The press-conference “Program of the Visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to Ukraine

On June 26 the Press-conference “Program of the visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Ukraine from July 27 to August 5” took place at UNIAN.

Taking part in the conference were Archbishop Metrophanes (Yurchyk) of Bila Tserkva and Bohuslav – Administrator of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Head of the Synodal Commission of the UOC on Preparation of the Visit, Archimandrite Kirill (Hovorun) – Chair of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC; archpriest George Kovalenko – Press-secretary for the Primate of the UOC, head of the Press-Service of the Visit.

The visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will take place on July 27 – August 5, 2009. Apart from Kyiv, His Holiness the Patriarch will visit the Crimea, and East and West Ukraine. He is to perform festive liturgical services in all the three Lavras of Ukraine (the Kyiv-Pechersk, Svyatogorsk and Pochayv Lavras), in Chersonese in the place of the baptism of the Holy Prince Vladimir.

The visit will begin on July, 27 at 10:00 a.m. by the prayer service at St. Vladimir’s Hill. The same day at 17:00 the Patriarch is to celebrate the All-Night Vigils at the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, and on the day of the church commemoration of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, July 28 at 9:00 a.m. – the Divine Liturgy in the square in front of the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk. Let’s note that previous year that day was declared the state holiday – the day of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus.

It is symbolic that at the Holy Dormition Lavra of Svyatogorsk His Holiness the Patriarch will perform worship on the day of commemoration of the local shrine – The Icon of the Mother of God of Svyatogorsk – July, 30, and at the Holy Dormition Pochayiv Lavra – on the 450th anniversary of bringing the Wonderworking icon of the Mother of God of Pochayiv – August, 5. The divine service at Chersonese is to be celebrated on August, 2, commemoration of the Holy Prophet of God Elias.

In Kyiv Patriarch Kirill is to visit the Convent of St. Florus and Laurus, the Holy Protection Convent and the construction site of the Cathedral of the UOC. He also will meet with the students of the Kyiv Theological Schools and the Ukrainian intellectuals.

In Donbass he is going to visit the newly-built Cathedral of Transfiguration of the Savior in Donetsk and the Monastery of St. Basil in the village of Mykilske, Donetsk region.

In the Crimea he will visit the Convent of the Holy Trinity in Simferopol, where he is to bow unto the relics of the Holy Hierarch Luke, the Unmercenary Doctor, and the construction site of the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Simferopol, where he is to bless the crosses for the domes.

In the West of Ukraine the regions of Rivne and Volyn are to receive the Patriarch. There His Holiness Kirill is to visit the Holy Trinity Convent of Korets, the Convent of St. Nicholas of Horodok, the Holy Dormition Svyatogorsk Convent of Zimne, the cities of Rivne, Lutsk and Volodymyr-Volynskyi.

The changes in the program of visit are possible in favor of additional events.

With the purpose of provision of the mass-media with information concerning the stay of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia the Press-Service and the Press-Center of the Visit are created. The Press-Center starts its work on July 1, 2009, block 70а of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Contact phone – 8 (044) 255 12 49. E-mail – vizit2009@gmail.com

Accreditation of the mass-media for highlighting the events with participation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill will continue two -from July 10 to June 24, 2009. One can get the information on the order of accreditation at the Press-Center of the Visit, on the official site of the UOC orthodox.org.ua , as well as at the official site of the visit patriarh.in.ua

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