Editing Cyril and Methodius (section)

===Mission to the Khazars===
About the year 860, [[Byzantine Emperor]] [[Michael III]] and the [[Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]] [[Photios I of Constantinople|Photius]] (a professor of Cyril's at the university and his guiding light in earlier years), sent Cyril on a missionary expedition to the [[Khazars]] who had requested a scholar be sent to them who could converse with both Jews and Saracens.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20090617.html |title=Pope Benedict XVI. "Saints Cyril and Methodius", General Audience 17 June 2009, Libreria Editrice Vaticana |publisher=W2.vatican.va |access-date=2019-01-29}}</ref> It has been claimed that Methodius accompanied Cyril on the mission to the Khazars, but this may be a later invention. The account of his life presented in the [[Latin language|Latin]] ''"Legenda"'' claims that he learned the Khazar language while in [[Chersonesos Taurica|Chersonesos]], in [[Taurica]] (today [[Crimea]]).

After his return to Constantinople, Cyril assumed the role of professor of [[philosophy]] at the university. His brother had by this time become a significant figure in Byzantine political and administrative affairs, and an abbot of his monastery.