His Beatitude Sviatoslav: “We hope that the national program of celebrating the 1025th anniversary of Baptism will reflect the Kyivan style of celebration”

The Head and Father of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) expressed his hopes that “the  national celebrations of the 1025^th Jubilee of the Baptism of Ukraine-Rus will be made public soon and will reflect a solely Kyivan style of celebrations, in accordance with historical truth.”

His Beatitude Sviatoslav stated this today, June 4^th,  at a press conference in Kyiv about the blessing of the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv on August 17-18.

“Not only we, but also other Christians in Ukraine are surprised that until now the national program of the celebration of the 1025th anniversary of Baptism has not been made public, even though the President met with us and appealed to us all to become active participants…  Last year all the Churches expressed a desire to have a joint prayer for Ukraine during the jubilee celebrations of the Baptism.

However, we see that this also right now is not being planned.  A failure in understanding is prompted by the fact that the national celebrations are tied to  celebrations that begin in Moscow.  Therefore, it seems that a scenario is being replayed which was carried out during soviet times, 25 years ago.  However, it is important not to forget that the Moscow Church is affiliated as a daughter of the Kyiv Church. Therefore, it would be logical to hold all the central celebrations here, where 1025 years ago the Baptism took place,” emphasized the Head of the Church.

The Primate also explained why UGCC is celebrating the anniversary of the Baptism in August and not in July, as do other traditional churches in Ukraine.  “The tradition of celebrating two events together: the memory of the Equal to the Apostles Prince Volodymyr and the following anniversary of the Baptism of Ukraine-Rus in one day is a tradition of the Moscow Church.  The unification of these two events had as its goal the underlining of the national character of the national religion of the Moscow Orthodoxy.

We are the inheritors of Volodymyr’s Baptism and the Kyiv Church.  And in our Church we have preserved the ancient Kyiv tradition in which the Baptism of Ukraine-Rus is year by year celebrated on August 14 -- day of the Makaveysky  Martyrs, day the Assumption Fast begins and the day of the so-called Augustinian water blessing.  We respect the Moscow Church tradition but in our Church we preserve the tradition of the Kyiv Church and that is why our celebrations are tied to this date,” noted His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

In answering the questions of the journalists, whether His Beatitude knows where Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople will attend the celebrations of Baptism, since he was invited by the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow and by the Moscow Patriarch in Kyiv, the UGCC Primate answered, “I enjoyed very much the opportunity to meet during Great Lent with Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.  He expressed a very favorable stand towards the spiritual needs of Ukrainians.  I told him that we would be very glad to greet him in Kyiv at the jubilee celebrations of the Baptism of Ukraine-Rus.”   Why? Because the Church of ancient Constantinople is the Mother Church of Kyiv Christianity.  I said,”Your Beatitude, if you come to Kyiv, then you will come as the Father of the Mother Church.  We will be happy to welcome you.  Because also our Church, Greek-Catholic, considers the Church of Constantinople as the Mother Church.”  I was pleased to read that the UOC (MP) visited Constantinople after me and presented him with an official invitation from the local Orthodox Church and from our President.  We will see what decision the Patriarch makes,” concluded the Head of the Church.

UGCC Department of Information