(“Credo”). — In the main Catholic church — St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican — there is an altar of St. Erasmus. It is decorated with mosaic images of St. Prince Volodymyr, St. Princess Olga and the symbol of Ukrainian statehood (the image of the Ukrainian coat of arms — the Trident). The altar is located behind the statue of St. Peter and is a special place where the sacrament of confession takes place. Access for public viewing is provided with appropriate consent.
The mosaic images of Volodymyr the Great and Princess Olga were made by Vatican masters at the expense of the Ukrainian community and personally by Bishop Vasyl Losten, Bishop of the Stamford Diocese of the UGCC. They have been in St. Peter’s Basilica since 1989. The grand opening of the mosaics, during which they were personally consecrated by Pope Saint John Paul II, was dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus’-Ukraine.
The mosaics have become one of the symbols of the Ukrainian people’s belonging to the great Christian family. For Ukrainians, this altar represents a piece of Ukraine in the greatest Basilica in the world – St. Peter’s Cathedral, the heart of the Universal Church.
