On the occasion of the commemoration of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince and Ruler of Kyiv, Vladimir the Great, the 1037th anniversary of the Baptism of Ukraine-Rus, and the Day of Ukrainian Statehood, Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine presided over the festive Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
Hierarchs and clergy from across Ukraine concelebrated, standing alongside the Primate of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine in an atmosphere of unity and prayer.
Following the reading of the Holy Gospel, the Metropolitan offered a special supplication to the Lord for the Homeland, which is undergoing difficult and critical times amidst danger and trials.
During the Divine Liturgy, prayers were offered for the soldiers defending Ukraine, for the government and the people, and for the repose of the souls of all the fallen defenders of the Homeland and the innocent victims of war.
As part of the festive occasion, Metropolitan Epifaniy also ordained Deacon Maryan Savchuk to the priesthood.
During the communion hymn, Metropolitan Yevstratii of Bila Tserkva delivered the official Message of the Hierarchical Synod to the faithful.
After the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, a thanksgiving service (doxology) was held in honor of the anniversary of the Baptism of Ukraine-Rus and the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council. Then, the Sacred Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Dormition in the Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Epifaniy, delivered a festal primatial address, concluding the celebration with spiritual reflections.
In his homily during the Divine Liturgy for the 1037th anniversary of the Baptism of Ukraine-Rus and the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, Metropolitan Epifaniy emphasized the spiritual significance of these events for both Church and nation: “Honoring the memory of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince and our baptizer, Vladimir the Great, we glorify and give thanks to God for the 1037th anniversary of the Baptism of Ukraine-Rus.”
He linked the Baptism of Rus with the First Ecumenical Council, noting: “This momentous event would not have been possible had it not been preceded by another – the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, which this year is being solemnly commemorated by the entire Christian world.”
Explaining the spiritual meaning of baptism, the Metropolitan stated: “Just as personal baptism marks a person’s second, spiritual birth – their enlightenment through the grace of the Holy Spirit and adoption by God – so too the baptism of the ancient principality of Kyiv was a new birth for our nation.”
He also highlighted the symbolism of the names of the equal-to-the-apostles rulers: “Saint Olga, the grandmother of Saint Vladimir, received the baptismal name Helen, in honor of Saint Constantine’s mother. Prince Vladimir himself was baptized with the name Basil – a title also held by Saint Constantine. Thus, even in their names, our holy rulers became for Ukraine what Constantine and Helen were for the Roman Empire.”
Addressing Ukraine’s current situation, he said: “Today Ukraine stands at a historical crossroads… For centuries, our people and our Church lived under foreign yoke… Only in 2019 did we receive the Tomos of Autocephaly from the Ecumenical Patriarchate – our Mother Church. We were liberated from the godless Bolshevik regime, only to confront a new, diabolical delusion: the heretical doctrine of the ‘Russian World.'”
He emphasized: “The path of Christ – the way of truth – is the middle way, without deviation to the right or the left, far from deadly delusions… Today, as then, we see on one side the abyss of militant atheism, and on the other, the heresy of the ‘Russian World,’ which under the cloak of the Church conceals a new idolatry.”
Referring to the Pechersk Lavra, he said: “The Holy Church of the Dormition, where we now pray, was destroyed by atheists and restored thanks to the independent Ukrainian state. For a long time, the monastery was held captive by the ‘Russian World,’ but now it is being freed from its chains.”
He concluded: “As the Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine, we solemnly profess our faith in the evangelical, Christian, apostolic, and Orthodox doctrine, as defined by the Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils and handed down to us through the Baptism of Kyiv and all Rus.”
His sermon ended with a prayer: “May this faith – the true, apostolic, Orthodox faith – strengthen us in our calling to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13–14). May the Lord grant our people victory over the Russian empire of evil and the heretical false teaching of the ‘Russian World.’ May He bless our defenders and grant Ukraine and the world a just peace. Glory to our God unto the ages of ages! Amen.”
