Patriarch Bartholomew: «Prince Vladimir and Saint Olga are present in spirit and prayer, sharing our joy and pleasure»

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew emphasized that Constantinople “gathered and embraced them as their genuine mother—the same Church that once led them to Christian baptism—rather than as their stepmother”. He added that Constantinople had always “served the wishes and interests of its children”.

“Your Beatitude, dear brother, on this magnificent and historical day, at the Sacred Center of Orthodoxy, standing and celebrating with us are Prince Vladimir and Saint Olga, along with all the saintly descendants of the illustrious Ukrainian land, as well as all the advocates and supporters of Your self-evident rights, of the Ukrainian people, and of justice in general, but also of human rights and particularly religious freedom for all people and nations. All of these are present in spirit and prayer, sharing our joy and pleasure,” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew stressed in the ceremony of signing the Tomos of Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukrainel. The solemn ceremony took place today in the Patriarchal Church of St. George in Istanbul.