Kiev, July 29, 2014
On July 27-28, 2014, festive events dedicated to the Day of the Baptism of Russia and the feast-day of Holy Prince Vladimir (Volodimir), Equal-to-the-Apostles, took place in Kiev, reports the Ukrainian Orthodox Church website.
On July 27, in Vladimirskaya Gorka Park (“Vladimir’s Hill Park”) of Kiev, at the foot of the monument to the Baptizer of Rus’ Holy Prince Vladimir, the Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan See of Kiev Metropolitan Onufry of Chernovtsy and Bukovina performed a thanksgiving prayer service (moleben) with hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and clergy of the Diocese of Kiev concelebrating.
Prayers for peace in the Ukraine were offered up at the service. At the end of the service Metropolitan Onufry addressed the faithful with his archpastoral speech and greeted everybody on the occasion of the feast-day of Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles.
In the evening, the Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan See of Kiev headed the Feast-day Vigil at the Dormition Cathedral of the Holy Dormition Kiev Caves Lavra.
On July 28, on the square in front of the Dormition Cathedral of the Kiev Caves Lavra the Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan See of KievMetropolitan Onufry of Chernovtsy and Bukovina celebrated a Divine Liturgy.
The abbot of the Kiev Caves Lavra Metropolitan Paul of Vyshgorod & Chernobyl, the chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, the gathered bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as well as the clergy of the Kiev Diocese concelebrated with His Eminence Metropolitan Onufry.
At the service prayers to the Lord for peace in the Ukraine and for the repose of the soul of His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev were offered up.
After the service the clergy and the laity held a Procession of the Cross to the grave of the newly-departed First Hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church at the bell tower of the Church of the Nativity of Holy Theotokos, where a litia for his repose was served.
The day before, the Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan See of Kiev headed a festal Vigil service at the Dormition Cathedral of the Lavra.
