An exhibition of valuable Macedonian icons and a concert will be held on Monday in Rome to celebrate the legacy of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, the Christian saints who helped spread Christianity in Eastern Europe.
This is the 48th time Macedonia has organized an honoring ceremony of the sainted brothers in Rome, where Cyril was buried in 869.
The event in Rome is also set to remember their leading disciple St. Clement of Ohrid, marking the 1,100th anniversary of his death.
The exhibition organized in the Urbaniana university in Rome will include icons of St. Clement, copies of frescoes from churches and monasteries in Macedonia and a book on St. Clement and his importance for Macedonia and the Balkans.
Guitarist Darko Bageski will perform in honor of the saints. Ss. Cyril and Methodius, who are credited with the creation of the Glagolitic alphabeth that was used to translate the Bible in the Old Slavonic language and spread in Central and Eastern Europe.
Their work was essential to creating the Cyrillic alphabeth now in use throughout much of Eastern Europe and this earned them the title of Apostles to the Slavs an copatron saints of Europe.
Born in Thessaloniki, the saints laid the foundation for the Ohrid literary school where much of the work on the Cyrillic alphabet and the translation of the Bible was done.
Throughout the years, Macedonia has presented its Christian heritage in Rome, including ancient bronze works, terracotta figurines, Slavonic manuscripts and other valuable artifacts.