is the holiday timed to coincide with the remembrance day for Saint Cyril and Methodius, the creators of the Cyrillic alphabet, on May 24.
In 1863, Russia passed a resolution to celebrate the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius on May 11 (May 24 according to the current calendar). The brothers were Orthodox monks who in the 9th century, around the year 863, created the Slavic alphabet which was based on the significantly modified Greek alphabet to properly represent the Slavic phonetic system.
In 1985, when the USSR was celebrating the 1100th anniversary of Methodius’ passing, May 24 was declared a holiday celebrating Slavonic literature and culture.
On January 30, 1991, the Presidium of the RSFSR Supreme Soviet adopted a resolution on making Slavonic Literature and Culture Day a yearly event always celebrated in a different city in Russia.
This event is also celebrated in other Slavic nations.