Ukrainian Catholics mark 1025th anniversary of baptism of Kievan Rus’

August 19, 2013

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church solemnly commemorated the 1025th anniversary of the baptism of Kievan Rus’, the medieval Slavic state that helped give birth to modern Russia and Ukraine, on August 17 and 18.

Pope Francis appointed Lithuanian Cardinal Audrys Backis as his special envoy to the event, which took place three weeks after a similar commemoration by Eastern Orthodox leaders.

During the commemoration, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the largest Eastern Catholic church in full communion with the Holy See, consecrated a new cathedral in Kiev and thanked Lithuanian Catholics for their support during the era of Communist persecution, the Religious Information Service of Ukraine reported.

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• Head of Ukrainian Catholics Thanked Catholics in Lithuania for Support during Times of Soviet Persecution (RISU)
• Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) Blessed the Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv (RISU)
• Ukrainian Catholics Started Celebration of the Baptism of Rus (RISU)
• Pope Francis’s Latin-language letter (Holy See)
• Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ (Wikipedia)
• 1025th anniversary of baptism of Kievan Rus’ (CWN, 7/23)