Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius

Ukrainian literary organization

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June 17, 2026

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The Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius was a secret Ukrainian society that existed briefly in 1845–1847. Its program advocated for social equality, an end to national oppression, and a federation of Slavic states with Ukraine at the forefront. The organization was quickly discovered and suppressed by authorities, leading to the arrest and punishment of its leaders.1

The Brotherhood's ideals were rooted in the broader context of Ukrainian national revival in the 19th century, which saw literature, particularly the works of Taras Shevchenko, become a primary vehicle for expressing Ukrainian identity and aspirations for freedom and autonomy. Tsarist policies, including bans on Ukrainian language publications, aimed to suppress these movements and integrate Ukraine more fully into the Russian Empire.1

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…a different form in the Brotherhood of SS. Cyril and Methodius, in Kiev. This group, among whose members was the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko, believed that a federation of Slav peoples should include the Ukrainians, whom they claimed were not a part of the Russian nation but a distinct nationality.…
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…a different form in the Brotherhood of SS. Cyril and Methodius, in Kiev. This group, among whose members was the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko, believed that a federation of Slav peoples should include the Ukrainians, whom they claimed were not a part of the Russian nation but a distinct nationality.…
Read More