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Bells to toll across the nations hailing Rus’ conversion to Christianity

Kievan Rus’ adopted Christianity in 988

© ITAR-TASS/Vladimir Smirnov

MOSCOW, July 27. /TASS/. Bells will toll from far eastern Kamchatka, their peals rolling west across Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and onward into Europe on Tuesday to mark the day in 988 when Kievan Rus’ adopted Christianity.

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The chimes will be heard for the first time this year, too, as Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the United States and the Baltics join the commemoration - churches sending out a wave of sound at noon local time along the celebration route.

"The bells will unite thousands of churches, beginning local time in Kamchatka," organiser and initiative founder Vladimir Rudnitsky told TASS.

This Ukrainian citizen launched the festival in Kiev some years ago. His concept gathered momentum across cities and nation states and has been blessed by the Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus' Kirill and Metropolitan of Kiev Onufry.

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