THE SCENE: Nestor’s Tales of Bygone Years provides an account of the origin of the Slavic (Cyrillic) alphabet.
THE TEXT: When they came before the Emperor, he made known to them that the Slavs had communicated to him their desire for teachers who could interpret the hole scriptures to them. The Emperor prevailed upon them to undertake the mission, and sent them into the Slavic country to Rostislav, Svyatopolk, and Kostel. When they arrived, they undertook to compose a Slavic alphabet, and translated the Acts and the Gospel. The Slavs rejoiced to hear the greatness of God extolled in their native tongue. The apostles afterward translated the Psalter, the Oktoechos, and other books. Now some zealots began to condemn the Slavic books, contenting that it was not right for any other nation to have its own alphabet apart from the Hebrews, the Greeks, and the Latins, according to Pilate’s superscription, which he composed for the Lord’s Cross. When the Pope at Rome heard of this situation, he rebuked those who murmured against the Slavic books, saying, “Let the word of the Scripture be fulfilled that “all nations shall praise God”, and likewise that “all nations shall declare the majesty of God according as the Holy Spirit shall grant them in their own speech”. Whosoever condemns the Slavic writing shall be excluded from the Church until he mends his ways. For such men are not sheep but wolves; by their fruits ye shall know them and guard against them.
– Tales of Bygone Years, Nestor, 12th Century AD
