Moscow Patriarch Blesses Yanukovych for Presidency

KYIV – Ukraine's next president Viktor Yanukovich has received a blessing for presidency from the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, at the Kyiv Cave Monastery ahead of the official inauguration ceremony. "May God bless you in your accession to power," the Russian Patriarch told the president-elect. RISU's Ukrainian-language web site posted this story on 25 February, 2010.

Ukraine's president-elect took part in a solemn prayer, which was held in the morning at Kyiv Cave Monastery.

Patriarch Kirill stressed the importance of the unity of the Ukrainian nation on the basis of the common spiritual basis and the unity of the eastern Slavonic civilization. He wished the Ukrainian nation peace and wellbeing and quoted words from the Prayer for Ukraine in Ukrainian: "The great and only God, guard Rus-Ukraine."

Patriarch Kirill said that serving people requires enormous spiritual and physical strength. "Today we are praying to the Lord and Savior and the saints ... that they could together with you in the time of your responsible service to Ukraine," said the patriarch.

No activists of the nationalistic organizations, who planned to hold a protest rally, were to be seen near the monastery.  No provocations or other protest rallies have been staged.

The entrance to the Kyiv Cave Monastery is being guarded by a significant number of policemen.