Blanar: Slovakia and Vatican United by Strong Legacy of Cyril and Methodius

Bratislava/Vatican City, 20 June (TASR) - This week, Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar visited the Pontifical Slovak Institute and the College of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Rome and paid respects to the millennium-old legacy of the Slavic apostles, Saints Cyril and Methodius, at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore), TASR has learnt from the ministry's communications department. “The first contacts with the Holy See from the territory of present-day Slovakia were established by Saints Cyril and Methodius already in the 9th century. Today, modern Slovak diplomacy continues the legacy of the Thessalonian brothers, and as the Slovak nation, we are rightfully proud of these co-patrons of Europe,” Minister Blanar stated. The Thessalonian brothers codified and promoted Old Church Slavonic over a thousand years ago, which, alongside Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, was recognized by the Holy See as the fourth official liturgical language and was sanctified by Pope Adrian II in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. “This historic site is forever etched in the history of our nation,” emphasised the head of Slovak diplomacy. During his Vatican visit, Blanar met with the leadership of the Pontifical Slovak Institute and College of St. Cyril and Methodius and Slovak nationals studying or working within the Holy See and Roman Curia. This historic institution, founded over 60 years ago by Slovaks abroad and once called an "island of freedom" during the previous regime, serves as a symbolic second Slovak representation in the Vatican alongside the Slovak embassy. “It's been and remains a safe place for many priests, students, and pilgrims who come to Rome. It continues the extraordinary legacy left by Saints Cyril and Methodius in the Vatican,” added the minister, thanking the leadership of the Pontifical Slovak Institute and College of St. Cyril and Methodius in Rome for their work. lin/mcs