Friday
Jul282023

« The 1035th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' was prayerfully celebrated in the capitals of Great Britain and Ireland »

Date28-07-2023
On July 28, 2023, on the day of memory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Prince Vladimir, the feast of the Baptism of Rus', solemn services were celebrated at the Dormition Cathedral in London and the St.Peter and St.Paul Church in Dublin, Diocese of Sourozh.
With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, the Divine Liturgy was officiated at the London Cathedral by Archpriest Vitaly Polishchuk, Dean of the Diocesan District of South East England, assisted by Archpriest Maxim Nikolsky, Secretary of the Diocese of Sourozh Archpriest Dimitry Nedostupenko and clerics of the UOC, which are temporarily located in the Sourozh Diocese, Protodeacon Vadim Santsevitch, Protodeacon Vladimir Marga and Deacon Vladimir Castravet.
Following the augmented litany, Fr. Vitaly Polishchuk proclaimed a prayer for the granting of peace.
At the end of the divine service, Fr. Vitaly addressed the parishioners with  words of the sermon and congratulated those bearing the name of Vladimir on the day of their Angel. On behalf of the Rector of the Cathedral, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Protodeacon Vladimir Marga and Deacon Vladimir Castravet received a new edition of liturgical service books as a gift.
In the St.Peter and St.Paul Church in Dublin, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by the Dean of the Diocesan District of the Republic of Ireland, Rector of the church, Archpriest Mikhail Nasonov, assisted by Deacon Pavel Demyanovsky.
At the end of the Liturgy, Archpriest Mikhail delivered a sermon on the theme of the feast, emphasizing the historical choice of Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Prince Vladimir, who determined the future unity of the Russian land, the unity of our Church and the unity of the entire Russian people.
On the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, at the end of the Liturgy, special molebens were served in both churches in honour of the remembrance of the Baptism of Rus', and at 12 noon, the bells rung "Glory to Thee, God!"
The tradition of simultaneous bell ringing to commemorate the day of the Baptism of Rus', being the call to common prayer, has been uniting churches and monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church around the world for 9 years.
The Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, held on June 24-29, 2008 in Moscow, in memory of the Baptism of Rus', decided on July 15/28, on the day of memory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, "to celebrate the divine service according to the practice of a great feast, paying due honour to the Baptist of Rus' ".