the middle of the ninth century, at the time of Cyril’s mission, their power began to decline; their vassals became their enemies, and gradually their conquerors; until towards the end of the tenth and at the beginning of the eleventh century, their empire became entirely extinct.[12] Constantine converted and baptized their Khan, whose example was followed by a great part of the nation.  It was probably after he had returned from this mission, that Cyril went to convert the Bulgarians.  At this time, or just before, according to Dobrovsky’s opinion, he invented the Slavic letters, and translated the Gospels, during his stay in Byzantium.  This however is nothing more than an hypothesis, against which other hypotheses have been started by other scholars.  Between A.D. 861 and 863, there came another embassy to the emperor from the Moravian prince Rostislav, who asked for a teacher, not only to instruct his subjects in Christianity more perfectly than it had been done before, but also to teach them to read.  Most of the Moravians were already baptized.  Constantine, accompanied by his brother Methodius, was sent to Moravia, where the people received them with expressions of joy.  They introduced here the Slavic liturgy, and preached in the Slavic language.

One peculiar circumstance served to give to their persons a more than common sanctity.  Constantine had been so fortunate as to discover in Cherson the bones of the holy Clement, relics which he every where carried with him.  After three or four years, the pope invited the two brethren to Rome, where the possession of these relics procured them great honour and distinction.  The pope Adrian, followed by the clergy and people, met them and their treasure before the gates of the city.  Both the brothers were consecrated as bishops; those of their Moravian disciples who had accompanied them to Rome, were made priests and deacons.  Constantine received the consecration, but did not accept the diocese allotted to him.  With the permission of the pope, he adopted the name of Cyril, and died forty days afterwards, Feb. 13, A.D. 868.  His remembrance is cherished as holy by the Slavic nations; and even as early as A.D. 1056, we find, in the calendar of the Evangelium of Ostromir, the fourteenth of February set down for the celebration of his memory.

Methodius returned to Moravia the same year, A.D. 868.  He was what was called an episcopus regionarius, and had therefore no fixed residence.  In the letters of pope John VIII, he is called bishop of Moravia and Pannonia.  The first of these countries was at this period the theatre of bloody wars; the Slavic inhabitants of the other had been already converted to Christianity by German priests, as early as A.D. 798.  In consequence of this, Methodius found the Latin worship established here, and the Latin language in use.  The innovation made by him, however, was of course greatly favoured by the people; who for the first time heard the gospel read to them in a language