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UGCC head calls on faithful to celebrate baptism of Rus’ and ‘to reconcile with brothers in faith’

22.07.2011, 15:29
UGCC head calls on faithful to celebrate baptism of Rus’ and ‘to reconcile with brothers in faith’ - фото 1
Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) in an address on the occasion of the St. Volodymyr’s Day and renewing baptismal vows called on the clergy, monks, and faithful of the church to take part in solemn services on July 28.

exklusiv.gifShevchuk_introniz.jpgPatriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) in an address on the occasion of the St. Volodymyr’s Day and renewing baptismal vows called on the clergy, monks, and faithful of the church to take part in solemn services on July 28.

 “With these liturgical acts we want to above all thank God for ‘the great gift of baptism’ (Blessed John Paul II), that our ancestors a thousand years ago were given and pay tribute to many generations of our compatriots, who throughout the Christian history of our people saved in their hearts the holy faith and passed it down to us, their descendants,” said the primate.

By renewing our baptismal vows, said the church head, “we want to express to our Creator and Savior that we want to publicly acknowledge our faith, defend it, and live it in our personal, family, professional, and public lives.” It should be a “solemn manifestation of our fidelity to the union with God, which we entered through baptism.”

Also, the patriarch called on the faithful and clergy of the church “to persistently seek ways of reconciliation and union with our brothers in faith.” “Through our fervent prayer, sincere openness to dialogue, willingness to forgiveness and reconciliation we have to fulfill Christ’s commandment ‘That all of them may be one” (John17:21),’” added the primate.

“Unfortunately, the once one Kyiv Metropolitanate, born from St. Volodymyr’s baptism, is today divided, and its children, which belong to the four traditional Ukrainian Churches (the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Ukrainian, the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate, and the Autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church), often carry in their hearts the bitter residue of painful events that occured in history, of the injustices suffered, deep prejudices, and mistrust,” writes the Patriarch Sviatoslav.

2011, according to the primate of the church, is the first year of preparation for the 1025th anniversary of the baptism of Rus’-Ukraine, and, according to the decision of the Synod of Bishops, it is dedicated to God’s Word. Therefore, the patriarch drew attention to what is needed “to make God’s Word accessible to all our fellow citizens by spreading the sacred texts of our people. Our country, which is rightly called Christian, should not be a house where there is no Bible.”