Ukraine's 1,000-year struggle for freedom - From Prince Volodymyr to modern day
Day of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus - Ukraine (painting by Petro Andrusiv / wikipedia.org)
On July 15, Ukraine honors two dates that shape our national identity: the Day of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus-Ukraine and the Day of Ukrainian Statehood.
Beginning: Choosing civilization for Rus in 988
The baptism of Kyivan Rus by Prince Volodymyr the Great in 988 became a point of no return. By choosing Christianity in the Byzantine tradition, Rus made a clear civilizational choice toward Europe, education, culture, and law. This choice was not just a religious act, but the foundation of our statehood, legal culture, and moral code.
With the adoption of Christianity, an era of formal state development, diplomatic relations, the advancement of literacy, the formation of a legal system ("Ruska Pravda"), and the unification of peoples around shared values began. Christianity also gave impetus to the development of education, writing, architecture, and philosophy.
The combination of Christian ethics with Ukrainian traditions created a unique worldview that defines national identity to this day. Orthodoxy became a spiritual foundation for Ukrainian culture, military strength, and educational institutions.
From Rus to modern Ukraine
The roots of Ukrainian statehood lie in Rus. The center of this medieval state was Kyiv, the political and spiritual capital then, as it is now. From there originates our coat of arms, the trident, our currency, the hryvnia, and the mentality of independence, which is the most important.
The traditions of Rus were continued by the Kingdom of Ruthenia, the Hetmanate, the Ukrainian People's Republic (UNR), the West Ukrainian People's Republic (ZUNR), Carpathian Ukraine, the underground Ukrainian Supreme Liberation Council (UHVR), and independent Ukraine since 1991. These historical forms were different, but they shared one goal, which was the desire of Ukrainians to live in their own, independent state.
Baptism of Rus-Ukraine: History of the holiday
The holiday was established by a decree of President Viktor Yushchenko in 2008, on the occasion of the 1020th anniversary of the baptism of Rus. As stated in the document, it was introduced to recognize the importance of Orthodox traditions in the development of Ukrainian society, at the initiative of Ukrainian churches and the public.
The date chosen was July 28, on the day of commemoration of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr. But in 2023, due to the transition of the OCU and UGCC to the New Julian calendar, the date was moved to July 15. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the corresponding decree.
Day of Ukrainian Statehood as a logical continuation of history
On August 24, 2021, Independence Day, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a new holiday, the Day of Ukrainian Statehood. It was also decided to celebrate it on July 15, the day of remembrance of Prince Volodymyr. He is a symbol of state-building: not only the baptizer, but also a unifier, reformer, and creator of a strong, centralized Rus.
This holiday is a response to manipulations claiming that Ukraine is a "young state." We did not appear in 1991. We are the heirs of Rus, the creators of the trident, and the founders of our own legal and spiritual space more than a thousand years ago.
Role of Kyiv as a capital: Continuity of the state center
Kyiv is not just a capital. It is the city where statehood began. In the 9th century, it became the center of Rus. After the baptism, it became the spiritual core of Orthodoxy. Here worked Metropolitan Hilarion, princes, chroniclers, and philosophers. And it is in Kyiv that on July 15, 2025, Metropolitan Epiphanius will lead a solemn liturgy in the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
In 1917, the Ukrainian Revolution began in Kyiv. In 1919, the Act of Unification was solemnly proclaimed here. In 1990, the human chain of Unity was formed here. In 2022, Kyiv became a symbol of resistance to Russian aggression, proof that the heart of Ukraine beats strongly and freely.
How the trident, hryvnia, and flag became symbols of Ukrainian statehood
The trident is not just the state emblem of Ukraine. It is a thousand-year-old symbol connecting us with Kyivan Rus. During the reign of Prince Volodymyr the Great, the trident was a personal sign of power, depicted on coins, seals, rings, and weapons. Modified versions of the trident, bidents, and tridents with additional elements accompanied Volodymyr's descendants until the 13th century.
The origins of the Ukrainian flag's colors trace back to the Kingdom of Ruthenia in the 13th century. Coats of arms combining blue and yellow (gold)—a lion on a blue field—have been known since the Battle of Grunwald in 1410. In the 19th century, during the Spring of Nations in 1848, these colors became the national symbol of Ukrainians in Galicia.
The word "hryvnia" comes from the Old Slavic "hryva" (neck). Originally, it was a necklace, which later became a unit of weight, silver ingots in rhombus shapes, used in exchange. From the 8th to the 13th century, the hryvnia became a widespread form of currency in Rus. In 1918, the Central Rada introduced the hryvnia as the currency of the Ukrainian People's Republic.
After the destruction of statehood, the hryvnia disappeared for decades, but returned with independence. In 1996, the hryvnia became the official currency of Ukraine. Its banknotes depict princes of Kyivan Rus.
Previously, we wrote about Constitution Day, which Ukraine recently celebrated. The Constitution is not just a document, but the result of a complex historical struggle for Ukrainian statehood.
Sources: the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, the official website of the President of Ukraine, and announcements by the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
