2013 2 Euro Slovakia Coin I Celebrating Cyril (Constantine) and Methodius - Christian Missionaries Who Brought Jesus and the Alphabet to the Slav People I Monetized By The Slovakia Government

Cyril (Greek: Κύριλλος, romanized: Kýrillos; born Constantine, 826–869) and Methodius (Μεθόδιος, Methódios; born Michael, 815–885) were brothers, Byzantine Christian theologians and missionaries. For their work evangelizing the Slavs, they are known as the "Apostles to the Slavs".[6] They are credited with devising the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet used to transcribe Old Church Slavonic.[7] After their deaths, their pupils continued their missionary work among other Slavs. Both brothers are venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church as saints with the title of "equal-to-apostles". In 1880, Pope Leo XIII introduced their feast into the calendar of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. In 1980, the first Slav pope, Pope John Paul II declared them co-patron saints of Europe, together with Benedict of Nursia.[8]

• 2 Euro, Monetized By The Slovakia Government.
• These two missionaries helped shape the foundations of modern Slavic nations, including Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and others..
• This commemorative 2 Euro coin from Slovakia, issued in 2013, honors the 1150th anniversary of the mission of Saints Constantine (later known as Cyril) and Methodius to Great Moravia. These two brothers from Thessaloniki carried Christianity and literacy to the Slavic people, planting the seeds of culture and faith that shaped the identity of Central Europe for generations.
• On the obverse, the brothers stand proudly on either side of the double cross set atop three hills. This powerful symbol blends the ideas of statehood and Christian faith. The cross is held like a Bishop’s crozier, reminding us that their mission secured Great Moravia’s legitimacy as the first organized Slav state in the region’s early history.
• Constantine holds an open book, representing the creation of the Glagolitic script that gave the Slavic people their written language. Beside him, Methodius stands with a church, symbolizing the establishment of faith and the foundation of institutional Christianity among the Slavs. Together, they built bridges between East and West, culture and belief.
• The design is encircled by the names “KONŠTANTÍN” and “METOD” and the years “863–2013” to mark this milestone. The national inscription “SLOVENSKO” sits at the base, alongside the mint mark of the historic Kremnica Mint and the designer’s initials “mh.” The twelve stars of the European Union frame this tribute to cultural unity.
• The coin’s reverse, designed by Luc Luycx, displays a map of Europe next to the value, while the reeded edge is engraved with “★ SLOVENSKÁ REPUBLIKA ★” and a linden leaf—Slovakia’s national symbol. This coin stands as a lasting reminder of two missionaries whose mission shaped Slavic nations that continue to thrive today.