--- title: "Triple celebration on July 15: Day of Statehood, commemoration of Prince Vladimir, and the 1038th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus" description: "πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ July 15 is a triple celebration: Day of Ukrainian Statehood, commemoration of Prince Vladimir, and the 1038th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus! πŸ™ Metropolitan Epiphanius led the solemn liturgy at St. Volodymyr's Cathedral. #Ukraine #BaptismOfRus #DayOfStatehood" date: 2026-07-15T08:04:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/triple-celebration-july-15-day-of-statehood-commemoration-of-prince-vladimir-and-1038th-anniversary-of-the-baptism-of-rus tags: [ukraine, vladimir, kreshchenie-rusi, den-gosudarstvennosti, epifaniy] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Triple celebration on July 15: Day of Statehood, commemoration of Prince Vladimir, and the 1038th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus ![Golden domes of an Orthodox church against a clear sky β€” symbol of the Baptism of Rus and the July 15 holiday](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/15/troynoy-prazdnik-15-iyulya-den-gosudarstvennosti-pamyat-knyazya-vladimira-i-1038-letie-kreshcheniya-rusi/troynoy-prazdnik-15-iyulya-den-gosudarstvennosti-pamyat-knyazya-vladimira-i-1038-letie-kreshcheniya-rusi-1.webp) On July 15, Ukraine commemorates not one, but three significant events: the Day of Ukrainian Statehood, the memory of Prince Vladimir the Equal-to-the-Apostles, and the 1038th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus. This day unites the historical, spiritual, and state memory of the people, reminding us of the roots of Ukrainian civilization. ### A triple celebration in the 2026 calendar According to the official calendar of holidays in Ukraine for 2026, July 15 is the date when three important events coincide. The first is a state holiday, celebrated annually as the Day of Ukrainian Statehood. The second is the church commemoration of Saint Prince Vladimir the Equal-to-the-Apostles, who bore the name Basil after his baptism. The third is a jubilee date: 1038 years since the Baptism of Rus, which became a turning point in the history of the Ukrainian people. ### St. Volodymyr's Cathedral: a symbol of faith and statehood It was in honor of Prince Vladimir that the majestic St. Volodymyr's Cathedral was built in Kyiv. The construction of the temple was completed in 1882, and the interior decoration was finished only in 1896. The consecration of the cathedral was planned for July 15, 1896 β€” on the day of the commemoration of the saint prince, but the ceremony was postponed to August 20 due to the expected arrival of the Russian Emperor. ### Divine Liturgy on the day of commemoration of Prince Vladimir This year, on July 15, a solemn Divine Liturgy took place at St. Volodymyr's Cathedral in Kyiv. It was led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius, who addressed the Ukrainian people with congratulations on the occasion of the 1038th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus and the Day of Ukrainian Statehood. ### Words of Metropolitan Epiphanius "I sincerely congratulate you on the 1038th anniversary of the Baptism of Ukraine-Rus β€” an event that forever determined the spiritual, cultural, and civilizational path of our people, as well as on the Day of Ukrainian Statehood," said the Metropolitan. He emphasized that the choice of Prince Vladimir was not only a personal act of faith but also a fateful decision for the entire state. "By accepting the Holy Baptism, the Kyiv Princely State, ancient Ukraine-Rus, entered the family of Christian peoples of Europe, affirming its belonging to a community based on Gospel values, human dignity, and freedom," explained the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). ### The significance of the holiday in wartime conditions Metropolitan Epiphanius noted that today, when Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult trials in its history β€” the horror of war β€” the significance of Prince Vladimir's choice is realized in a special way. "Defending our land from Russian aggression, we are simultaneously finally freeing ourselves from imperial shackles, as well as restoring historical justice, returning the due place to those figures who created our state, our culture, and our spiritual tradition," he stated. According to the Metropolitan, a special place among these figures belongs to Saint Prince Vladimir β€” the baptizer of Ukraine-Rus and a statesman. "May the memory of the Baptism of Ukraine-Rus inspire us to cherish our faith, our state, and our history," he emphasized. "God's blessing to all of us and to our Motherland-Ukraine," concluded Metropolitan Epiphanius. ### Sources of information In preparing the material, data was used from the calendar of official holidays of Ukraine for 2026, the Orthodox Church New Julian calendar for 2026, publications of the press service of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and the official YouTube channel of the OCU.