6 February 2010, 22:58 | Religion and policy |  | 0 |   | Code for Blog |  | 

KYIV — On February 6, 2010, before the second round of presidential elections of Ukraine, the head of the UOC-MP, Metropolitan Volodymyr, conducted a prayer service before the beginning of every good deed at the Church of Exaltation of the Cross of the Kyiv Cave Monastery.

Before the Divine Service the archpastor addressed those present with a word of instruction:  
“On the eve of a very important event we have gathered here to pray for the welfare of our country. The Church always prays that everything should go calmly and well in the country, in the Church and on the land we live.  And we pray too that the Lord performed His will, blessed the One He pleases for the future hard cross bearing. 

Praying with the clergy was also the candidate for president Viktor Yanukovych, who visited the monastery together with his party members in order to bow unto its shrines and to ask God for help. After the prayer, Viktor Yanukovych answered the questions of the journalists. In answer to the question about how he feels as he completes his election campaign, Yanukovych said that the Ukrainian nation is inspired by the new election and that a new time will begin for Ukraine. According to the candidate, the “result of the election will be convincing and certain.” 

Following the prayer service the metropolitan and the leader of the Party of Regions bowed unto the wonderworking icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God.