Head of the OCU talks about this year's celebration of the Day of the Baptism of Rus under quarantine

This was announced by Metropolitan Epifaniy, as reported on the OCU Facebook page.

The head of the OCU has explained that according to the established restrictions on holding mass religious events, the Church will be unable to hold a procession, and there will be no traditional pilgrimage of believers to Kyiv.

Celebrations in the churches of the OCU will be held at the eparchial and parish levels in compliance with the quarantine provisions regarding the social distance of at least 1.5 m, with no more than one person in the church per 5 square meters of the area of the premises, use of protective equipment (masks, sanitizers).

A festive All-Night Vigil will be held in Kyiv on July 27 in the St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral, and on the morning of July 28 - the Divine Liturgy and a prayer service near the monument to Prince Volodymyr.

“Despite all the forced restrictions, I wish Ukrainians coherence and unity, I wish that all of us, despite the distance, be united by the love of God and neighbor, of the native Church and the Ukrainian people,” said Metropolitan Epifaniy.

He noted that the baptism near the waters of the Dnieper River in 988 by Prince Volodymyr the Great and the further spread of Christianity in the lands of his state “clearly affirm the historical fact that the cradle of the baptism of Rus was the city of Kyiv," the second Jerusalem", which from the onset became the center of East Slavic culture and education.”

We will add that the UOC-MP also decided not to organize this year's traditional procession on the occasion of the baptism of Kyivan Rus.