ZAGREB, 9 Oct (Hina) - A three-day international scientific conference commemorating the 1100th anniversary of the first documented mention of Croatian Glagolitic writing -- "11 Centuries of Croatian Glagolitism (925-2025)" -- opened in Zagreb.

Ana Šimić, Chair of the Organising Committee, emphasised that this year marks 1100 years since the earliest reliable records of Croatian Glagolitic writing, linked to letters from Pope John X in 925 and the provisions of the First Church Council of Split in the same year.

She noted that the Croatian Kingdom and Croatian Glagolitic culture are not separate or competing phenomena but complementary, with the kingdom reflecting national sovereignty and Glagolitism reflecting the spiritual and value-based profile of the people, together forming a complete whole.

Šimić also pointed out that Glagolitic writing persisted even after the fall of the Croatian Kingdom, and with its angular script and the culture it fostered, it has become a cornerstone of Croatian history and identity.

Tanja Kuštović from the Programme Committee highlighted that Croatian Glagolitic writing is deeply embedded in Croatian history and culture from their earliest beginnings to the present day.

She explained that the Croatian Middle Ages were characterised by triple-script usage, with Glagolitic as the dominant script alongside Cyrillic and Latin. Studying Glagolitic involves examining works written in the script, including liturgical texts, literature and chant.

The conference will feature 46 presentations by 50 speakers over three days. The programme also includes a roundtable on creating an anthology of Croatian Glagolitic texts in English and the presentation of a collection of student papers on Glagolitic writing.