The celebrations on the occasion of the Day of the Baptism of Russia took place at the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra on July 28, 2020, on the commemoration day of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Prince Vladimir, Baptist of Russia. His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, presided over the festive Divine Liturgy at the square in front of the Dormition Cathedral, reports the Information and Educational Department of the UOC.
During the festive Matins service, the Ukrainian primate anointed the faithful with consecrated oil and congratulated them on the feast day.
His Beatitude also released a video address on the eve of the feast, noting that the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called sowed the seeds of faith that blossomed centuries later with evangelization of Sts. Cyril and Methodius and the conversion of Rus’ to holy Orthodoxy, led by St. Vladimir the Great and his grandmother St. Olga.
“May the Lord grant each of us strength, courage, and determination to be like the holy Prince Vladimir, who before his Baptism was a cruel, harsh, dissolute prince, but when he was baptized, became an exemplary Christian,” His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry said.
If we want to be children of St. Vladimir, we must live by faith, following his example, Met. Onuphry emphasized.
This year, instead of the traditional cross procession on the eve of the feast, the Baptism of Rus’ was marked by a moleben and the celebratory ringing of the bells in all churches throughout Ukraine. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill also blessed all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church throughout the world to ring their bells today at noon local time to mark the joyous event.
