On July
28, on the feast of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus, in Soborna square of the
Kyiv Caves Monastery His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrated the
Divine Liturgy.
On this feast His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and
His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr celebrated the Divine Liturgy at
the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Among those concelebrating were
the members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, a host of
clergymen from different countries and numerous clergymen.
The Divine Liturgy was performed on the altar, installed under the
shelter in front of the Dormition cathedral of the monastery. On the
altar there was a reliquary with a piece of the honorable relics of the
Holy and Equal-to the Apostles Prince Vladimir. The square in front of
the Holy Dormition Cathedral of Lavra was overcrowded. Thousands of Kyiv
residents and pilgrims came on this festive day to pray with His
Holiness Patriarch Kirill and His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr. The
divine service was broadcast by the Ukrainian TV channels.
At the Lesser Entrance, on decision of the Holy Synod, which defined the
canonical and legal status of the metropolitan's district in the
Republic of Kazakhstan, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill elevated
Archbishop Alexander of Kazakhstan and Astanay to the rank of
Metropolitan.
After the Gospel readings the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church
addressed those praying at the divine service with a sermon.
Following the Divine Liturgy His Holiness was greeted by His Beatitude Volodymyr, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine.
In remembrance of the common prayer His Beatitude offered His Holiness
Patriarch Kirill a mitre. Then His Holiness addressed to His Beatitude
Metropolitan Volodymyr with a word.
His Holiness passed to the Primate of the UOC a pectoral cross and two
panagias, and the Eucharistic vessels to the Kyiv Caves monastery.
Then His Holiness Blessed to distribute the icons of the Theotokos among all those praying in the square.
Then the concelebrating hierarchs and clergy followed in a sacred
procession with the reliquary with relics of the Holy and Equal-to-the
Apostles Prince Vladimir from the near to the Far Caves of Lavra. His
Holiness performed prayer service at the Far Caves following which
sprinkled with holy water those who gathered under the balcony of the
metropolitan's residence and greeted them on the feast of the Holy
Prince Vladimir.
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