Cyril and Methodius – What language should the Church use in prayer?

What language should the Church use in prayer? To this day people fight about this. Some prefer the whole Church to speak one language – which promotes unity. While others argue that the Church’s prayer should adapt to the local dialects – which promotes participation and comprehension. This was the fundamental challenge that Sts. Cyril and Methodius faced in their mission to the Slavic people. Many of the missionaries at the time wanted to promote a uniform liturgy and fought for Latin to be used. However, Cyril and Methodius believed that a liturgy in the language of the people they were evangelizing would open hearts more readily to the Gospel.

Cyril and Methodius were able to achieve tremendous success with proclaiming the gospel and their efforts were recognized in Rome by Pope Adrian II; who would ordain Methodius for the priesthood himself. Methodius was eventually to achieve the support the promotion of the Slavonic Liturgy in the mission field.