In 2019, several organizations from both countries submitted an application to the Council of Europe to certify the route, but it was rejected with the argument that the Cyrillo-Methodian legacy covers a much broader territory of the continent. Thus, a year later, Bulgaria was invited to join the initiative, which showcases the Slavic literary and religious tradition.

“The tradition is highly diverse - it includes church and secular holidays, educational programs, art festivals, gatherings, and pilgrimages,” says Dr. Zlateva. “This is a multilayered heritage, formed over more than eleven centuries on European soil, becoming part of the identity of many Slavic nations. Naturally, it has enormous importance for Bulgarian national identity.”

“There is a great variety of sites - churches, museums, archaeological reserves, architectural complexes,” replies the scholar. “Intangible cultural heritage also plays a significant role, in the form of secular and religious holidays, cultural and educational programs, and commemorative events. To date, many sites related to Cyril and Methodius have been identified in Bulgaria. Since their disciples and followers lived and worked here, the memory of the work of the Seven Saints is also preserved on Bulgarian soil.”

Every foreigner who visits Bulgaria as part of the Cyril and Methodius cultural route receives an essential “package” of knowledge:

“Bulgaria played a key role in preserving and developing the Slavic literary and written tradition",  Dr. Zlateva says, laying an emphasis on perhaps the most important fact. “And here’s a distinction that even we Bulgarians don’t always make: Cyril and Methodius created the first Slavic alphabet - the Glagolitic script - while their disciples adapted it and created a new alphabet, the Cyrillic, named after their mentor. It's also important to note that Cyrillic is one of the most widely used writing systems in the world, with over 300 million users today. Moreover, with Bulgaria's accession to the EU, Cyrillic was recognized as a European script, and the first Cyrillic letters have already appeared on the €5 banknotes. We hope that after our adoption of the euro, and the minting of Bulgarian euro coins, these symbols of our cultural identity will become even more recognizable across the continent.”