Moscow and Kiev, July 29, 2026
Photo: patriarchia.ru
The feast of St. Vladimir the Great and the Baptism of Rus’ was festively celebrated throughout Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus on July 28, with major celebrations held in Moscow and Kiev.
In Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, concelebrated by 15 bishops. A reliquary containing a relic of St. Vladimir was brought from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and placed in the cathedral to the right of the Royal Doors, reports Patriarchia.ru.
Following the Liturgy, Pat. Kirill led a procession from the Dormition Cathedral to the monument to St. Vladimir on Borovitskaya Square, carrying the relic and an icon of the saint. At the monument, a moleben to St. Vladimir was celebrated. His Eminence Metropolitan Grigory of Voskresensk, head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchate, read a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings bestowed on Russia since the Baptism of Rus’.
Following the moleben, worshippers were given the opportunity to venerate the relic of St. Vladimir.
Photo: uoc-news.church
In Kiev, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine led the festive service marking the 1,038th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus’ at the Kiev Caves Lavra. The Divine Liturgy, celebrated in the Church of St. Agapit of the Caves, was concelebrated by ten hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, along with clergy of the Lavra, the city of Kiev, and visiting clergy.
After the reading of the Holy Gospel, Met. Onuphry delivered a homily, in which he recalled the labors of St. Vladimir and called on the faithful to safeguard the Orthodox faith received from their ancestors.
“We, as children of Prince Vladimir, if we wish to consider ourselves as such, must continue to live piously in the faith that he established in our land,” Met. Onuphry said. He added that the true heirs of St. Vladimir “must not only remember the Baptism of Rus’, but also live according to the Orthodox faith.”
During the Liturgy, intensified prayers were offered for Ukraine. Following the Cherubic Hymn, Met. Onuphry ordained a graduate of the Kiev Theological Academy to the priesthood.
After the Liturgy, the clergy, led by Met. Onuphry, celebrated a service of glorification with prayer to St. Vladimir. Met. Onuphry then greeted the faithful on the feast and sprinkled them with holy water.
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