Within the framework of the celebration of the Day of Baptism of the Kyivan Rus, on 28 July, in the Kyiv Cave Monastery, UOC-MP proclaimed Prince Volodymyr the Great to be the patron saint of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the web site of UOC-MP, the Church was asked to proclaim the patron of the Armed Forces by believing military men and personally, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
For this purpose, with the blessing of Metropolitan Volodymyr, a large icon of Prince Volodymyr was painted in the monastery and consecrated by the primate.
The events were attended by First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, O. Oliinyk, Deputy Director of the Department of Social and Humanitarian Policy of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, O. Smirnov, representatives of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and believing military men.
It is planned to conduct an All-Ukrainian military Christian procession with the icon and relics of the prince to visit military garrisons and units of Ukraine in September-December, 2012 with the consent of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.