15 July, Ukraine celebrates four major holidays at once
15 July 2024 11:13
Today, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Statehood, the Day of Ukrainian Peacekeepers, the 1036th anniversary of the Baptism of Ukraine-Rus and the Day of Remembrance of the Holy and Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Day of Remembrance of the Holy and Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr
On 15 July, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine commemorates the Holy and Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr of Kyiv, who baptised Kyivan Rus.
Previously, this holiday was celebrated on 28 July, but after the OCU switched to the new calendar, the date of the holiday changed.
This holiday is of particular significance to Ukrainians, as Prince Volodymyr baptised Kyivan Rus in 988, which was a turning point in the history of Ukraine. Volodymyr the Great was an outstanding statesman, reformer and military leader. He united the East Slavic tribes under his rule, strengthened the international authority of Kyivan Rus and carried out a number of important reforms aimed at developing the economy, culture and education.
The baptism of Kyivan Rus was one of the most important decisions of Prince Volodymyr.
This holiday is a great holiday for Christians, so on this day you cannot do physical labour. You should not swear, quarrel, curse or wish evil on others. You should also not overeat or drink alcohol.
Day of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus
Orthodox Christians celebrate the Day of the Baptism of Kievan Rus in honour of the founding of Christianity in the country by Prince Vladimir the Great.
The Day of the Baptism of Rus is celebrated annually on 28 July according to the old Julian calendar or 15 July according to the new style. It is on this day that the Orthodox world honours the memory of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince of Kyiv, Volodymyr Sviatoslavovych. He is known to have not only converted to Christianity himself, but also contributed to it becoming the state religion of Kievan Rus.
In 988, Volodymyr was baptised in Chersonesos, where he built the Church of St Basil, the name Volodymyr was given at his baptism. Returning to Kyiv, the prince also baptised his sons and subjects, and then destroyed all pagan idols and altars.
Historical records show that Kyivans came down to the Dnipro River to be baptised on the site of the modern Poshtova Square in Kyiv.
The holiday was established in 2008 by a decree of President Viktor Yushchenko.
On this day, the churches of the OCU and the UGCC hold solemn services dedicated to the Holy and Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr. Believers pray to him, asking for protection, healing and spiritual blessing.
In peacetime, the celebration was accompanied by a religious procession and a prayer service at the monument to Vladimir the Great on Volodymyr’s Hill in Kyiv.
On the Day of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus-Ukraine, the church calls on believers to refrain from foul language, quarrels, insults and evil wishes. It is recommended to dedicate this day to prayer, good deeds and reflections on spiritual values.
Day of Ukrainian Statehood
On 5 February 2018, an initiative group consisting of Hero of Ukraine Levko Lukyanenko, Presidents of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko, and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy proposed to celebrate the Day of Ukrainian Statehood at the state level for the first time, First Vice Prime Minister Stepan Kubiv, editor-in-chief of the Verkhovna Rada newspaper Holos Ukrainy Anatoliy Horlov, academics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk and Oleksandr Sviatotskyi, professor Volodymyr Serhiichuk, and public figures Bohdan Morklianyk and Yuriy Balaniuk.
The Statehood Day was established by a decree of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 24 August 2021, signed during the celebrations of the thirtieth anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.
This holiday is intended to emphasise the connection between the baptism of Rus-Ukraine and the formation of Ukrainian statehood. Prince Volodymyr the Great, by adopting Christianity, not only strengthened the international authority of Rus’, but also laid the foundations of the legal system and state structure that became the basis for the development of Ukrainian statehood.
Day of Ukrainian Peacekeepers
In 1992, the UN Secretary-General appealed to the Ukrainian leadership to send a military contingent to the UN forces in the conflict zones in the former Yugoslavia.
on 3 July 1992, the Verkhovna Rada signed a law allowing the Armed Forces to participate in peacekeeping missions.
The first place where peacekeepers from Ukraine were sent was the former Yugoslavia. Back in 1992, a Ukrainian battalion was formed in just three weeks.
Ukrainian peacekeepers have performed combat missions in the countries of the former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eastern Slavonia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia), on the African continent (Angola, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, South Sudan, Darfur), in the Middle East and the Caucasus (South Lebanon, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Iraq, Georgia) and many other regions of the world. 58 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine laid down their lives while performing tasks to maintain peace and security.
After the outbreak of full-scale war, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree on the return of all peacekeepers. At that time, 308 Ukrainian citizens, including 250 military personnel and 22 police officers, were involved in UN operations outside the country.
