Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Rus’ and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko congratulated Russians on the Day of Slavic Literacy

Published on: 2026-05-25

Source: Government of the Russian Federation –

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His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister, congratulated Russians on the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture.

On this day, the feast day of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill is also celebrated. Before the festive concert, on the day commemorating the equal-to-the-apostles Methodius and Cyril, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church served the liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

On behalf of President Vladimir Putin, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill congratulated the plenipotentiary representative in the Central Federal District, Igor Shchyogolev.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill noted that in the new Russia, the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture has become not only a church holiday but also a social and state holiday, which testifies to the significant changes that have occurred in the life of the country:

“The time has passed when ideology took precedence over common sense and historical memory,” – and today we have such an opportunity: to celebrate the church holiday commemorating the holy equal-to-the-apostles Cyril and Methodius, which has simultaneously become a state holiday – the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture. I congratulate all of you on this day!And let our spiritual and cultural sovereignty be strengthened by the prayers of the holy equal-to-the-apostles Kirill and Methodius, let our national self-awareness grow and be affirmed, without which no country, including a great one, can preserve its independence and connection with previous generations,” said the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Dmitry Chernyshenko announced the congratulations of the Chairman of the Government of Russia Mikhail Mishustin: “It is impossible to overestimate your contribution to preserving the centuries-old spiritual traditions, historical and cultural heritage of our people. You show sincere concern for the well-being of citizens. You do much to strengthen moral values, the institution of the family, as well as to form a sense of responsibility, striving for good, for the Motherland in the younger generation. Your active peacekeeping mission, support for participants in the special military operation and their family members is an example of true mercy.”

Speaking at the festive concert, the vice-premier noted that the Day of Slavic Writing unites all lovers of their native language, admirers of spirituality, history, and our values. He added that the enlighteners, the holy equal-to-the-apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius, gave us writing – this became the foundation for the preservation, accumulation, and development of the culture and spirituality of the Russian and other Slavic peoples.

“It is very symbolic that today’s traditional celebration takes place in the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, declared by our President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Across the country, a large number of events are being held, allowing us to remember this important moment that unites us,” emphasized Dmitry Chernyshenko.

At the conclusion, the Deputy Prime Minister congratulated His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on his Name Day.

“This day and year are special because we traditionally celebrate your name day and congratulate you on your jubilee, the 80th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of your priestly service. This is an important date, and we cannot thank you enough for your pastoral ministry, for supporting, inspiring, and uniting a huge number of people. Hundreds of thousands look up to you, finding faith. A special huge gratitude for working with our youth, the participants of the special military operation. All this gives us strength. Today you recalled important moments from your life. We wish that the Lord gives you strength and inspiration for many more good things,” he remarked.

A festive concert dedicated to the Day of Slavic Literacy and Culture brought together numerous participants and guests. Among them were the Minister of Culture of Russia Olga Lyubimova and the Metropolitan of Simferopol and Crimea Tikhon. The concert program featured choral singing, works by 20th-century classics, Russian folk songs, and compositions from Soviet cinema.

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