St. Vladimir of Kyiv

Patron Saint of Ukrainian People

St. Vladimir of Kyiv was born into a royal family and eventually became Grand Prince of Kyiv in 980. During the beginning of his reign, there was much political turmoil stemming from disputes within his family about who should inherit his father’s throne. He began his rule as a pagan, but in 989, he converted to Christianity and spent the next twenty-five years of his reign working to bring Christianity to his people as well as to neighboring kingdoms. Today, he is the patron saint of the Ukrainian people.