The European Mission of the Slavs? Doubts and Questions

On 30 IX 1880 Pope Leo XIII promulgated his encyclical Grande munus in which he recalled the history and the effects of missionary activity carried out among the Slavs in the second half of the ninth century by saints Cyril and Methodius. He also expressed his interest in the unification of the Slavic nations and the creation of a spiritual unity which would bring together Western and Eastern Christianity. On 2 VI 1985, Pope John Paul II, referring to Grande munus promulgated the encyclical Slavorum Apostoli. He deemed the Holy Brothers to be a role model for contemporary Christians, and forerunners of ecumenism, dialogue, enculturation and creation of community in a social environment full of conflicts and divisions. According to the Pope’s view, the continuity of the work done by Cyril and Methodius may save contemporary Europe from forgetting its Christian roots, from denying Christian values and the culture connected with Christianity. As John Paul II maintains, it is the Slavs, especially the Poles, who have a special role in saving Christian Europe. The author does not conceal that she is skeptical about the interest of contemporary Slavs in this evangelization mission seen as continuing the work of the Holy Brothers. She doubts that it can be effective. In view of deep divisions and conflicts among the modern Slavs, of their lack of unity, as well as of a general rejection of Christian values, which can be noticed among those nations as well, it is difficult to see the Slavs as an example of unity among nations and as a model for contemporary Europe. In this multicultural world, those who wish to follow in the footsteps of the Holy Brothers are a definite minority, which has neither the support of their own ethnic/national group nor that of other populations on our continent