Catholic Culture: Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the dedication of a 52-ft. high statue of St. Vladimir near the Kremlin.
Vladimir the Great, who ruled as grand prince of Kiev from 980 to 1015, converted to Christianity in 988 and is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches.
“His epoch was full of achievements, and the baptism of Rus’ was of course the most important,” Putin said on November 4. “This choice was the common spiritual source for the peoples of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, and laid the foundations of our moral standards and value priorities which continue to define our lives to this day.” Links here.
