Patriarch, Putin recall 1000th anniversary of St. Vladimir's death

July 31, 2015

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, joined by representatives of other Orthodox churches, recalled the 1000th anniversary of the death of St. Vladimir, prince of Kievan Rus' and a key figure in the evangelization of the Slavic peoples.

"We do not forget that the light of the Orthodox truth came to us from the shores of Bosporus, from Constantinople," Patriarch Kirill said on July 27 at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow. "In spite of all difficult historical circumstances, this spiritual bond has never been broken. I believe that the ties existing between us will continue to strengthen the whole universal Orthodoxy."

At the time of St. Vladimir's conversion, the See of Constantinople was in full communion with the papacy, and he is among the saints inscribed in the Roman Martyrology.

At a reception at the Kremlin for the occasion, President Vladimir Putin said that "the adoption of Christianity was based on Prince Vladimir’s deep love for his native land, his serious spiritual reflection, his search for a single source that could rally the people and unite separate lands."

"By stopping the internecine feuds and defeating external adversaries, Prince Vladimir initiated the development of a united Russian nation and paved the way to the building of a strong centralized Russian State," Putin added. "Rus’ grew stronger, more powerful and authoritative in the eyes of the neighbors who were near and who were far and held negotiations with nations in East and West on equal footing."

 

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Further information:

• His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on the day marking the millennium of the demise of the Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles (Moscow Patriarchate)
• Grand reception in Kremlin on the occasion of the millennium of the demise of Prince Vladimir (Moscow Patriarchate)