This film documents a series of events held in Rome in early July 1988 in celebration of the Millennium of Christianity in Ukraine. It was made by the Ukrainian Video Archives Society (UVAS) and is credited to them. The film is in colour with sound, and is in Ukrainian. It is a final edited version. The film begins with the UVAS logo overlaid with the sound of bell chimes, followed by the Ukrainian version of the logo - UVAT. Next, we hear choral music over a still of a painting depicting...

This film documents a series of events held in Rome in early July 1988 in celebration of the Millennium of Christianity in Ukraine. It was made by the Ukrainian Video Archives Society (UVAS) and is credited to them. The film is in colour with sound, and is in Ukrainian. It is a final edited version. The film begins with the UVAS logo overlaid with the sound of bell chimes, followed by the Ukrainian version of the logo - UVAT. Next, we hear choral music over a still of a painting depicting the baptism of Ukraine on the banks of the Dnipro river in 988 (artist unidentified). A voiceover by Wolodymyr Demtschuk gives the general historic context for the millennium celebrations which is followed by a still of the millennium logo. The film is divided into sections, each of which covers a day or event. Each section of the film has a banner that pops up at the bottom of the screen giving the date, time and location of the events in Ukrainian and Italian. The voiceover continues through the film giving context and commentary for the events. Each event is shown through edited highlights. The viewing notes below provide a guide with timings. Thus 4 July - Columbus Hotel, press conference venue. Fri 5 July - St Maria Maggiore - external and internal views. A sung liturgy is celebrated by Pavlo Luniw from Halifax, with a sermon by Bishop Robert [Moskal] from the USA. Footage of various personalities of significance to the diaspora is captured during communion (15 mins) and includes Yaroslava Stestko of the Anti-Bolshevik Bloc of Nations (ABN); Peter Sevarin head of the World Congress of Free Ukrainians (WCFW, now World Congress of Ukrainians - WCU). The Canadian choir of St Dmitry conducted by Myron Maksymiv sing during communion. 16 mins - the service ends and there is a procession of the Patriarch and bishops onto the square outside the church. 19 mins - Basilica of St Clement [Pope] - molebyn (short liturgy) held at 4pm. The choice of the venue is significant because of St Clement's influence over Ukrainian church. Service features a choir of nuns. Poor lighting inside the church makes for difficult viewing. Sat 10 July - Youth Day. Includes a church service and a concert. 9am - Molebyn (short liturgy) attended by Pope John Paul II. Lots of footage of the crowds assembled outside St Sofia via Bocce. Includes a sermon by the Patriarch and the Pope in Ukrainian (29 mins). Pavlo Hunka conducts a choir which sings mnohaya lita (Many Years) at the end of the molebyn. Brass band (Trembita from Montreal, Canada) and Millennium Jubilee choir sing the Patriarchal hymn. The concert starts at 36 mins 56 secs - highlights of all the acts. Ends with Patriarchal hymn. 49 mins - footage of a market selling millennium merchandise. 50 mins - lecture by a priest in one of the lecture theatres at the seminary but no information or voiceover to explain or provide context. 51 mins - requiem mass for Cardinal Josef Slipiy in the crypt at St Sofia. His body entombed in a glass case. 55 mins - molebyn at St Peter's with Trembita orchestra from Canada and footage of CYM members marching. 58 mins - black screen for 1 mins but voiceover continues. 59 mins - performance by the choir of St Barbara's Church Vienna, Austria. 1 hr 2 mins - outdoor candlelit night-time liturgy. More than 10,000 people attended. Sunday 10 July - culmination of celebrations at St Peter's. Footage begins by shows coaches and people arriving - over 13,000 people attended. 1 hr 9 mins - black screen but voiceover continues. This will be the first Ukrainian liturgy performed by a Pope (John Paul II). Pavlo Hunka sings the gospel. The Pope gives a sermon at 1 hr 20 mins, communion follows at 1 hr 25 mins. Myroslaw Buczo from Nottingham conducts the choir. Notable moments from include footage of Josef Terena, a former political prisoner at 1 hr 26 mins and Oksana Seropucz from Bolton receiving her first holy communion at 1 hr 26 mins. The film goes black after this for a few minutes before returning at 1 hr 30 mins. 1 hr 29 mins mnohaya lita is sung but no visuals. 1 hr 30 mins 6pm Jubilee concert in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican. 1 hr 32 mins unveiling of the statute of Volodymyr the Great by the sculptor; choirs perform and are conducted by Myroslav Antonovycz, Jaroslaw Babuniak, Vika Congradska (footage of all of them at 1 hr 33 mins). Orlyk dance ensemble perform dances to the choirs in four different regional costumes, performers are children, women and men; 1 hr 36 mins Kataryna Bidna and Petro Martiniuk present a gift to the Pope and are given a blessing; 1 hr 28 mins the Pope speaks; 1 hr 39 mins all the jubilee choirs sing mnohaya lita (Many Years) together; 1 hr 40 mins Pope has a photo with the performers. 1 hr 41 mins, Monday 11 July 9.30am liturgy at St Pauls Basilica; 1 hr 35 mins Byzantine Choir of Utrecht sing conducted by Myroslaw Antonovycz; 1 hr 45 min Josef Teren ex political prisoner speaks about the significance of the millennium in Ukraine (Wolodymyr Demtschuk is one of the interviewers); 1 hr 50 mins concert of Ukrainian spiritual music. Voiceover comments that the church (St Andrew della Valle) is badly lit. Includes the mixed millennium choir from Canada conducted by Yuri Tkaczuk, Ukrainian choir from Warsaw conducted by Jaroslaw Polansky, Byzantine Choir from Utrecht as previously, Vesnivka female choir from Toronto, Canada, conducted by Kvitka Kondracka, 1 hr 52 mins solo by Pavlo Hunka conducted by Stepan Hunka; 1 hr 53 mins footage from IV CYM World Zlet, including an exhibition curated by Maria Finiw of folk art and memorabilia at Domo Paschich (with commentary) followed by highlights of events at the zlet including seminars, lectures, sport etc. 1 hr 55 mins Footage of the Major Seminary which housed the press office for the millennium and footage of Sonia Dara and Iryna Myroslava who staffed it. Tuesday 12 July 1 hr 55 mins Black screen but voiceover gives date and overview of another service at St Peter's Basilica and names conductors, possibly followed by the mass for Josef Slipiy - around 1 hr 58 mins. The film ends with stills of saints Volodymyr and Olha with bells chiming and choral music, and a montage of various highlights including views of St Sofia, Papal procession, performances etc. Ends 2 hrs 2 mins 2 secs with UVAS / UVAT logos.