Photo: NTV

Today the Presidents of Russia and the Ukraine Vladimir Putin and Leonid Kuchma visited the ruins of the ancient Chersonese on the outskirts of Sevastopol. The ceremony of the consecration of the Vladimir Cathedral that is being reconstructed took place there. It had been erected at the end of the XIX century at the place of the Grand Kiev Prince Vladimir's christening, but had been badly damaged during the World War II. After the Divine Liturgy a gilt cross was placed on the main dome of the Cathedral.

The consecration was performed by Mitropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan) of Kiev and all the Ukraine, the head of the only canonical Orthodox Church in the Ukraine, connected with Moscow Patriarchate.

Addressing the people being present at the ceremony, Vladimir Putin said that "kindness, mercy and love are the spiritual roots that closely connect the Ukranian and Russian peoples". "These very roots are the basis of the Ukraine and Russia union, and our common strength is in this very union", - he emphasized.

The President of Russia mentioned that the consecration of the Cathedral in honour of the Grand Prince Vladimir " is an important event". These very events, in Putin's opinion, give every reason to think that the countries and the peoples enter into a new phase - into a period of creation, restoration and construction in the full sense of the world. "We often hear the stock phrases about the brotherhood of the Ukranian and Russian peoples, - Vladimir Putin said. - When we witness such events, - everything is put in its own place".

According to Leonid Kuchma's words, the consecration "of St.Vladimir Cathedral in Sevastopol is one of the most important events in the history of Orthodox Church, it exceeds the limits of a single country and applies to all Orthodox peoples.

Kuchma reminded that according to the legend, the Great Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich had been christened at this very place. "There is no force that can ruin Christian aspirations and ideals, spirituality and morals, the heritage of our ancestors",- mentioned the President of the Ukraine.

After the consecration service had been completed, the leaders of two countries got acquainted with the process of archaeological excavations at the place of the ancient Hellenic town Chersonese. Putin and Kuchma also saw the famous Chersonese bell that had been put on the bold shore of the Black Sea. This bell had been cast in Taganrog in 1778 from the Turkish cannons. Chersonese is considered to be the cradle of Russian Orthodoxy. According to the legend, the Christian communities had been founded here by the Christ's first disciple, Apostle Andrew. The names of many Christian preachers are connected with this land. During the excavations of the town there were dug out the ruins of more than 70 churches. It is considered that equal to apostols brothers Cyril and Methodius had found in Chersonese a Psalter written in Slavonic, and with its help they had created the Cyrillic Alphabet.