The period of 800-1000 AD is of special significance in European history, as it was a time when many Central European nations entered the world stage and for some it was the time of their formation and birth. Roots and traditions of existing states and cultural, historical and political relations among them stretch back to this period.
Fortified settlements are located throughout Slavic territory. The fortified settlements were located in strategic positions. The most important were established near the largest rivers and on the main roads. They were the main centres of power, religion, trade and production and they also formed the backbone of the defence system.
Archaeological finds testify to existence of Christianity among Slavs mainly at fortified settlements and centres of power. Remains of sacred structures are direct evidence of presence of Christianity. Archaeological excavations in Moravia and Slovakia have provided evidence of stone sacred architecture dating from the 9th century.
The mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius dates back to Great Moravia. Cyril and Methodius created the Glagolitic alphabet for the Slavs, translated the Bible and other religious texts into the Slavic language, and then enforced Slavic as the liturgical language to enable worship in the language of people with whom they shared the Gospel.
The Glagolitic alphabet was the first Slavic alphabet and language. The name Glagolitic comes from the Old Church Slavonic word “glagol” meaning “word”. The Glagolitic alphabet was created around the year 862 by Saint Cyril. It was initiated in order to create an alphabet to record the liturgical texts in the Slavic language.
Cyril and Methodius undertook a series of journeys. The most important one was to Great Moravia in 863. The reason was the spirituality of the holy brothers, personal example of Christian living and thinking as well as the people using comprehensible Slavic language in church services.
Saints disciples "Pětipočetníci", especially in Slavonic churches, denotes five most famous disciples and co-workers of Saints Cyril and Methodius – Gorazd, Kliment, Sáva, Naum and Angelár. There were many more Cyrillo-Methodian disciples but history has left for us only the names of these five in written sources.
