What happened on the banks of the Dnieper can be considered the starting point of both Russian history and culture, which is based on evangelical values and ideals, and the entire spiritual life of our people, said Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’. today, addressing the believers gathered at the monument to the Baptist of Rus’.
So that the right words do not sound stereotyped, the patriarch suggested thinking about how, with immersion in the baptismal font, in the Dnieper font, the true spiritual revival of all our great people began.
He recalled that it was with the beginning of the Christianization of Rus that disparate and diverse tribes “gathered together.”
“What is this powerful creative force that was able to unite people who until recently were deadly at enmity with each other? What kind of energy is this that was able to form a single nation out of disparate tribes?” the patriarch asked the audience. . The name of this force is love.”
“Only love gives the ability to create and create, and fill human life with lasting meaning,” he stressed.
“It is impossible to build something valuable and real on hatred, enmity, opposition to each other,” recalled the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
“It was love for God and neighbor that prompted Prince Vladimir to make a spiritual decision and a resolute decision to bring the Orthodox faith to his fellow tribesmen,” he noted.
“And if there were no this binding force, there would be no Orthodox faith, long ago there would be no unturned stone from Rus, only scattered warring tribes full of mutual hatred,” the patriarch concluded.
