Възрожденската книжнина, посветена на светите братя Кирил и Методий – средство за поддържане на паметта им

In the world of Bulgarians from the Revival epoch, the Christian religion, native language and culture were among the main markers of their national identity. The holy brothers Cyril and Methodius and their work symbolize all three of the listed national traits. It was in the period before 1878 that a new stage was set in the veneration of the memory of the creators of Slavic literacy. With the rise of printing during the period of the Bulgarian Revival, the popularization of literature dealing with the history of the Christian church began. Several major titles, that are entirely dedicated to Cyril and Methodius, appeared in the period from the 1850s to the 1870s, on the eve of the Liberation. They represent mainly examples of the Vitae (Lives) tradition, mixed with historical narratives. The appearance of these works testifies to the increased interest in the personality of the Holy brothers on the part of the Revival enlighteners. Also, through the created literature, one of the main ways of keeping their memory alive in the world of the Bulgarian people is realized – in a period in which they were deprived of their own state and fought for their cultural identity.