The baptism of Rus by Prince Vladimir can be considered " conscious European choice ", said the head of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.
"It was in truth a European choice, which was made a thousand years ago. Yes, Vladimir adopted Christianity from the Byzantine Empire, in those days it was Byzantium was the main personification of Christian civilization, plus it was our Ukrainian neighbor with the highest for that period of material And spiritual culture ", - said Poroshenko, reports the news Agency.
according to his statement, Prince Vladimir so " became a full member of the political club of European monarchs "." for this reason, there is every reason to equate the Baptism of Vladimir with conscious European choice. During the Millennium the Ukrainians defended their right to their own identity, their own independence, our Ukrainian European choice. And today we're back in Europe, like in the home, " concluded the head of the Ukrainian. Poroshenko called on Mikhaylovskaya square in Kiev during the event dedicated to the Day of the baptism of Russia And the 1000-year anniversary of the repose of Prince Vladimir the Great. In addition, he visited the Liturgy in the Vladimir Cathedral, the main Church of Kyiv Patriarchate, which served as the head of the UOC-KP, Patriarch Filaret, and then subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where he venerated the most revered icons of the Mother of God. According to the Deputy Chairman of the Department for external Church relations of the Russian Orthodox Church Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, demonstrated by the President of Ukraine a choice in favor of not recognized by the international Orthodox-Kyiv Patriarchate is more important to him in person than to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. The head of the Synodal information Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, Vladimir Legoyda tried to convince not to turn Prince Vladimir the Baptizer of Ukraine ", as It belittles the role of the Prince, who has spearheaded the statehood of the whole of Russia And its value system.

sections: Politics