ment of Moravia to Rostislav, the nephew of the unfortunate prince.
Thus far, all the knowledge that the Moravians possessed of Christianity came from the Germans; but this was quite meager, and the ruler and people were anxious to receive more instruction. Although Rostislav had received many favors at the hands of the German king, he was suspicious of the purity of his motives, and therefore did not wish to turn to Germany in this matter. Finally, it was decided to turn for help to the East. Rostislav sent an embassy to Emperor Michael, of Constantinople, beseeching him to send him Christian teachers. The message they delivered contained the following passages: “The land, indeed, is baptized; but we have no teachers to instruct us and translate to us the sacred books. We understand neither the Greek nor the Latin tongue. Some teach us one thing, and some another; consequently, we know not what to believe. Therefore, we beseech thee to send us teachers who can explain to us the words and meaning of the Scripture.”
Wherever the Greeks introduced Christianity, they gave the people the Church service in their mother-tongue, while the teachers sent by the authority of Rome gave it in Latin; and as quite often little more than the service was read, the people remained totally ignorant as to its meaning.
At the time when the embassy was sent to Constantinople, there dwelt in Thessalonica a patrician family, whose head was Leo. This Leo had two sons, Cyril and Methodus, who were renowned for their learning and piety. Being well versed, not only in the
