She defied convention, embraced Christianity when her people still clung to pagan gods, and opened Kyivan Rus to the world through diplomacy with Byzantium. More than a thousand years later, Saint Princess Olha of Kyiv remains one of history’s most remarkable rulers – and this week, her story will be told to an international audience.
On Saturday, Aug. 23, at 6 p.m. Kyiv time, Ukrainian language school Language Lab will host a free online lecture via Zoom, conducted in English, to uncover the life and legacy of Princess Olha. Participants will explore how her faith, vision, and diplomacy shaped the trajectory of Kyivan Rus and left an imprint still visible today in churches and traditions across Ukraine.
Canonized as a saint and honored with the rare title of “Equal to the Apostles,” Olha’s memory lives on in Kyiv’s grand St. Olha Cathedral, in Lviv’s historic parishes, and in village churches from Chernivtsi to Ivano-Frankivsk.
The lecture promises to bring together history, faith, and culture, offering audiences worldwide a chance to reflect on why Olha’s story continues to resonate more than a millennium after her reign.
Event details:
- When: Saturday, Aug. 23, at 6 p.m. (Kyiv time)
- Where: Online via Zoom (link after registration)
- Language: English
- Fee: Free (registration required)
- Lecturer: Language Lab’s Kateryna Voloshyna, a philologist, art critic, and sociologist of culture.
Click here to register.