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Dear readers,
Let us bring you information about the European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius (ECRSCM) from January 2026 and wish you a pleasant reading. |
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The President of the Czech Republic also spoke about Cyril and Methodius Route at the Vatican
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On January 19, Czech President Petr Pavel visited the Vatican and met with Pope Leo XIV. Together, they praised the excellent bilateral relations and discussed current global challenges, particularly efforts to pursue a values-based policy. One of the topics discussed was the Cyril and Methodius Route and its signage directly on the basilicas in Rome. Signage has already been placed on the Basilica of St. Praxedes. The association is seeking to place markings on two other basilicas associated with the lives of the missionaries in Rome – the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) and the Basilica of St. Clement (San Clemente), where the tomb of St. Cyril is located. More here. |
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President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva during an audience with Pope Leo XIV, photo @Vatican Media. |
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Cyril & Methodius Special 14
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Pope Leo XIV received five hundred bottles of special Cyril & Methodius beer from the Porta Coeli monastery brewery near Tišnov in the South Moravian Region. This unique beer edition was inspired by the Cyril and Methodius Trail, a Council of Europe Cultural Route, and carries a profound cultural message that encompasses craftsmanship, tradition, and Moravian cultural identity. This gift is part of diplomacy aimed at deepening cultural and friendly ties between South Moravia and the Vatican. More on the website of South-Moravian Region. |
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Series of training courses for tourist guides on the Cyril and Methodius Route begun
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The series of training courses is being implemented in cooperation with the Educational Information Center of White Carpathians as part of the one-year cross-border project Cyril and Methodius Route – Training of Tourist Guides, financed by the Small Projects Fund of the Interreg SK-CZ program. Its aim is to train a total of 45 active Czech and Slovak guides during three theoretical and three practical two-day training courses, who will organize their events on the hiking trails and/or monuments of the Cyril and Methodius Route.
The first training session (theoretical part) took place on January 22–23 at the Great Moravia Memorial – Cyril and Methodius Centre in Staré Město near Uherské Hradiště. The next one took place on February 5–6 at Smolenice Castle in Slovakia, and the last one takes place on February 12–13, again in Staré Město. These theoretical parts will be followed by practical demonstrations directly in the field on the trail. On June 12, a final conference will be held in Velehrad, where the project's outputs will be presented. |
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Training at the Great Moravia Memorial – Cyril and Methodius Center in Staré Město, photo by Martin Peterka. |
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The international conference "Cultural Routes with Experiences"
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The third annual conference Cultural Routes with Experiences took place on January 27 in Martineum at St. Martin's Cathedral in Bratislava! The program was dedicated to the future of cultural and sustainable tourism, specifically how we can transform historical trails into modern experiences that appeal to today's travelers. The conference featured speakers such as Rui Gomes (Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes, Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes), who shared his insights on the power of certified cultural routes. Representatives of Via Habsburg, St. James' Way, Via Romea Strata, Cyril and Methodius Route, and the local Bratislava Coronation Route presented their best practices. The event was organized by Slovak House of Centrope in cooperation with Bratislava Tourism and the Bratislava and Trnava Self-Governing Regions. Cultural routes are more than just paths on a map; they are bridges connecting not only history and regions, but above all people. |
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Tatiana Mikušová and Zuzana Vojtová at a conference in Bratislava, photo by Slovak House of Centrope. |
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Czech Radio Zlín broadcast reports from the Cyril and Methodius Route
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During the Christmas season, Czech Radio Zlín included a series of ten reports from the Cyril and Methodius Route in its programming. The Moravian topics focused on Velehrad, the archaeological site of Špitálky in Staré Město u Uherského Hradiště, St. Clement's Mountain in Chřiby, the Slavic fortified settlement near Mikulčice, the wooden chapel in Radhošť in Wallachia, and the Baroque pilgrimage site in Křtiny near Brno. The Slovak themes were related to the former monastery in Skalka nad Váhom, the archaeological site of Bojná, the basilica in Šaštín, and the historical site of Děvín. Each part of the series features guides and experts connected to the places visited. They are also available as podcasts on the Cyril and Methodius Route YouTube channel. |
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Bulgaria in the Eurozone: Cyrillic Script and Cultural Heritage
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The Cyrillic alphabet has been one of the EU’s three official scripts since Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007, and its significance in Europe’s cultural heritage was reaffirmed in 2013 with the new EUROPA series of euro banknotes. Bulgaria’s accession to the Eurozone on 1 January 2026 further strengthens this presence through national coin designs featuring Cyrillic inscriptions and depictions of prominent historical figures. Together, the banknotes and coins underscore Bulgaria’s contribution to Europe’s cultural diversity and the enduring role of Cyrillic and Christian symbolism across the continent.
The Bulgarian 1 euro coin is dedicated to St. John of Rila - the patron saint of the country and founder of the Rila Monastery, widely regarded as the most brilliant fruit of the spiritual tradition established by the disciples of Cyril and Methodius in Bulgaria. The coin bears the inscription БЪЛГАРИЯ and the word ЕВРО in Cyrillic script, emphasizing Bulgaria’s national and linguistic identity in the new common currency.
The 2 euro coin honours St. Paisius of Hilendar - an 18th-century Orthodox monk and author of the seminal work Slavic-Bulgarian History, a text that played a key role in the Bulgarian national revival under Ottoman rule by urging compatriots to remember their faith, language, and national identity. Engraved on the edge of the coin is the inscription БОЖЕ ПАЗИ БЪЛГАРИЯ (God, protect Bulgaria) - an ancient motto from the Bulgarian kingdom, giving this coin a unique religious and historical dimension. |
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Photo by European Commission - Economy and Finance. |
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Veliki Preslav: Greatness and Splendor Released
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The second, revised edition of the catalogue Veliki Preslav: Greatness and Splendor, published by the Archaeological Museum “Veliki Preslav”, has been released. The publication is bilingual in Bulgarian and English.
Alongside high-quality colour photographs and illustrations of the most significant artefacts from the capital period of Preslav preserved in the museum’s collection, the new edition includes expanded and updated annotations reflecting recent research and revised periodization. These updates concern the stone sculpture, the epigraphic monuments, as well as the renowned Preslav Gold Treasure, following its comprehensive study and conservation at the Romano-Germanic Museum in Mainz. |
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Photo by Alexander Gorchev. |
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The Aquileia Walking Festival is an invitation to slow down, observe and rediscover the pleasure of travelling on foot. An experience open to everyone: enthusiasts, experts and curious occasional explorers. From 17 to 19 April, Aquileia will become a meeting point for those who love walking, listening and being inspired: scientific dissemination events will be accompanied by walks along the main paths that intertwine in Aquileia, which has always been a meeting point for itineraries and ancient pilgrimage routes, dialogues and experiences among evocative places of art and archaeology, wineries, cafés and green spaces. Programme being updated: www.fondazioneaquileia.it |
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Festival in 2025, photo ©G. Boccuzzi. |
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The European Cultural Route of Sts. Cyril and Methodius is an interest association of legal entities based in the Czech Republic, founded in 2013. It promotes the living Cyrillo-Methodian legacy and values based on respect and dialogue between people of different cultures and faiths. As a cultural tourism product, the Cyril and Methodius Route was awarded the title of a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe in 2021. The Association European Cultural Route of Sts. Cyril and Methodius is responsible for its management and marketing.
The Cultural Routes programme, launched by the Council of Europe in 1987, demonstrates in a visible way, by means of a journey through space and time, how the heritage of the different countries and cultures of Europe represent a shared cultural heritage. The Cultural Routes support the mission of the Council of Europe in promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law across Europe and beyond. They promote awareness of Europe’s common heritage and put into practice cultural democracy and cultural diversity, dialogue, and mutual exchange across boundaries and centuries within Europe as well as with other countries and regions. As of 2025, there are 49 certified Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (www.coe.int/routes). |
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