Vážení čtenáři,

Let us bring you the information from March 2024 from the European Cultural Route of Sts. Cyril and Methodius (ECRSCM).

The Basilica of Saint Praxedes in Rome newly bears the symbol of the Cyril Methodius Route - Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. This happened two years after the signing of the memorandum of cooperation between this basilica and the European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius Association.

"According to the generally accepted opinion, the basilica with the adjacent monastery is the place where the Thessalonica brothers most likely stayed when they were in Rome. In addition, a Slavic liturgy was approved in the nearby papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. In the Basilica of San Clemente, not far from the famous Colosseum, is the grave of St. Cyril. The mentioned three basilicas belong to places that not only worshipers of the Cyril and Methodius legacy, but also visitors to the beautiful and historic city of Rome, should not miss," said Lubomír Traub, deputy governor of the Zlín Region and Chairperson of the European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Holy See H.E. Václav Kolaja also negotiated the designation with representatives of the Association and the Zlín Region.

A bus tour from Shumen, Bulgaria, led by Mr. Atanasov, a high school mathematics teacher, followed in the footsteps of Sts. Cyril and Methodius to the Slovak and Czech Republics. This region is known for important archaeological sites such as Preslav or Pliska associated with the beginnings of the Bulgarian state. 56 participants from the fields of education, culture and art, admirers of Slavic culture, set out to discover the Cyril and Methodius Route. They would like to establish deeper cooperation in an area that is culturally close to them. During their trip held March 31 - April 6, they visited Bratislava, Nitra, Mikulčice, Modrá, Velehrad and Prague.

In Modrá, they toured the grounds of the Archaeological Open-Air Museum, the Prince's Palace and the Methodius School, where they sang together. In Velehrad, the most important pilgrimage site in the Czech Republic, they visited Stojan's Grammar School, because some of the Bulgarian visitors work in the field of education. Here they were greeted by the singing of the school choir led by Filip Mack, which was an unexpected and welcome surprise for the Bulgarian visitors. They continued to the Velehrad Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saints Cyril and Methodius. They also sang here to honor the work of the holy brothers.

Welcoming of Bulgarian tour in Velehrad.

The tourist and pilgrimage season of the Cyril and Methodius Route will begin on the Czech-Slovak border on the Cyril and Methodius Route from Kopčany (Slovakia) to Mikulčice (Czechia). Some monuments on the route remind of the famous period of Great Moravia, the time in which Cyril and Methodius lived. The event will thus commemorate Czech-Slovak common cultural roots and heritage. A guided tour in the footsteps of Great Moravia takes place on Sunday, April 28 and admission is voluntary. Capacity is limited to 50 people. Registration required via the website: Cyril and Methodius Route - Cultural Route of the Council of Europe (cyril-methodius.cz)

The event is held in cooperation with the following partners: Záhorie Museum Skalica – Museum Kopčany exposition, Municipality of Kopčany, Trnava Self-Governing Region, Slavic Hillfort in Mikulčice, South Moravian Region, Moravia Slovakia Region, Zlín Region.

The Future for Religious Heritage (FRH) Network invited the Cyril Methodist Route to collaborate on a digital project to support tourism related to religious heritage. The network owns and manages the Religiana website, a free online collaborative database providing visitor information on more than 9,000 religious heritage sites across Europe. The database is constantly growing with contributions from tourism organisations, heritage organizations and individuals uploading new buildings/places. Monuments along the Cyril and Methodius Route will also be added to the page.

FRH is an independent, non-religious and non-profit European network founded in 2011 in Belgium to promote and support the protection, preservation, restoration and accessibility of historic sacred sites. It represents more than 80 organizations and more than 150 individuals, including non-governmental organisations, government organisations, church bodies, university workplaces, researchers, academics and people with an interest in religious heritage. It is currently one of 37 European networks supported by the Creative Europe program of the European Union. www.frh-europe.org

Evropská kulturní cesta sv. Cyrila a Metoděje, I.A.L.E.

J. A. Bati 5520, 760 01 Zlín, Česká republika

Tel: +420 733 161 674

E-mail: info@cyril-methodius.eu

Web: www.cyril-methodius.eu

Evropská kulturní cesta sv. Cyrila a Metoděje 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 Council of Europe Cultural Route in 2021. The European Cultural Route of Sts. Cyril and Methodius is responsible for its management and marketing.

Odhlásit odběr