“Christianization was a momentous historical act that led Kyivan Rus’ to the new civilizational level,” the President said.

“It is hard to overestimate the influence of Christianity on public morality and legal consciousness of our ancestors,” the Head of State noted in the course of his speech at the Solemn academy on the occasion of the 1025^th anniversary of Christianization of Kyivan Rus’.

“Ukrainian spiritual culture has always demonstrated and continues to demonstrate tolerance in respect of other cultures and religions as well as initiated an important, mutually enriching and unceasing cultural dialogue with the world,” Viktor Yanukovych emphasized.

“Common features in cultures of many European peoples demonstrate European Christian identity and allow saying that Ukrainians are the part of it,” the President stressed.

According to the President, understanding of European civilization is incomplete without Ukrainian icon, Ukrainian church-temple architecture, Ukrainian choirs and Ukrainian monasticism.

In the photo: Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych

26.07.2013