Local Orthodox Churches Celebrate the Baptism of Rus' in Kiev

This past Saturday Patriarch Cyril (Gundyayev) of Moscow led the celebrations in honor of the feast of St. Vladimir and the anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' at Ukraine's historic Kiev Caves Lavra, concelebrating the festal Divine Liturgy in the square fronting the Lavra's Cathedral of the Dormition with Metropolitans Volodymyr (Sabodan) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Vladimir (Canterean) of the Moldovan Orthodox Church; hierarchs representing the Constantinopolitan, Alexandrian, Antiochian, Jerusalemite, Georgian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Cypriot, Greek, Polish, Czechoslovak, and American Orthodox Churches; and numerous hierarchs of the Russian, Ukrainian, and Belorussian Orthodox Churches. Following the services Patriarch Cyril congratulated Metropolitan Volodymyr on the 20th anniversary of his service as primate of the Church of Ukraine. More here and in Russian here.

New Ukrainian Orthodox Bishops Consecrated in Kiev

It has been reported that this past Sunday Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev and nine other hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church consecrated Archimandrite Roman (Kymovych) as Bishop of Konotop. Axios! Bishop Roman will shepherd the Eparchy of Konotop in northeastern Ukraine. More in Ukrainian here.

The following day, the commemoration of St. Anthony of the Kiev Caves, Metropolitan Volodymyr led festal services at the Kiev Caves Lavra, during which he consecrated Archimandrite Clement (Vecher) as Bishop of Irpin' together with nineteen other hierarchs of the Church of Ukraine. Axios! The newly consecrated Bishop Clement will serve as an auxiliary of the Metropolitanate of Kiev and chairman of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church's education committee. More in Ukrainian here.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Begins Visit to Kiev

Patriarch Cyril (Gundyayev) of Moscow has begun a pastoral visit to the autonomous Church of Ukraine, flying into the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, earlier today and meeting with Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Y. Azarov at the Kiev Caves Lavra shortly after his arrival in the city.

Patriarch Cyril is opening a session of the Russian Orthodox Holy Synod at the Kiev Caves Lavra today, and on Saturday will lead the celebrations of the feast of St. Vladimir and the Baptism of Rus'. More here.

Metropolitan Volodymyr Hospitalized

Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev, First Hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, has been hospitalized since the weekend, with his doctors referring to his health as grave. Please keep him in your prayers! Hat tip to Ad Orientem.

Metropolitan Volodymyr Released from Hospital

Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev has been released from the hospital following a successful operation on one of his legs. More (in Ukrainian) here.

Ukrainian Orthodox, Catholic First Hierarchs Meet at Kiev Caves Lavra

Ukrainian Catholic Major Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk has met with the head of the Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev, at the latter's residence at the Kiev Caves Lavra. During their meeting the two discussed ways to peacefully resolve disputes over church property ownership, which have been complicated by the transfer to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Ukrainian Catholic churches closed by the Soviets. More here.

International Celebrations for the Anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' Held in Kiev

In celebration of the anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' in 988 and in honor of today's feast of St. Vladimir Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, and Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev together with the participation of Metropolitans Vladimir (Canterean) of Chisinau and Philaret (Vakhromeyev) of Minsk and hierarchs of the Russian, Georgian, Romanian, Cypriot, Ukrainian, and Belorussian Orthodox Churches concelebrated the festal Divine Liturgy on the square of the Kiev Caves Lavra's Cathedral of the Dormition.

The services were celebrated in a mixture of Georgian, Greek, and Slavonic, with choirs from Georgia and Ukraine singing the responses. Today's celebrations marked the first time that a ruling patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church has visited and served in Kiev. More (in Russian) on today's celebrations can be found here.

Photo of the Day: Patriarchal Divine Liturgy at the Kiev Caves Lavra

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of the Russian Orthodox Church, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church during their concelebration this morning of the festal Divine Liturgy in honor of the anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'. More pictures of the celebratory services, which took place on the square in front of the Kiev Caves Lavra's Cathedral of the Dormition, can be found here.

Photo of the Day: Supplication on St. Vladimir's Hill

From left to right, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of the Russian Orthodox Church, and Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church during today's thanksgiving on Kiev's Vladimir Hill in celebration of the Baptism of Rus'. More pictures can be found here.

Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kiev Marks 45th Anniversary of Episcopal Consecration

Yesterday, the second day of the Jubilee Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the assembled Ukrainian Orthodox hierarchs, clergy, and faithful concelebrated the festal Divine Liturgy in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the consecration of Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev to the episcopacy.

During the Divine Liturgy Metropolitan Volodymyr elevated Archbishops Serhiy (Hensitskyy) of Ternopil' and Simeon (Shostatskiy) of Vinnytsia to the rank of metropolitan and Bishop Panteleimon (Bashchuk) of Uman to the rank of archbishop. The festal services were celebrated on the square in front of the Kiev Caves Lavra's Cathedral of the Dormition. More (in Russian) here.

All-Ukrainian Council to Review Church Life, Not Encourage 'Political Orthodoxy'

In an interview Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev has confirmed that the intention of the upcoming All-Ukrainian Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is not to somehow change the Church's status, but to review its work over the two decades since the grant of autonomy and the 1992 All-Ukrainian Council in Kharkiv. More here.

Georgian Orthodox Patriarch to Attend Anniversary Celebrations in Kiev

Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church has received a delegation of the Georgian Orthodox Church at his residence in Kiev. During the meeting the plans for next month's celebrations in honor of the 45th anniversary of Metropolitan Volodymyr's consecration, in which Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church will participating, were discussed. More (in Ukrainian) here.

New Bishop of Kremenchug Consecrated in Kiev

Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev and eight other hierarchs of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church have consecrated Archimandrite Mikolai (Kapustin) as Bishop of Kremenchug during a festal Sunday Liturgy served near the site of the future Cathedral of the Resurrection in Kiev. More (in Ukrainian) here.

New Bishop of Shepetivka Consecrated in Kiev

During the Divine Liturgy this morning Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev and fourteen other hierarchs of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church consecrated Archimandrite Dionisiy (Konstantinov) as Bishop of Shepetivka in the Refectory Church of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius at the Kiev Caves Lavra. More (in Russian) here.

Metropolitan Volodymyr Meets with Ukrainian Defense Minister

Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev has met with Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Yezhel to discuss plans for the development of a military chaplaincy and spheres of cooperation between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church. During the meeting Metropolitan Volodymyr awarded Yezhel the Order of St. Vladimir. More (in Ukrainian) here.

Metropolitan Volodymyr Visits Western Ukraine

Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev has begun a pastoral visit to the eparchies of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in western Ukraine and to the Pochaev Lavra. More (in Russian) here.

Patriarch Cyril Concludes Visit to Eastern Ukraine

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow has completed his visit to eastern Ukraine. While in eastern Ukraine Patriarch Kirill concelebrated the Sunday services with Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev and a number of other hierarchs and clergy of the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, participated in the 90th birthday celebrations of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rusnak) of Kharkiv, and laid a wreath at Kharkiv's Memorial of Glory in honor of Victory Day and the soldiers killed during World War II.

Pictured is Patriarch Kirill laying a wreath at Kharkiv's Memorial of Glory in honor of the Ukrainian soldiers and veterans of World War II.

Photo of the Day: Patriarchal Sunday Liturgy in Kharkov

Pictured are Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow, Metropolitans Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev and Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk, and a number of other hierarchs and clergymen of the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches concelebrating the Sunday Liturgy this past weekend in Kharkov, Ukraine.

Sunday Liturgy Canceled in Kharkiv, Ukraine

This weekend's Sunday Liturgy has been canceled in the Orthodox churches in Kharkiv, Ukraine, so that the city's clergy and faithful can gather in the city's central plaza, Freedom Square, for the Sunday Liturgy to be concelebrated by Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow and Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev. More here.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch, Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan to Visit Eastern Ukraine

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow and Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev will be visiting eastern Ukraine this weekend to participate in the 90th birthday celebrations of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rusnak) of Kharkiv. More here.