Az, buki, vedi…

For the first time Smolensk has become a center of All-Russian celebration of the Days of Slavonic Literature and Culture in 1991. Since that day the annual celebration of the commemoration of Ss Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-the-Apostle, who created Cyrillic alphabet, is taken on in one of the ancient cities of Russia. 

Last year organization of the Days of Slavonic Literature and Culture was included with the plan of action on preparation for celebration of 1150 years of Smolensk anno urbis conditae. The plan of action was approved by the order of the Russian Federation Government.

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, now Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia was one of the originators of the new-born celebration – the Days of Slavonic Literature and Culture. The governor Sergey Antufiev has sent a greetings telegram with a Name Day to him.

Bishop Panteleimon of Smolensk and Vyazma has performed the Divine Service in the Cathedral Church of the Holy Dormition. After the Divine Service a traditional religious procession together with the major orders, Smolensk church people, cadets and students went to the street named after Cyril and Methodius. Governor Sergey Antufiev together with the Bishop Panteleimon of Smolensk and Vyazma, the Chairman of the Regional Duma Anatoly Mishnev and the Chief Federal Inspector of Smolensk region Vladimir Slepnev put flowers to the bas-relief of Ss Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-the-Apostle, mounted on one of the houses.

In the Lopatinskiy park a theatrical spectacular «Svet razumeniya knizhnogo» was organized. The Governor Sergey Antufiev and the Bishop Panteleimon have greeted its participants and spectators.

During the festival in a place located in the park named as «Massovoe pole» the regional libraries presented book exhibitions, quizzes, competitions of sheet drawings. The librarians read poetry in Slavonic languages.

During the festival the results of the competition «The library of the year» were resumed. Head of the Department of culture Yuriy Gerasev have presented the winners with diplomas. Gagarin centralized library system became the winner in the nomination «Library as a cultural, information and leisure center for children and teenagers». Centralized library system of Smolensk became the winner in the nomination «Library is a center of socially-significant information for the population» and Smoligovka rural library of Rudnya district became the winner in the nomination «Rural library on the way of changes».