Holiday of Holidays

This year the end of August saw many significant events both in secular and church lives. After the celebration of the tenth anniversary of independent Ukraine fell, one of the holidays most honored by Orthodox and Greek Catholics, the Assumption of the Holy Virgin. There are many churches in Ukraine dedicated to this holiday, starting with the Assumption Cathedral at the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves (Pecherska Lavra). This year Assumption is celebrated with special splendor, since it is 950th anniversary of founding the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves by the great Orthodox Saints Anthony and Feodosiy. But this is not all: relics (the head) of the Apostle Andrew especially honored by the Orthodox world arrived in Kyiv (in photo). According to apocryphal legend, as early as in the first century AD, soon after death and resurrection of Christ, the Apostle Andrew foresaw the founding of Kyiv and baptism of the peoples of Kyiv Rus’.

Though we have many ancient Christian, spiritually significant holidays in our calendar, still there is no peace and harmony in our society. The branches of dissenting Orthodoxy could not be united by the great anniversary or relics of St. Andrew. Everybody celebrates by himself, in his own corner. Representatives of the executive power and parliament visit churches, trying not to offend or neglect anybody. Instead of praying at solemn liturgy at the grand cathedral of a united independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Representatives of other Christian confessions were not invited at the celebration in the Lavra, an all-Ukrainian object of venencration, despite the fact that when the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves was founded the Christian community was still united, which makes it the historic legacy of all Ukrainians. Meanwhile, in the mass media and even in churches one can hear the sounds of well-known mutual inter-Orthodox recriminations and quarrels. Even on great holidays. It seems that even if Son of God himself came to the Ukrainian land today, He would not be able to stop the hostility among Christians, especially between Ukraine’s Orthodox.