His Beatitude Sviatoslav Urges Ukrainians to Renew Baptismal Vows on the 1035th Anniversary of the Baptism of Rus-Ukraine
On July 28, 2023, on the day of St. Prince Volodymyr the Equal-to-the-Apostles according to the Julian calendar, Ukraine will celebrate the 1035th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus-Ukraine. On this occasion, the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, called on the faithful to renew their baptismal vows.
“Every year, we call on the sons and daughters of Ukraine, the faithful of our Church, on the day of remembrance of the Baptism of our people to come to churches and renew their baptismal vows, that is, the promises that our godparents made when they brought us to receive the Sacrament of Baptism on our behalf,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav in a video message this week.
In Russia’s waging an aggressive war against Ukraine, it is all the more important to renew our consecration to Christ because we so desperately need God’s might to do what is impossible to be realized by humans only. By renewing our baptismal vows, we will feel that God’s power, the ultimate victoriousness, pulsates in the body of our nation and our Church.
St. Volodymyr’s Day has recently been celebrated alongside Ukrainian Statehood Day in Ukraine. According to the calendar reform, these two holidays will occur on July 15 starting next year.
The UGCC Department for Information
