On July 28 Russia and other countries where the majority of the population espouses Eastern Orthodox Christianity mark the millennium since the passing away of St. Duke Vladimir, the medieval rule who brought Orthodox Christianity of Kievan Rus and baptized its people. Festivities in Moscow were centered around the Cathedral of the Savior where a festive liturgy brought together representatives of all the fifteen national Orthodox Churches — Constantinople, Alexandrian, Antioch, Jerusalem, Georgian, Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Cyprian, Hellenic, Albanian, the Church of the Czech and Slovak lands, the Orthodox Church in America, and the Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan.
Day of Baptism of Kievan Rus marked by Orthodox christians
On July 28 Orthodox christians marked 1000th anniversary of the death of Great Prince Vladimir, who was the first Christian ruler in the Kievan Rus and baptized the region
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Orthodox believers mark the 1027th anniversary of Kievan Rus Christianization on 28 July. Photo: The Divine Liturgy at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral to mark the 1000th anniversary of Grand Prince Vladimir's death
© TASS/Mikhail Metzel The Grand Prince of Kiev, Vladimir the Great, also known as St. Vladimir, Vladimir the Baptizer of Rus was the first Christian ruler in the Kievan Rus who christianized the region
© TASS/Mikhail Metzel Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia serving the Divine Liturgy at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral
© TASS/Mikhail Metzel Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia and Russia's President Vladimir Putin visiting the renovated Church of St. Vladimir in the Old Gardens
© Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS Russia's President Vladimir Putin in the renovated Church of St. Vladimir in the Old Gardens
© Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS Believers at religious service marking the the 1000th anniversary of the death of Great Prince Vladimir in the St. Volodymyr Cathedral in Kiev, Ukraine
© AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov Celebrations marking the 1027th anniversary of the Christianization of Kievan Rus and 1000th anniversary of Grand Prince Vladimir's death in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra
© TASS/Maxim Pab Believers in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra
© TASS/Maxim Pab Ukrainian nuns and believers waiting for a prayer service marking the the1000th anniversary of the death of Great Prince Vladimir at St. Vladimirs Hill in Kiev, Ukraine
© EPA/ROMAN PILIPEY Priests from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow participating in a prayer service at St. Vladimirs Hill in Kiev
© EPA/ROMAN PILIPEY Ukrainian nuns with believers at a march marking the1000th anniversary of the death of Great Prince Vladimir at St. Vladimirs Hill in Kiev
© EPA/ROMAN PILIPEY Priests from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate marching at St. Vladimirs Hill in Kiev
© EPA/ROMAN PILIPEY