His Holiness Patriarch Kirill Visited Volodymyr-Volynskyi

On August 4, 2009 His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, making archpastoral and pilgrimage trip across the dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, arrived to Volodymyr-Volynskyi.

In front of the Cathedral of the Holy Dormition His Holiness the Patriarch was met by His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kyiv and All Ukraine, ruling diocesan bishop Nicodemus of Volodymyr-Volynskyi and Kovel, other hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, clergymen of the dioceses of Volyn, Volodymyr-Volynskyi, Lviv, Rivne, Dnipropetrovsk and other dioceses, clergymen from Belarus.

Among the representatives of the authorities who met the Primate of the Russian orthodox Church in Volodymyr-Volynskyi were head of administration of the Volyn region N.Ya.Romanyuk, head of the regional Council A.P.Hrytsiuk, mayor of Volodymyr-Volynskyi P.D.Saganyuk, General Council of Russia in Lviv E.F. Huseev.

Thousands of residents of the land of Volyn and pilgrims gathered around the church to greet the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill.

Together with His Holiness came the archpastors, accompanying Patriarch Kirill in his tour of Ukraine: Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchy Archbishop Varsonofy of Saransk and Mordova, Chair of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Head of Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchy Bishop Sergy of Solnechnogorsk.

At the entrance to the Cathedral His Holiness was offered bread and salt, the children greeted the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church by verses in Russian and Ukrainian.
Having entered the church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia bowed unto its shrines, among which there is the cross of the XIV century, the copy of the Mother of God Pochayiv, the icon of the Holy and Equal-to-the-apostles Prince Vladimir with a particle of his relics and a small reliquary with the relics of the Hieromartyr Thaddeus (Uspensky), Archbishop of Tver, who started his archpastoral ministry at the cathedra of Volodymyr-Volynskyi.

At the church porch Bishop Nicodemus of Volodymyr-Volynskyi and Kovel addressed His Holiness the Patriarch. Having told how deep were the roots of orthodoxy in the lands of Volodymyr-Volynskyi, and having told of the history of the Dormition church, he underscored that both the faithful and clergy of these frontier lands were strong in faith and faithful to orthodoxy. Vladyka Nicodemus presented the Icon of the Synaxis of Saints Who Shone Forth in the Lands of Volyn.
His Holiness the Patriarch greeted His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr, ruling bishops, clergymen of the diocese and faithful, and addressed them with a word of greeting.
In particular, His Holiness remarked, that looking on the Cathedral of Dormition in Volodymyr-Volynskyi he recalled the Cathedral of the Holy Dormition in Vladimir-on-Kliazma: both of them were founded by Prince Vladimir and once belonged to one and the same state.

“Today these are two different states and the Orthodox Church respects this choice of the people. The Orthodox Church is the mother of all nations and nationalities and serves God in simplicity, Love and humility”, noted the Patriarch.
The primate of the Russian Orthodox Church concluded his sermon with the following words: “May the Holy and Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir keeps Ukraine in peace and well-being”.

The Patriarch made a present of the Icon of the Savior to the Cathedral of Dormition of Volodymyr-Volynskyi.

His Holiness asked the clergymen to distribute the icons of the Holy and Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, Baptizer of Rus among all those present, with the patriarchal blessing. I shall be very happy if each of you will keep this small icon as a souvenir of our joint prayer, as a keepsake of what we have prayed and spoken today”, said His Holiness. “May the Holy Baptizer of Rus protect all of us through his prayers, may St. Vladimir save Ukraine in peace, unanimity and well-being. Many good years to you!”

The clergymen, and then all those present in the square chanted “Many years” to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.
“Your Holiness! Again and again we thank Lord and You that you came here and blessed us with Your archpastoral blessing”, underscored bishop Nicodemus of Volodymyr-Volynskyi and Kovel. Having reminded that next year the 850th anniversary of the Cathedral of the Holy Dormition, he said “All faithful of our diocese of Volodymyr-Volynskyi, its clergy invite Your Holiness and Your Beatitude to attend this celebration, which will take place on May 10, 2010. We invite You to share with us this great and important jubilee!”

His Holiness PatriarchKirill approached the people who came to the Cathedral this day to greet their Patriarch, and blessed them. Many faithful exclaimed Our Patriarch is Kirill”.

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