The Story of the Cyrillic AlphabetAlex Marinov

Toastmasters Speech #710/12/09

What we’ll learn today

1. Why was Cyrillic alphabet invented?

2. Who invented it and when?

3. Who is using it today and where?

The division of the Roman Empire - 395 AD

Formation of Bulgaria – 681 AD

Bulgaria 893-927 AD

Paganism

• Multiple gods. • Couldn’t understand Latin/ Greek Bible.

• Large but culturally isolated from its Christian neighboring countries.

St. Cyrill and Methodius – 886 ADSt Clement Cyrillic –to translate the Bible, convert Pagans to Christians

Indi-European Languages

3 Lessons

1. Cyrillic was invented To translate the Bible from Latin to Slavic language and help

conversion to Christianity.

2. By St Clement, a disciple of St Cyril and Methodius in 893. First

introduced in Bulgaria. 250 years later adopted in Ukraine and Russia.

3. Currently used in Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Belorussia

and in other Slavic languages

Thank you!

Map of Slavic Peoples

Distribution of the Cyrillic Alphabet

References• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Cyrillic_alphabet• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_I_of_Bulgaria• http

://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianization_of_Bulgaria#Reasons_for_the_Christianization

• http://www.russianlocalization.com/Texts/History.htm• http://bgclub.sa.utoronto.ca/cyrillic.htm• http://ivodimitrov.com/bulgarian-students-ryerson-version1/cyrillicalphabet.htm• http://

www.icsd.k12.ny.us/legacy/highschool/socstud/global2_review/byzantine_empire.htm

• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/17212/alphabet/53649/Cyrillic-and-Glagolitic-alphabets#ref=ref664700

• http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/First_Bulgarian_Empire_-_Establishment_and_development_of_the_Bulgarian_state/id/5049691