The Russian Orthodox Church is marking the 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Prince Vladimir, the Baptizer of Russia. Celebrations are being held in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.

On the eve of the celebrations, July 27, 2015, a meeting took place between His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, and delegations from the Local Orthodox Churches that had come to Moscow to participate in the events dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Prince Vladimir, the Equal-to-the-Apostles.

Photo: S.Vlasov/Patriarchia.ru

The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Dormition Cathedral of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Caves Lavra.

At the Liturgy, prayers were offered for peace in Ukraine.

After the Liturgy, Metropolitan Onuphry congratulated all those present on the occasion of the anniversary celebrations.

After the greetings, the Primate of the Ukrainian Church consecrated the bas-relief depicting the Holy Prince Vladimir, the Equal-to-the-Apostles, on the north wall of the Dormition Cathedral.

After the festal moleben on Vladimir’s Hill, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and Ukraine led a procession through the central streets of Kiev. Participating with His Beatitude were bishops and clergy from all the dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, along with more than 20,000 Orthodox faithful from all over Ukraine.

The 1000th anniversary of Prince Vladimir, the Equal-to-the-Apostles, on July 27, 2015 in Kiev – a photo report of Hierodeacon Iliodor (Kugatov) of the Zaporozhye Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church:

In the Krasnoyarsk Diocese, on July 28, the feast day of the Holy Prince Vladimir, the Equal-to-the-Apostles, the Day of the Baptism of Russia, in the Three Hierarchs Church in the city of Krasnoyarsk, following the festal Liturgy, a procession with a large gathering of faithful was held to the Bazaikha River.

In the Kemerovo Diocese on July 27, on the territory of the Cathedral of the Sign in the city of Kemerovo, there was installed a sculpture of the Holy Prince Vladimir, the Equal-to-the-Apostles and Baptist of Russia. On July 28, on the feast day of the Holy Prince Vladimir, the Equal-to-the-Apostles, celebrations took place marking the 1000th anniversary of the repose of this God-Pleaser and the feast of the Baptism of Russia.

The center of anniversary celebrations in the Barnaul Diocese was the Church of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, a lower chapel of which is consecrated in the name of the Holy Baptizer of Russia.