the port of Thessaloniki in present-day Greece. They grew up surrounded by many languages and cultures, and what at a young age seemed like a pure affection for learning and the quiet of the monastery soon turned into an adventurous mission. The Byzantine Empire sent them north and east as missionaries and diplomats, and to some extent as secret emissaries who understood politics as well as words. In 860, they found themselves in the Khazar Empire, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. According to chronicles, a scholarly debate between representatives of Judaism, Christianity and Islam took place here. Constantine and Methodius defended the Christian faith, and on their way back they found and collected the remains of St Clement: a relic that will have great symbolic significance in the story of their missions. Svatý Cyril a Metoděj, sousoší na Karlově mostě | Zdroj: www.wikipedia.com Two years later, a crucial task arose: Great Moravia, a powerful empire in Central Europe. In order for people to understand the Gospel in their own language, Constantine created the first Slavic script, Glagolitic, and together with Methodius he laid the foundations for the Slavic liturgical language: Old Church Slavonic. They translated liturgical books, educated, baptised and united. Their work also extended to Bohemia, where Christianity and education spread more steadily and comprehensibly because they were delivered “in our language”. Later, the brothers departed for Rome. Constantine entered a monastery, took the name Cyril, and soon died as a monk and scholar who gave the Slavs their alphabet. Methodius was ordained a bishop and returned to Moravia. However, the path was not straightforward. The Franks captured him and held him for more than two years in inhumane conditions at the bottom of an open pit. Only the intervention of the Pope set him free. Methodius returned to work and baptised the future Czech saint, Princess Ludmila. He died in Moravia in 885 at the age of 72. Great Moravia disintegrated after raids by Hungarian nomads, but its legacy was taken over by the Czech principality. Half a millennium later, Holy Roman Emperor and Czech King Charles IV continued the tradition of Cyril and Methodius. In 1347, he founded the Emmaus Monastery in Prague for Benedictines of the Slavonic liturgy. The bridge between East and West was not just being built in Prague, but was truly alive. Today, Cyril and Methodius unite Catholics and Orthodox Christians alike; they are the patron saints of Moravia and, since 1980, co-patrons of Europe. In the Czech Republic, we commemorate their legacy on 5 July, a national holiday. Perhaps it is thanks to them that we have places in Prague where you can feel how the ages support each other. From Old Slavonic chants to the heroism of Czech paratroopers in 1942. Kostel Svatého Cyrila a Metoděje, Praha | Zdroj: Prague City Tourism Where to experience the story in Prague Church of St Cyril and Methodius (Resslova Street) Today’s Orthodox cathedral with a crypt where paratroopers hid after the assassination of Heydrich. A place of quiet reverence and powerful reminders; traces of the dramatic siege can still be seen on the walls today. Charles Bridge – sculpture of St Cyril and Methodius (Karel Dvořák, 1928–1938) The youngest sculpture on the bridge. Stop for a moment and try to imagine what Prague would sound like without the script that the brothers gave to the Slavs. Emauzy Monastery (Na Slovanech) A monastery founded by Charles IV for Slavic liturgy: a meeting point of East and West in the very heart of Prague. Churches dedicated to St Cyril and Methodius Karlín • Nebušice Each of them bears a fragment of the story of the language that unites us. Kostel Svatého Cyrila a Metoděje, Praha | Zdroj: Prague City Tourism Tip for a walk Start at Charles Bridge by the sculpture (preferably early in the morning), continue to the Emauzy Monastery and finish at the church on Resslova Street. Three stops, a thousand years of history and a compelling reason to return to Prague.