At this Wednesday’s general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis praised the Apostles of the Slavs, Saints Cyril and Methodius, as a good example of evangelization. The head of the Catholic Church referred particularly to three important aspects: inculturation, Christian unity and freedom: “Freedom is necessary in preaching, but freedom always requires courage,” said Francis.
Our working translation of the catechesis given by Pope Francis at this Wednesday’s General Audience. As part of the series on the topic of passion for…
Stefanie Stahlhofen – Vatican City
Pope Francis literally said: “A person is as free as he is courageous and does not allow himself to be constrained by so many things that take away his freedom. Brothers and sisters, let us ask Saints Cyril and Methodius, Apostles of the Slavs, to be instruments of “freedom in charity” for others. Be creative, constant and humble in prayer and service.”
Listen – what the Pope said in the audience
This Wednesday, the Catholic leader continued his series of catechesis on his passion for proclaiming the Gospel. In the center were Saints Cyril and Methodius. Both are also known as apostles of the Slavs because they – coming from Greece – introduced the Christian faith to the Slavic peoples in their language as missionaries in the 9th century – and even invented an alphabet for this purpose:
“God wants each people to praise Him in their own language.”
Resistance within the church
“Two Greek monks give an alphabet to the Slavs. It was this openness of heart that rooted the gospel in them. These two were not afraid, they were brave. But resistance soon arose from some Latins who saw themselves deprived of the monopoly on preaching among the Slavs – this struggle in the church, always present. His objection is religious in nature, but only in appearance: God can only… in the three languages written on the cross: Hebrew, Greek and Latin. They had a closed mentality to defend their own autonomy. But Cyril responds emphatically: God wants each people to praise him in their own language.”
“This fight in church always happens. Your objection is religious in nature, but only in appearance.”
And with his brother Methodius, Cyril addressed this issue to the then Pope Adrian II: he approved his liturgical texts in Slavic, ordered the books to be placed on the altar of the church of Santa Maria Maggiore and sang praises to the Lord. with them according to these books. Pope Francis emphasizes that evangelization and culture are closely linked:
With Pope Francis in the Popemobile this Wednesday at the General Audience
“You cannot preach the gospel in the abstract.”
“You cannot preach the gospel in an abstract, distilled way: the gospel must be inculturated and is also an expression of culture.”
By the way, Pope John Paul II named Cyril and Methodius co-patrons of Europe and dedicated the encyclical “Slavorum Apostoli” to them. Using their example this Wednesday, Pope Francis also reminded us in his general audience that unity is important:
“The Greeks, the Pope, the Slavs: at that time there was an undivided Christianity in Europe that worked together in evangelization.”
(Vatican news – sst)