London’s top Ukrainian landmark turns 25

2013 marks the 25th anniversary since the statute of St Volodymyr was erected in London’s leafy Holland Park. The bronze monument on a marble pedestal was unveiled in 1988 to celebrate the millennium of Christianity introduced in Kyiv, capital of modern-day Ukraine, by St Volodymyr in the year 988. 

Over the past quarter of a century the statue has become recognised as the leading Ukrainian landmark in London. It continues to bring together Ukrainians and friends of Ukraine living in London. Most notably, during the Orange Revolution in 2004 the statue became the venue where hundreds of demonstrators gathered in support of freedom and democracy in Ukraine.

An ecumenical prayer service marking 1025 years of Christianity in Ukraine and 25 years since the erection of the statue in London was celebrated jointly by clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Catholic and Autocephalous Orthodox Churches on Saturday, June 8th.

The statue stands next to the Ukrainian Institute, which is affiliated to the Ukrainian Catholic University, a dynamic and distinctive institution of higher education and research in Ukraine.