UOC delegation tells about the significance of Baptism of Rus at the CoE
The UOC delegation at the Council of Europe
On October 9, 2018, a festive event was held at the Council of Europe (Strasbourg) in honor of the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus, writes the UOC Information and Education Department.
The event began with an official video greeting of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry. Then Bishop Viktor of Baryshevka, who led the UOC delegation, addressed the audience with congratulatory words.
“The Day of the Baptism of Kievan Rus in our state is celebrated as a special date both in the church and in the secular calendar. It is difficult for the secular historiography to overlook the importance of this event, no matter how it might be evaluated from different points of view, the hierarch noted. “By adopting Christianity, Slavic peoples entered the family of European nations and were able to join the achievements of European culture. Celebrating this event, which left traces in the history of the whole of Europe, we want to share tbeautiful pages of our Christian life with all of you.”
After the official speeches, everyone could familiarize themselves with exhibits illustrating the spiritual heritage of the Kiev state. Also, traditional Ukrainian songs sounded, and at the end of the program, the winner of the Voice of the Country-7 competition, priest Alexander Klimenko, gave his performance.
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