Hungary, Slovakia defence ministers pay tribute to Saints Cyril and Methodius

Hungarian Defence Minister Tibor Benkő, and Péter Gajdos, his Slovakian counterpart, on Saturday attended a ceremony to pay tribute to Saints Cyril and Methodius, revered as the patron saints “of the Christian East”.

Addressing the ceremony, Benkő referred to the two saints as “examples whose acts still convey a valid message urging us to make Europe strong and secure”. “The commitment, service, and devotion” of Cyril and Methodius “can still serve as a spiritual support for Europe’s nations and peoples,” he added.

Benkő insisted that

the cardinal question in the near future was “if Europe can stay European with European values and culture”.

He added that “we must protect the life and culture we have fought for, as well as our Christian roots”.

Slovakia‘s defence minister Gajdos noted that

the two saints, who settled in the Moravian Empire 1,155 years ago, had laid down the foundations of Slavic Christianity and literary culture.

Their example “of linking people” should be followed by both politicians and soldiers, he added.

As we wrote few days ago, the Slovak government plans to continue building good relations with Hungary because that is in the interest of Slovakia’s citizens, its economy and the region, Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini said in Parliament on Tuesday after meeting his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán. Read more HERE.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI