Solemn laying of symbolic capsule

Dear friends!

Our today’s release is about the solemn laying of a symbolic capsule dedicated to the beginning of the reconstruction of Dormition Cathedral.

On Saturday, November 21, 1998, the day of St. Michael the Archangel, the main cross was erected on the dome of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral in Kyiv. That same day, a symbolic capsule and the first brick were laid to mark the beginning of works on the reconstruction of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Dormition Cathedral.

The President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma took part in the solemn ceremony. In his speech he underlined symbolic character of the event that also meant a new stage of practical implementation of the program of revival of historical monuments. He stressed the importance of the revival of such symbolic notions as faith, national history and spirit, and added that the return of those life principles “was not the waste of money”. L. Kuchma also said that with the revival of historical monuments “broken connection of times and generations” started being restored as well. This thesis was supported by the then Mayor of Kyiv Oleksandr Omelchenko, who was present at the ceremony. He said that the revival of Dormition Cathedral was an extremely difficult and thorny task that required not only physical reconstruction of the Great Church, but also its return to human souls. There “people could repent errors and terrible crimes” they had made on that sacred land.

The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Volodymyr (Sabodan), blessed the consecration of the capsule and the first brick that were laid to mark the beginning of the reconstruction of the Great Pechersk Church.

In the next release of “Memories of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” photo project we will continue the story about the reconstruction of Dormition Cathedral.

Captions to the illustrations:
1. Last minute preparations
2-3. Honorable guests are coming
4-5. Finally, Cross procession appeared
6. Everything is ready for the ceremony
7-8. Representatives of the clergy
09. Welcoming speech of Kyiv Mayor Oleksandr Omelchenko
10. Memorable capsule
11-14. President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma lays down the commemorative capsule and seals it together with the honored guests
15. Heartwarming communication between the leaders of the State and the Church