Every year on May 24 all Slavic countries celebrate the Day of Slavonic Writing System and Culture and glorify the creators of the Slavonic script, Saints Cyril and Methodius. As is known, the holy coequal with the apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius came from a noble and pious family and lived in the Greek city of Thessaloniki. They were Orthodox monks and created the Slavonic alphabet in a Greek monastery. Scientists believe that the Slavic script was created in the 9th century, circa 863. The new alphabet was named Cyrillic after one of the brothers, Constantine, who took on a name Cyril after becoming a monk. And his elder brother Methodius helped him in the pious work of educating the Slavic peoples. Cyril, who from a young age showed great ability and perfectly comprehended the sciences of his time, as well as learnt many languages, created the Slavonic alphabet on the basis of the Greek alphabet. He significantly changed the Greek alphabet to more accurately represent the Slavic sound system. Two alphabets were created - Glagolitic and Cyrillic script*. In addition, the Greek brothers translated the Gospel, the Apostle and the Psalter into Slavonic. The creation of writing system was an epochal event, a new milestone in civilisation. That is why in some countries the SS Cyril and Methodius Day is marked not only as a church holiday, but also as a public holiday. In the minds of many generations of Slavs, Cyril and Methodius are the symbols of Slavic writing system and Slavic culture. Established by the Church back in the 10^th – 11^th centuries, the day of commemoration of Cyril and Methodius (24 May) in Bulgaria later became a holiday of national education and culture. Officially at the state level in the Russian Empire, the Day of Slavonic writing system and Culture was first solemnly celebrated in 1863, in connection with the 1000^th anniversary of the Slavonic alphabet creation by Saints Cyril and Methodius, and the same year a decree was adopted to mark the Day of Remembrance of the Saints Cyril and Methodius on 24 May. The Day of Slavonic Writing System and Culture has been marked in the Soviet Union since 1985, when the world community celebrated the 1100^th anniversary of the death of St Methodius, Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia. On January 30, 1991, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR declared May 24 the Holiday of Slavonic Writing System and Culture, thus giving it a state status.

For the Day of Slavonic writing system and culture we have prepared a photo album "The 19^th century writing devices", which features items from the museum "Collection" exposition.