Church celebrates Baptism of Rus' Day and memory of St. Prince Volodymyr
The historic choice of 988 completely changed the fate of the state and its people for centuries to come, laying the foundation of Christian civilization.
Orthodox believers in Ukraine are marking the memory of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr and the Day of the Baptism of Rus'. On this day, the Church commemorates the event of 988, which determined the spiritual and cultural path of the Slavic peoples for many centuries.
The celebration takes place annually on July 28 – the day of the repose of the Baptizer of Rus'. The historic choice of Prince Volodymyr, who accepted Christianity from Byzantium, laid the foundations for the formation of a unified Orthodox civilization.
After personally accepting Christianity in Korsun (Chersonesus), the ruler returned to Kyiv together with Greek clergy. He first baptized his twelve sons and boyars, and then called upon all the city's inhabitants to come to the Dnieper waters for the common performance of the Sacrament. This event marked the beginning of the Christianization of the entire country.
The acceptance of Christianity completely transformed the ruler's character: from a fierce warrior he became a merciful Christian. After his baptism, Prince Vladimir focused on caring for the poor and those in need, ceased wars with his neighbors, released all his former wives and concubines, entered into a Christian marriage with the Greek princess Anna, and devoted himself to the development of education in his state.
The equal-to-the-apostles prince, born around 960, reposed on July 28, 1015, in Berestovo. He was buried in the Church of the Tithes, which he had founded — the first stone church in Kyiv, which became a symbol of the new Christian era.
Large-scale religious processions have become a longstanding tradition of the feast. Beginning in 2015, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims have annually taken part in a great procession from Volodymyrska Hill to the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
The Union of Orthodox Journalists previously reported that His Beatitude called upon the faithful to preserve the faith handed down to us by Holy Prince Vladimir.
