How the baptism of Russia took place. The baptism of Russia by prince vladimir as a phenomenon of ancient Russian history

Baptism in Russia is a phrase by which modern historical science implies the introduction of Christian doctrine in the territory of the fatherland as a state religion. This significant event took place at the end of the 10th century under the leadership of the Grand Duke Vladimir.

Historical sources give conflicting information about the exact date of the adoption of Christianity with a difference of two to three years. Traditionally, the event is dated to 988 and is considered the beginning of the formation of the Russian Church.

Baptism of Rus in 988

The emergence of Christianity in Russia

Some historians argue that the Christian religion penetrated the territory of Russia long before baptism. According to them, there is incontrovertible evidence of the advent of religion even under the Kiev prince Askold. Patriarch of Constantinople sent an archbishop to create a church structure here, but the full-fledged establishment of Christianity in our ancient fatherland was prevented by intense clashes between the followers of the Savior and the pagans.

The orientation of Kiev towards the Eastern Christian world was determined by ties with the magnificent and wisely governed Constantinople, as well as cooperation with the Slavic tribes of Central Europe and the Balkan Peninsula. Russian princes had a wide choice in the list of religions, and those states that glorified their own church, gazed at the wealth of their homelands.

On a note! Princess Olga was the first Russian ruler to undergo the Baptismal ritual.

The circumstances and dates of this event remain hidden. The most popular version tells about her official visit to Constantinople, where the princess got acquainted with the rituals of the Eastern Christian Church and decided to establish herself in the faith. At baptism, the Grand Duchess received Greek name Elena. She sought equality between Byzantium and Russia.

Formation of the Church in Russia

Our Slavic state had a peculiar flavor, so the faith of Christ in our homeland acquired a special characteristic. The light of Russian Orthodoxy, refracted through the prism of the people's property, has become a significant phenomenon of the entire Christian teaching. The specificity was developed in the process of maturation of the state and the cultural growth of national thought. Holy Russia eventually acquired the fame of the center of the Eastern Christian direction of the Universal Church.

The spread of Christianity nurtured in the souls of the Slavs a sense of the Lord's nearness

The pagan life of the Russian Slavs was based on mother nature. The peasants were completely dependent on the cultivated land and the raging elements. The rejection of paganism for the people meant that the existence of the former idols was put under colossal doubt. However, the pagan faith was rather primitive in structure and failed to penetrate to the very depths of the national consciousness. Therefore, the replacement of Perun with the prophet Elijah was painless, but not fully realized.

In Russia, more attention was paid to the splendor of rituals than to the true essence of Christianity.... The positive aspects of paganism include the fact that it nurtured in the souls of the Slavs a sense of the closeness of the Lord, who is present everywhere and in everything. The basis of national sanctity was formed by the devoid of passion and emotional outbursts knowledge of the descent of Christ.

The Kiev people were distinguished by their belligerence and unreasonable cruelty towards their enemies, but having adopted Orthodoxy, they brought ethical aspects of the Gospel into the traditions. Unlike the Western states, which considered Jesus the leader of the righteous army, Russia accepted the Savior as a "Merciful".

However, Christian morality did not fully reign in the popular consciousness, pagan customs still existed and operated, giving rise to the problem of dual faith. This aspect of Russian history remains in the minds of the people to this day.

Interesting! The first spiritual heroes and great martyrs of the war of cruel idolatry and full of love and mercy Christianity in Russia were the sons of Vladimir - Boris and Gleb.

The struggle for the inheritance of Prince Vladimir gave rise to kindred hatred. Svyatopolk decided to forcibly eliminate his rival brothers. Boris refused to respond to aggression with aggression, which provoked the departure from this prince of his squad, who considered the manifestation of love a weakness. The servants wept over the body and praised the name of Christ, and soon the killers reached young Gleb.

Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb

Spreading knowledge about religion

The Kiev throne passed into the possession of Yaroslav the Wise, who was also the son of Vladimir. The new prince strove to educate the Russian people and strengthen the Christian faith. Yaroslav had great authority at home and in European states, he wanted to raise the status of Russia to the level of brilliant Byzantium.

The educational mission was extremely important for the young culture of the Russian people... Knowing that the country could become morally isolated and run wild if it continued to stay far from spiritual centers, Yaroslav the Wise established relations with states that had a rich experience of religiosity.

Religious culture in Russia

Soon after baptism, a structure of church metropolises was created, headed by a bishop sent from Constantinople. In the most large cities Rus organized a bishopric.

For a whole century, the spiritual life of Rus was under the command of the Greek metropolises. This fact played a positive role, because it excluded competition between church structures within the state. However, in 1051 Yaroslav made the famous Russian thinker and writer Hilarion metropolitan. This eminent pastor, in his essays, noted the religious upsurge in the heart of the population.

In the traditional annals, one could see the desire to realize what was happening through an appeal to past events. The authors of these literary monuments glorified not only great ascetics, but also took an interest in the biographies of pagan princes.

The annals were based on historical documentation, oral traditions and national folklore. The authors used direct speech, as well as proverbs and peculiar sayings. In the XII century, a monk named Nestor collected all the chronicles into one whole and entitled it "The Tale of Bygone Years." This book is the main source for finding information on the history of Ancient Rus.

The author of the "Tale of Bygone Years" saw Russia from a great height

In the rapidly expanding monastic complexes, there was an increase in scientists, architects, writers and icon painters. Professionals came from Byzantium and shared their knowledge with the Russian people. Domestic craftsmen soon independently built churches, decorated the walls, amazing their Constantinople teachers.

Yaroslav, having decided to exalt the capital, built a magnificent temple in honor of St. Sophia and the Golden Gate in Kiev. These works of art were created by Russian masters who reinterpreted the Byzantine tradition in their own way.

On a note! The first celebration of Epiphany in Russia took place in 1888. The events, the idea of ​​which belonged to K. Pobedonostsev, were held in Kiev. Before the celebrations, the foundation was laid for the Vladimir Cathedral.

The adoption of Christianity in Russia is an important step that radically changed the internal way of life and the moral side of the life of our fatherland. The church vision allowed the people to unite around one God and receive knowledge of His power. Wise rulers saw baptism as an opportunity to improve the state of the state, to learn how to create beautiful temples and icons.

A documentary about the baptism of Rus

The baptism of Rus' or the adoption of the Christian religion of the Greek sense by Rus (the Russian people) took place during the reign of Kievan Rus by the Grand Duke Vladimir I Svyatoslavich (Vladimir the Red Solnyshko, Vladimir Saint, Vladimir the Great, Vladimir the Baptist) (960-1015, reign in Kiev from 978)

After Olga's death, Svyatoslav put his eldest son, Yaropolk, in Kiev and votorgo, Oleg, with the Drevlyans, the youngest, Vladimir, was left without an appointment. Once the people of Novgorod came to Kiev to ask for nyaz and directly declared to Svyatoslav: "If none of you comes to us, we will find ourselves a prince on the side as well." Yaropolk and Oleg did not want to go to Novgorod. Then Dobrynya taught Novgorodians: “ask Vladimir”. Dobrynya was Vladimir's uncle, the brother of his mother, Malusha. She served as a housekeeper for the late Princess Olga. The Novgorodians said to the prince: "Give us Vladimir." Svyatoslav agreed. So there were three princes in Russia, and Svyatoslav went to Danube Bulgaria, where he died in battle with the Pechenegs. ( Karamzin. History of Russian Goverment)

The reasons for the baptism of Russia

• The desire of the Kiev princes to be equal to the European monarchs
• Striving to strengthen the state: one monarch - one faith
• Many noble Kievites were already Christians in the Byzantine image

  Archaeological data confirm the beginning of the spread of Christianity before the official act of the baptism of Rus. From the middle of the 10th century in the burials of the nobility, the first pectoral crosses... The princes Askold and Dir with the boyars and some of the people were baptized, since during the campaign against Constantinople they were frightened by the power of the Patriarch of Constantinople, who, according to legend, lowered the holy relics into the water, and most of the fleet immediately sank during a storm that rose in the same second

• Vladimir's desire to marry Princess Anna, sister of the Byzantine Emperors Vasily and Constantine
• Vladimir was captivated by the beauty of Byzantine temples and rituals
• Vladimir was. He cared little about the beliefs of the Russian people

  Until the middle of the 10th century, paganism prevailed in Russia. It was based on the idea of ​​the equivalence and eternity of opposite principles ("good" and "evil"). And the world was perceived by them on the basis of these paired concepts. A circle was considered a symbol of protection from evil forces. Hence the appearance of such adornments as wreaths, chains, rings

A Brief History of the Baptism of Rus

• 882 - Oleg the Varyag becomes a Kiev prince. Assumes the title "Great", unites the Slavic lands within the state
• 912-945 - the reign of Igor, the son of Rurik
• 945-969 - reign of Olga, Igor's widow. Strengthening the state, Adopted Christianity under the name of Elena
• 964-972 - The reign of Svyatoslav, the son of Igor and Olga, the continuation of the construction of the state of Kievan Rus
• 980-1015 - Reign of Vladimir Red Sun
• 980 - Religious reform, creation of the pantheon of the gods of Slavic paganism (Perun, Khors, Dazhdbog, Stribog, Semargl and Mokoshi)
• 987 - Boyar Council convened by Vladimir to discuss the adoption of a new faith
• 987 - Revolt of Barda Phocas the Younger against the Byzantine emperor Basil II
• 988 - Vladimir's campaign to the siege of Korsun (Chersonesos)
• 988 - Agreement between Vladimir and Vasily II on the provision of assistance in suppressing the uprising of Barda Foka and the marriage of Vladimir to Princess Anna
• 988 - The marriage of Vladimir, the baptism of Vladimir, the squad and the people (some historians indicate the year of baptism is 987)
• 989 - The Russian detachment defeated the army of Varda Foka. Capture and annexation of Chersonesos (Korsun) to Russia

The baptism of Rus was not always voluntary and the process of Christianization of the country stretched out for a long time. Many chronicles have preserved scant information about the forcible baptism of Russia. Novgorod actively resisted the introduction of Christianity: he was baptized in 990. In Rostov and Murom, resistance to the introduction of Christianity continued until the 12th century. Polotsk was baptized around 1000

Consequences of the baptism of Rus

• The baptism of Rus had a significant impact on the fate of Christianity: its split into Orthodoxy and Catholicism
• Baptism contributed to the adoption of Russians into the family of European peoples, the flourishing of culture in Kievan Rus
• Kievan Rus became a fully centralized state
• Russia, and then Russia, turned into one of the religious centers of the world along with Rome
• became the mainstay of power
• The Orthodox Church performed the functions uniting the people during the period of turmoil, fragmentation, the Mongol-Tatar yoke
• The Orthodox Church has become a symbol of the Russian people, its cementing power

The seemingly simple question of what year the baptism of Rus took place has a rather complicated answer. The reason is that the process of Christianization of the ancient Russian state was long and contradictory. Therefore, we propose to understand this issue in stages.

Reasons for being baptized by Russia

Before answering the question of in what year the baptism of Rus took place, let us find out the reasons for such a sharp change in the cultural orientation of ancient Russian society. The state of Kievan Rus was created from several large tribal unions of the Eastern Slavs who professed pagan cults. Each tribe had its own gods, and the rituals of worship also varied. When the question arose about the need to consolidate society, then, naturally, the idea arose of creating a single ideology on the basis of a successful monotheistic religion. The last fact connected with monotheism was also very important, since it formed the idea of ​​a single strong power of one prince over all, including over the intra-tribal elite. Among the neighbors of Russia, Byzantium stood out with a special power and wealth, with which Russia had close economic, cultural, and political ties. Therefore, Orthodox ideology, like no other, was suitable for state building.

Prince Vladimir

The main business of the life of Vladimir the First, who also influenced his nickname - Saint - was the baptism of Rus. The date and year of this event are controversial due to the fact that the conversion took place gradually. First, the prince and the squad were baptized, then the Kievites, and then the inhabitants of other regions of the huge state. The prince himself did not immediately come to the idea of ​​adopting a new religion. In the first years of his reign, an ardent pagan Vladimir tried to create a pantheon of gods that would be uniform for all tribes. But he did not take root, and he did not solve all state problems. Thinking about accepting the Byzantine religious cult, the prince nevertheless hesitated with this. The Russian ruler did not want to bow his head before the Emperor of Constantinople. It took a long time to prepare for the baptism of Rus. It is not clear how many years the negotiations took place specifically. But during the period from 980 to 988, the Byzantine ambassadors also visited Kiev (by the way, they were not alone: ​​Catholics, representatives of the Khazar Kaganate, Muslims also came), and Russian ambassadors visited several countries, choosing a liturgical cult, and negotiations were held on the marriage of the Byzantine princess Anna with the Kiev ruler. Finally, the patience of the Russian prince ran out, and he took decisive measures to speed up the process.

Capture of Chersonesos

Both Kievan Rus and Byzantium invested a political component in the fact of adopting Christianity according to the Orthodox model. The Byzantine emperors needed a strong army of the Kiev prince as an allied one, and Vladimir wanted to maintain independence and independence. Receiving help from the Russian prince against the uprising of Barda Phocas by the emperor was provided on the condition of the latter's dynastic marriage with a representative of the imperial family. The Byzantine princess was supposed to marry Vladimir. But making a promise is easier than keeping it. Therefore, Basil II - the Byzantine emperor - was in no hurry to send Anna to the Slavic lands. Vladimir, having collected an army, went to the Byzantine colony in the Crimea - Chersonesos. After a long siege, he managed to capture the city. Threatening the continuation of hostilities, he demanded that the Byzantine ruler fulfill his promises. Anna was sent to Crimea, but on condition that Vladimir was baptized. The tale of bygone years indicates the time of these events - 988. The baptism of Rus had not yet been carried out in the full sense of the word. The ceremony was accepted only by the prince and a small part of his squad.

Baptism of the Kievites

Returning to the capital as a Christian, with a new wife, Vladimir continued to make efforts to introduce a new Christian ideology. The first step was to destroy the pagan pantheon of gods. The statue of Perun was thrown into the waters of the Dnieper, having previously endured abuse and ridicule. The chronicler testifies that the townspeople wept and wept for Perun, but could not do anything. Having baptized the closest aides from the boyars, his many children, ex-wives and concubines, Vladimir took up the citizens. All Kievites, young and old, were driven to the river bank and literally driven into its waters. Addressing his subjects, Vladimir said that all who oppose baptism also oppose the will of the prince. And from now on they will be his personal enemies. In fear, sobbing and lamentations, with the blessings of the Byzantine priests, this grandiose rite of baptism was performed from the shore. Researchers argue about the year in which the baptism of Rus took place in general and the people of Kiev in particular. Most historians are inclined to believe that these are the events of 988-990.

Methods of conversion of the Slavs

It is difficult to imagine that someone can sincerely believe that, having emerged from the waters of Pochayna (a tributary of the Dnieper, where the mass baptism took place), the people immediately became Christian. The process of daring away from old, customary norms of behavior and pagan rituals was quite difficult. Temples were built, sermons were read in them, conversations were conducted. Missionaries made great efforts to break the pagan worldview. To what extent this happened is also a controversial issue. Many people still argue that Russian Orthodoxy is a dual faith, a kind of synthesis of Christian and pagan ideas about the world. The further from Kiev, the stronger were the pagan foundations. And in those places it was necessary to act even harder. Those sent to carry out the baptism ceremony in Novgorod faced resistance from local residents, including armed ones. The prince's army suppressed the discontent by baptizing Novgorod with "fire and sword". It is possible to perform the ceremony by force, but how to put new ideas into the minds of people? This is not a matter of one, or even ten years. For several centuries, the Magi called on the people to oppose the new religion, and raised uprisings against the princes. And they found a response among the population.

The official date of the baptism of Rus

Recognizing the fact that it is impossible to precisely name the year of the baptism of Rus, Orthodox Church and the state nevertheless sought to establish an official date for this important event. For the first time, the celebration of the baptism of Rus was held at the suggestion of the head of the Synod, K. Pobedonostsev. In 1888, the 900th anniversary of the Christianization of Rus was solemnly celebrated in Kiev. And although it is historically correct to consider 988 as the time of baptism of only the prince and his associates, it was this date that marked the beginning of the whole process. In all history textbooks, a clear answer is given to the question of in what year the baptism of Rus took place - in 988 from the birth of Christ. Contemporaries went further by establishing the exact date of the baptism. July 28 was previously celebrated as the day of remembrance of St. Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles. Now on this day solemn events dedicated to baptism are officially held.

In this article, we provide historical facts Baptism of Rus by Prince Vladimir from Vladislav Petrushko's lecture on the history of the Russian Church.

Baptism of Russia by Prince Vladimir - facts: how did Orthodoxy come to Russia?

After the victory over Yaropolk, Vladimir began to reign in Kiev. And again, as once under Oleg the Mesh, paganism triumphs over Christianity. True, not for long: its days are numbered, it has outlived its usefulness. But in its death throes, paganism is strongly activated. And not without the decisive influence of Vladimir himself, who came to power precisely as the leader of a pagan party. As the chronicler says, never before has there been such a "vile idolatry" on the Russian land as at the beginning of Vladimir's reign.

However, it must be said that Vladimir, as a man of great intelligence, remarkable intuition and deep religiosity, understood that paganism in its former forms was already untenable. Like the Roman emperor-zealous paganism - Julian the Apostate - he makes an attempt to reform polytheism. Having united the Russian tribes under his sovereign rule, Vladimir realized the need for religious unity. Vladimir understood that it was impossible to create this unity on anything other than religion. You can, of course, try to unite everyone by violence, but such a power will exist only a short time... Vladimir understood this perfectly. Therefore, he tried to achieve unity in a different way.

Until now, various tribes inhabiting Russia have worshiped their local gods. The Varangians revered some, the Slavs of others, the Finns had a third. True, they often borrowed cults from each other. But there was no uniformity in pagan beliefs in Russia. Vladimir ordered to bring together all the pagan gods and created a common pagan pantheon - a kind of "Russian Olympus". As the chronicler says, in Kiev he put the idols of Khors, Dazh-god, Stribog, Simargl and Mokosha on the temple. All this, henceforth, “one”, was headed by the Perun family, the god of thunder and fire, recognized as supreme. Moreover, it was a deity that most likely had a Balto-Varangian, and not a Slavic origin. The reform of paganism was carried out around 983. But very soon it turned out that this reform was absolutely untenable. These gods did not have any authority to force people to recognize, along with the deities familiar to their tribe, and some new ones. In addition, this case, probably, had its own mystical side: the artificially assembled "gods" could not coexist side by side - after all, the devils also hate each other.

Yet paganism fiercely resists on the eve of its disappearance. Under Vladimir pagan gods hitherto almost unknown in Russia human sacrifices are performed. So, for example, after Vladimir's victorious campaign against the Yatvingians in 983, Theodore and John, two Christian Varangians, father and son, were killed, who became the first martyrs of the faith in Russia, whose names we know. They wanted to sacrifice their son to the pagan gods. The father, of course, did not allow this, and as a result, they were both killed. The paganism of Vladimir and his entourage bore such a fierce character. But the blood of the martyrs, as it has always been in the history of the Church, only brought the victory of Christianity closer. In 983, Vladimir still brought human sacrifices, and five years later he converted to Christianity.

It was the deepest revolution in the soul of the prince. From the abyss of hell, he managed to ascend to God. This is the holiness of the Equal-to-the-Apostles prince, who realized that abyss of lack of spirituality into which paganism plunges, and who managed to find a way out of this abyss, not only turning to the true God, but also bringing his entire people with him. To understand all the greatness of the feat of the holy prince Vladimir, you need to evaluate what he was like before baptism. He was essentially a fratricide, made human sacrifices. Drunken orgies are the usual pastime of the prince and his retinue. In addition, it is known how depraved his disposition was. He did not disdain to marry the Polotsk princess Rogneda, whose father he killed in front of her. Likewise, the wife of the murdered brother Yaropolk ended up in the harem of a depraved pagan. In a word, Vladimir before his baptism was just as cruel and scary person like all pagans.

About the pagan religion of the Slavs, in which Vladimir was brought up, we know, in particular, from the memoirs of Arab travelers who were in Russia. One of them, Ibn Fadlan, described the funeral of a noble Rus, which he observed somewhere in the Volga region. These pagan funerals were accompanied by hideous and vile ceremonies. Together with the deceased Rus, a dead horse, some objects and things were put into the grave. Together with him, his wife was forcibly sent to the afterlife. She was killed in the most savage way, having previously been raped in a ritual manner. Then everything was burned on the burial ship. Moreover, Ibn Fadlan reports that at the same time such heinous ceremonies took place that he, a Muslim Arab, cannot describe them. From this testimony alone, it is clear that paganism is a very terrible thing and far from being as romantic as many are trying to present today in different kinds popular publications. The pagan cult is a terrible, satanic in its essence phenomenon, even if we are talking about a much more civilized Hellenic paganism. It is no coincidence that idols have always been considered the dwelling place of demons, and after the baptism of the people, they always tried to destroy them. The terrible reality of serving demons always stands behind any paganism. And today, when some people are trying to revive paganism, it turns out in the most tragic way. It all begins with the Kupala round dances, and ends with the most overt Satanism with ritual fornication and human sacrifice, which, alas, is already encountered today.

Prince Vladimir was exactly the same before his baptism. The future baptist of Russia, at the time of his paganism, truly knew the depths of Satan. But something happened in his soul like that, which once was with Olga. Undoubtedly, it was a deep inner rebirth. When Vladimir saw that nothing was coming out of his reformed paganism, this obviously became for him not only a political, but also a personal spiritual and moral problem. Undoubtedly, Vladimir's doubts about paganism arose not only due to the fact that religious unity could not be achieved.

Paganism could not satisfy the prince. The extremes of pagan immorality probably reinforced the impression of a spiritual impasse. This is felt in the words of Vladimir himself, spoken by him after his baptism. They are led by St. Nestor the Chronicler: "like a beast byah, do a lot of evil in abominations live, like cattle, nago." Not only and not so much political calculation guided the prince in choosing a faith, as Marxist historians usually imagined. Personal spiritual search, of course, played a key role in the refusal of the Kiev prince from paganism. He was a religious nature seeking truth. And this was the main thing that made Vladimir look for a new faith for himself and his people.

The prince hardly experienced any satisfaction from the death of the Varangians Theodore and John. Perhaps this tragedy hastened his personal religious crisis, as happened to Olga in due time after her bloody revenge on the Drevlyans. In addition, Vladimir saw the life of the nearby Christian community. At the same time, there were also representatives of other religions. Judaism still existed on the ruins of the defeated Khazaria: Jewish merchants were not uncommon in Kiev. Muslims also lived near the borders of Rus: the Muslim Bulgarian state already existed on the Volga. Latin Christianity was already spreading nearby in the West. And therefore, the annalistic news of the dispute held at the court of Vladimir on the choice of faith has undoubtedly a historical basis. Although some historians for some reason tend to consider it a late tradition. However, in reality, the story of the Tale of Bygone Years about the choice of faith does not look implausible at all. Similar disputes at the courts of medieval rulers often took place. Suffice it to recall at least the dispute at the court of the Khazar Kagan, in which St. Constantine-Cyril. Similar disputes are known at the courts of European sovereigns. Why not arrange such a dispute at the court of the sovereign of Kievan Rus?

Ambassadors began to visit Vladimir. One of the first were the Jews. During a conversation with them, Vladimir, according to the testimony of the chronicler, asked where their homeland was. They answered him: “We have no homeland. For our sins, God scattered us. ” It was, of course, about the scattering of Jews from Palestine and their spread throughout the world. Vladimir answered the Jews that he did not want to accept the faith, which then leads to the loss of the fatherland. Moreover, the prince's answer had a double subtext: he could mean not only the fate of Israel, but also the fate of the Khazars, who lost themselves after their elite adopted Judaism. Vladimir also talked with Muslims, who obviously came from Volga Bulgaria. It is significant here that in his religious search the prince has already reached the understanding of monotheism. However, he is still childishly naive, wishing to find an easy way to God. Thus, Islam seduces the initially voluptuous prince with the possibility of polygamy and the promise of a dubious “paradise” in which the faithful are supposedly enjoying abundant benefits in the society of the Hurias. However, as the chronicler says, another passion temporarily prevailed: upon learning that the Koran prohibits the use of wine, Vladimir utters the historical phrase: "Russia is joyful piti."

Interestingly, Vladimir's conversation with Western Christians was much shorter. Obviously, Vladimir was repulsed by the already fully formed ideology of papism with the demand for vassal subordination to the Roman high priest as the earthly ruler of the Christian world. Vladimir answered the papal envoys that his ancestors did not accept the Latin faith. It would seem that it is not a completely logical statement when it comes to choosing a new faith. However, Vladimir probably remembers how, under Olga, the Latin bishop Adalbert came to Russia on a mission, whom the Kievites soon expelled with indignation. There is some information about the unsuccessful negotiations with the Latins, which took place under Yaropolk. For Prince Vladimir, obviously, the rejection of the wise Olga from Western Christianity and the acceptance of baptism from Orthodox Greeks meant a lot.

At the same time, Vladimir was in no hurry to choose his faith. The most interesting moment in the story of St. Nestor is a conversation between the prince and a philosopher monk who came from Byzantium. This missionary, unknown to us by name, showed Vladimir the icon of the Last Judgment, and thereby clearly demonstrated to him the Christian eschatology and the posthumous fate of sinners and righteous. It can be assumed that this episode is the most lively and truthful in the story of the choice of faith. Because the icon is a testimony of the Incarnate God, “speculation in paints”. We have before us an interesting historical example of how the icon was used for preaching purposes. This is a purely Orthodox argument from an artistic image - an icon. In general, it is very typical for the Orthodox culture of Ancient Rus that Russians perceived Orthodoxy more at the level of an artistic image. In the Middle Ages, Russia knew few outstanding theologians, but created the greatest icon painting. Prince Vladimir received a strong emotional impression from the sermon of the Greek monk and from the icon, favorable, unlike other religions. But it was still far from the final choice. The prince strove to make it deliberately and carefully.

Then Vladimir sent ambassadors to different countries, and these ambassadors confirmed his impression. The chronicle tells us about the stunned state of the ambassadors of Vladimir after the service in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Undoubtedly, this story is very true. Again we have before us an amazing example of the impact of church art on the souls of Russian people who are in a spiritual quest. It must be said that the Byzantines often used the beauty of divine services on such occasions. And the bringing of the ambassadors of Vladimir to serve in the temple of St. Sophia was not a special act on the part of the emperor. It was the usual way impress the barbarians. The Tale of Bygone Years tells how the Greeks tried to influence Oleg and his warriors in a similar way, who were even shown the greatest relics - evidence of the Passion of the Lord and holy relics. But then there was no success - Oleg did not differ in spiritual searches.
However, even after a positive response from the ambassadors, which coincided with the reaction of Vladimir himself to Orthodoxy, Vladimir is still in no hurry to be baptized. The reason for this now is most likely the complex political relationship between Russia and Byzantium. But this is, as it were, an external outline of events, behind which there is some kind of gigantic spiritual struggle for the soul of the prince himself, for the fate of his state. Therefore, the process of converting Vladimir was very difficult. The transformation of a wild barbarian who brought human sacrifices into a meek lamb, a saint, of course, required special circumstances, a special Providence of God. The events that eventually led to the baptism of Vladimir, and then of Russia, developed gradually.
The Byzantine emperors, fellow-rulers from the Macedonian dynasty Vasily II the Bolgar fighter and Constantine VIII, were going through a very difficult period. A mutiny broke out in the empire, forcing them to turn to Vladimir for military assistance. Vladimir was promised to marry the emperors' sister Anna. Of course, Prince Vladimir had to be baptized at the same time. He sent to the emperors an army of 6 thousand soldiers, which defeated the usurper Varda Foku, who threatened to overthrow the legitimate emperors from the throne. Vladimir, in exchange for military services, demanded the hand of the Byzantine princess. He was refused. Perhaps the bad reputation of the pagan prince, an immoral barbarian, played a role. But the most significant thing was that Vladimir, despite all his already fully formed striving for Christianity, had not yet been baptized by that time.

Why did Vladimir delay his baptism? Obviously, the prince had his own intent. Political considerations prevailed. Prince Vladimir was already internally quite ready to accept Orthodoxy, but from the point of view of the Byzantine theocratic idea, this would mean that Vladimir would recognize himself as a subject of the emperors, at least nominally, and introduce Russia into the political orbit of the Romei Empire. Vladimir clearly did not want this. A marriage with Anna made him equal with the emperors, made him equal to Porphyrogenites. But before marriage, you had to be baptized. The circle was closed.

Then Vladimir, with his delay in baptism, brings the situation to a stalemate and decides to act by force. He goes to war against the Greeks, now having an excuse for this: the emperors "deceived" him and did not give Anna to his wife. After a long siege, the prince takes possession of the Crimean outpost of Byzantium - Chersonesos. Vladimir demands Anna as his wife in exchange for the return of Chersonesos to Byzantium. The prince was clearly carried away by the political side of his religious affairs. Therefore, the intervention of the Providence of God was inevitable so that the crisis would be resolved, and political calculation would cease to dominate in the mind of the prince. Therefore, when Princess Anna had already arrived in Chersonesos, and Vladimir was triumphant, a miracle of enlightenment took place: Vladimir went blind. And he received his sight only when he was baptized. He received his sight physically and spiritually. And the work of his conversion was accomplished in the end not by human wisdom, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps that is why a completely different person came out of the font to the altar for the wedding with Anna, as we see St. Vladimir, who has not retained anything from his former pagan appearance.

During his baptism, St. Vladimir received the Christian name Basil, in memory of the great Archbishop of Caesarea of ​​Cappadocia. Probably, this happened not only because he was baptized in the Vasilievsky temple of Chersonesos, as the "Tale of Bygone Years" reports. In Byzantium, there was a custom: in the event of the baptism of an important person, the emperor or empress was often his successors from the font. In this case, the newly baptized received the name of the august persons. It is quite possible that despite the absence of Emperor Basil II of the Bulgarians at the baptism of Saint Vladimir, it was he who was considered the official godfather of the Kiev prince.

Nestor the Chronicler reports the following about the return of Vladimir from Chersonesos: “Volodimer, for this reason, sing the tsarina and Nastas (that is, the presbyter Anastasiy Korsunyanin, with the help of whom the prince took possession of the city - VP) and the priests of Korsun, with the relics of St. Clement and Thebes, his disciple. We'll get church loans and icons to bless ourselves. Set up a church in Korsun on a mountain, where you stealthily poured the hail into the environment. Even the churches are worth to this day. Taking the same ida copper two temples (that is, antique statues of pagan deities - V.P.) and four copper horses, like and now stand behind the Holy Mother of God (meaning the Church of the Tithes in Kiev - V.P.). It’s as ignorant to think that I am marbled. To give the vein to the Greek Korsun again to the queen sharing. And he himself will come to Kiev. "

It is interesting that we see again how much Saint Vladimir is not indifferent to art, although now we are talking about pagan sculpture. But, probably, the prince was gifted with a very delicate artistic flair. And he, yesterday's pagan who had just been baptized, is already able to abstract himself from the pagan basis of Hellenic art, seeing in the Korsun statues precisely artistic masterpieces, and not idols. Let us remember that the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine, having founded New Rome - Constantinople, brings masterpieces of ancient art to this new, Christian capital of the empire, at the same time decorating the city with numerous Christian churches. Vladimir's cultural outlook is striking. The hypocrisy often shown by neophytes is absolutely alien to him. He perceives the Orthodox Greek culture as a standard for Russia, even in combination with such subtle nuances as the attitude towards the ancient heritage.

The baptism of Rus was largely the merit of the prince of Kiev himself, who was completely transformed after his baptism. That is why the Church ranks Vladimir among the equal-to-the-apostles men. At the same time, one can compare the feat of Saint Vladimir with the activities of Charlemagne, who, relatively shortly before Prince Vladimir, created at the end of the 8th - beginning of the 9th centuries. v Western Europe, a huge empire. Charles also baptized many nations, and catholic church canonized. However, although Karl lived even before the schism of 1054, his veneration in our saints never took root. Most likely the reason for this is that he converted peoples to Christianity almost exclusively by force of arms. He fought bloody wars, not stopping at any cruelty in the conversion of the pagans.

In the apostolic deed of Saint Vladimir, we see something completely different. And when we read in the annals that in Novgorod the envoys of the Kiev prince used military force at baptism, that “Putyata baptized with fire, and Dobrynya with the sword,” then it is enough to compare this episode of the Christianization of Rus with what was done in Western Europe to understand: for In Russia, violence against Novgorodians is an exception, an absolutely atypical case, while for the Western Church such methods have been almost traditional for many centuries. Moreover, the rationale behind the resistance of Novgorodians to baptism was political. For to the traditional confrontation between the capital of the former - Novgorod - and the capital of the new - Kiev - there was added discontent with Vladimir, who, having conquered Kiev with the help of pagan Novgorodians, did not justify their hopes, did not return Novgorod to its former significance.

How was the Russian Church built up? Since the Kiev community of Christians during the years of pagan reaction most likely suffered great damage, it was necessary to start almost anew. The first step of Saint Vladimir was the baptism of the Kievites, which, as most researchers believe, took place in 988 or 989, shortly after Vladimir returned from a campaign against Chersonesos. This was probably not an easy task, since in order to baptize the people of Kiev, great preparation was needed. We do not know today exactly what the population of Kiev was under Vladimir. Still, it was the capital of a mighty principality - that is, its population was many thousands. To carry out the baptism in the shortest possible time, which was undertaken, it was required to do a lot. First of all, the people of Kiev needed at least elementary publicity.

Vladimir's relatives, that is, former wives, sons and others, his closest advisers and other people close to Vladimir, were probably baptized in the Church of St. Basil. This originally wooden church was one of the first to be built by the Equal-to-the-Apostles prince in Kiev. It was consecrated in the name of Saint Basil the Great, whose name Saint Vladimir received at his baptism. This temple was erected on the site of the former temple of Perun, which had recently been decorated with a new idol by the order of the prince. Now the idol was cast down and shamefully, with symbolic beatings, dragged to the banks of the Dnieper and lowered downstream. Moreover, the prince ordered to see off the pagan abomination up to the rapids, pushing the idol away from the shore with poles. It is clear that in the minds of the newly baptized prince, the idol was directly associated with the repository of demons.

The rest of the thousands, or most likely tens of thousands of people, were baptized in the waters of the Dnieper, or rather its branch - the Pochayna River, which now does not exist, but merged with the main Dnieper channel. Moreover, the author of “The Life of Blessed Volodymer” reports that “people go out with joy, rejoicing and saying: if it weren’t good, the prince and the bolyar didn’t have it”. When Vladimir himself was baptized, he was significantly prepared for this important step. He talked with philosophers and preachers. In addition, in Chersonesos, he had to go through the announcement. As for the people, there was hardly any serious preparation for baptism. In the conditions of that time, this was practically unrealistic. However, the people had to trust the choice of the prince, who spoke on his behalf. This was quite in the spirit of the semi-patriarchal character that the princely power still had in Russia. At least in Kiev, it was perceived in this way: the prince acted as a father big family... Hence the success of the Christian mission in the capital. There is no data on the protest of the Kievites.

In other lands, however, Christianization was probably not as rapid as in Kiev. But nevertheless, it should be admitted that Russia accepted the new faith rather calmly. Of course, the urban population was baptized first. V countryside paganism lasted longer, which, however, was a ubiquitous phenomenon, both in the Christian East and in the West. It is no coincidence that the Latin term “paganus”, that is, “pagan”, literally translates as “villager”.

It can be assumed that since Vladimir receives baptism from the Greeks, with the participation of the clergy of Chersonesus, whom he brought to Russia for its baptism, the initial stage of the Christianization of Russia was associated with the Church of Constantinople. Probably, a metropolitan or archbishop was sent from Constantinople to Russia soon after the events in Chersonesos. Although the diocese “Russia” had existed in the Church of Constantinople for about a century, most likely there was no bishop in Kiev during the years of pagan reaction. Who became the bishop under whom the baptism of Rus took place? Tradition mentions the name of St. Michael, the first Metropolitan of Kiev. Vladimirov's list of the Church Charter, made at the end of the 12th - beginning of the 13th century, calls Mikhail the Metropolitan, under which Vladimir baptized Russia. However, here it is said that St. Michael was sent to Russia. Patriarch Photius is an obvious anachronism. The hierarchy of St. Michael in Kiev most likely should be attributed to the time of the Fotiev baptism of Rus. Perhaps the obliteration of the memory of the baptism of Russia under Askold and Dir from the “Initial Russian Chronicle”, undertaken to please the new Rurik dynasty, also erased the reliable memory of the first bishop of Russia. At the same time, he was not completely forgotten, but attributed to a different era.

In addition, Metropolitan Leon (Leo) or Leonty is often referred to as the first Primate of the Russian Church. He is mentioned, in particular, by the "Chronicle of the Novgorod Lords" and the already mentioned list of the Church Rite of St. Vladimir. There are other assumptions about who headed the Russian Church in the early period of its history. Not so long ago, another hypothesis about who was the Metropolitan of Russia under St. Vladimir, was put forward by the Polish historian Andrzej Poppe. Based on a number of sources, Poppe came to the conclusion that the former Metropolitan of Sevastia Theophylact, a Greek native, was the Metropolitan of Russia under Vladimir. Poppe established that in Sevastia, an Armenian city located in the east of Asia Minor, almost on the threshold of the Caucasus, at the end of the 10th century, under Vasily II, there was a Russian detachment, as noted by sources. The local bishop - Theophylact, - who supported the emperor's policy, was expelled from the city by the rebels during the rebellion of Barda Phocas and fled west to Constantinople. According to Poppe, Theophylact, already familiar with the Russians from Sebastia, was sent to Kiev as a metropolitan after the baptism of Russia by St. Vladimir.

True, we do not know whether he reached the capital of Russia or whether this appointment remained a formality. Poppe's hypothesis has indirect confirmation in the mosaics and frescoes of the church of St. Sofia in Kiev. Here the Sebastian martyrs are depicted on the pillars and arches of the main dome of the cathedral church of the Metropolitans of All Russia. That is, they, as conceived by the founders of the temple, are, as it were, the foundation of the Russian Church. In addition, in the Sophia Cathedral there is another image of the 40 Martyrs of Sebastia in a separate fresco. Such attention to these saints is hardly accidental. And the veneration with which the Sebastian saints have always been surrounded in Russia may also testify to the special role of the Sebastian see in the history of the Russian Church. It is possible that it was Metropolitan Theophylact who helped the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir in the enlightenment of Rus at the very initial stage.

One might think that at the first stage, the biggest problem faced by the Equal-to-the-Apostles Baptist of Russia was the lack of clergy trained for missionary activity. Already for the baptism of the people of Kiev alone, a huge number of clergy were required. Apparently, Vladimir brought the first priests from Chersonesos. They were probably Slavs by origin or knowledgeable Slavic language Korsun Greeks, who actively communicated with the Slavic world. But there weren't too many of them. Kiev, and then other cities of Russia, demanded a significant number of priests. At the same time, it was not enough just to baptize people, they needed to be churched, to explain the foundations of the doctrine, the meaning of the sacraments, to teach how to pray, at least in the most elementary form, and to explain how a Christian should live. All this was not implemented in practice in full and not immediately. And, probably, it is precisely with this in the pre-Mongol period that the presence in our Church of very serious distortions in church life is connected. The people were baptized, but not everywhere on the ground after the baptism, their full-fledged churching took place. This process stretched in some places for centuries.

How did you manage to overcome the problem of the lack of trained clerics? It can be assumed, following Priselkov and Kartashev, that Saint Vladimir decided to rely in his apostolic endeavor on the experience of Bulgaria, which had adopted Christianity more than a century earlier than Rus. For a whole century that has passed after the baptism of Bulgaria under the same Saint Photius, a full-fledged Slavic Christian culture has already formed here. It was created by the disciples of the saints Equal to the Apostles Cyril and Methodius, the Slovenian Teachers. From Bulgaria, Russia could draw ready-made translations of liturgical books and patristic works. Here one could also find Slavic clergy, firstly, who spoke the same Slavic language, which was perfectly understood in Russia, and secondly, far from Hellenic disdain for “barbarians” and more suitable for missionary activity. In addition, one might think that his acquaintance with the Bulgarian Orthodoxy prompted Vladimir to think of getting rid of any attempts to interpret the baptism of Russia from the Greeks as its submission to the Empire of the Romans, humiliating for the consciousness of the Russians who had just created their powerful state. Priselkov and Kartashev believed that Vladimir, soon after the baptism of Rus, removed the Russian Church from the jurisdiction of Constantinople and reassigned it to the autocephalous Bulgarian Archdiocese of Ohrid. It is possible that the Ohrid bishop was only formally listed as the Primate of the Russian Church, which under St. Vladimir was essentially independent of anyone.

Russian and Byzantine sources, however, are silent about this. Amazingly, the Greek authors do not even mention such an epochal event as the baptism of Russia under St. Vladimir. However, the Greeks had a reason: the diocese "Russia" was formally opened a century earlier. However, if we accept the hypothesis of “Bulgarian jurisdiction”, then we can think that the real reason for this silence is most likely explained by the Greeks' resentment against the Russians for their refusal to obey the Patriarchate of Constantinople. It is believed that already in those years when the jurisdiction of Constantinople over the Russian Church was restored under Yaroslav the Wise, information about this unpleasant period for the Romans was also erased from our chronicles. Moreover, in the course of this "editing" a rather strange picture turned out: to pass over in silence the personality and activities of St. Vladimir was not allowed in Russia, but for all the praises to the holy prince in the "Primary Chronicle" there is very little factual material about the Russian Church of his time.

The significance of the baptism of Rus for the history of the Slavic peoples cannot be overestimated. It was this that became the basis for the cultural development of the Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples.

Baptism of Rus as an outstanding event for all Slavic peoples

The baptism of Rus is an outstanding event in world history. It influenced not only Russia, but also the surrounding states, and changed the course of many cultural processes.

The origin of Christianity in the East Slavic lands

According to numerous historical sources, the spread of Christianity in Russia began long before its baptism. The baptism of Russia, the date of which is recognized by all as the year 988, actually began at the very beginning of our era. This was predicted by the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, who traveled through the Russian lands in the first century of our era. The Tale of Bygone Years tells about it this way: Andrei and his students were sailing in a boat along the Dnieper and saw mountains and hills. And he told his disciples that in this place there would be a city, overshadowed by the Grace of God. And on these mountains he set up a cross.

The personality of Prince Vladimir - the Baptist of Russia

The great Vladimir, the prince who baptized Russia in 988, was an extraordinary personality. His grandmother, Princess Olga, was baptized and tried to persuade her son Svyatoslav to be baptized, but failed. Svyatoslav and his retinue remained pagans. But Olga's grandson Vladimir took a different path. This was largely due to the fact that Olga was engaged in his upbringing and was able to instill in him Christian concepts.

Even in his youth, the prince, who baptized Russia, did not really adhere to Christian moral standards. He had several wives, and all of these wives had children. Christian commandments about non-resistance to evil and the prohibition to kill one's neighbors were also a wonder for the pagan ruler, who was used to going on campaigns and mercilessly revenge on his enemies for any insults. He took part in internecine strife in Russia, and it was thanks to this that he sat on the Kiev throne.

The personality of the one who baptized Rus was influenced by different cultural traditions. But after his thirtieth birthday, he nevertheless decided to adopted Christianity. His own baptism took place either in the city of Chersonesos (not far from present-day Sevastopol), or at his residence in the city of Vasilev. Now on the site of this settlement is the city of Vasilkov in the Kiev region.

Considering that Prince Vladimir had great authority among the people, the people willingly followed the prince and changed their faith. The ease of spreading Christianity in our country was also facilitated by the fact that all services were conducted in the Slavic language.

Religious customs of the Slavs before the baptism of Rus

The baptism of Rus cannot be considered a completely new form of spiritual life. Before him, a harmonious system of pagan beliefs existed in Russia. And the one who baptized Russia understood that it would not be possible to instill a completely new and unusual religion here. After all, even before the appearance of Christianity in Russia, there was a cult of the god Rod, who was a heavenly god, ruled over the clouds, breathed life into all living things. In fact, the baptism of Russia only pushed the transition of the Slavic peoples from polytheism, that is, polytheism, to monotheism, that is, monotheism.

The choice of religion for the Slavs

The one who baptized Russia understood that the country needed a strong religion that would unite the people, and would not be opposed to him. But which religion should you choose? Prince Vladimir's choice of faith is described in detail in The Tale of Bygone Years.

Realizing that it was necessary to leave paganism and come to one of the monotheistic religions, Prince Vladimir pondered for a long time which of the religions he should take. First, he asked the Volga Bulgarians, who by that time professed Islam, about their faith. The Bulgarians told him that their faith forbids the use of alcoholic beverages. Vladimir thought and said that the fun in Russia consists in drinking wine, and therefore such a religion does not suit him. The fact is that all important matters were discussed by the Russian nobility during feasts at the prince, and the refusal to drink alcohol looked strange against this background.

After the Bulgarians, the Germans came to Vladimir. They were sent by the Pope and offered Catholicism to Vladimir. But Vladimir knew that the German Empire was trying with all its might to conquer the Slavic lands, so he rejected their proposals.

The Jews also came to Vladimir, told about their righteousness ancient faith... These were the Khazars. But Khazaria by the time the state did not exist, and Vladimir did not want to accept the religion of the people who did not have their own state and territory.

The very last to come to Vladimir was a Greek, a teacher of philosophy. He told Vladimir about the foundations of the Orthodox teaching and almost convinced him that he was right. The prince decided to ask his boyars for advice.

The boyars wanted to learn more about worship in these faiths, and they liked Greek Orthodox worship most of all. The Russians then told Vladimir that they really liked the church in Constantinople. Therefore, 988 became a turning point for Russian history, the baptism of Rus took place precisely in this year.

The reasons for the baptism of Russia

There are different opinions about the reasons for the baptism of Rus. The historian N.M. Karamzin believed that the prince, who baptized Russia, strove for its enlightenment. He sent priests to the cities and villages of Russia who preached the Word of God, and people gradually studied the Christian religion. Prince Vladimir ordered to take children from families of noble people in Kiev and send them to study literacy, and the mothers of these children cried and shouted for them. This act of Vladimir was dictated by the need for the development of the state. In order to properly keep records in agriculture and in trade, people were needed who could read and write.

The historian S.F. Platonov believes that the main reasons for the baptism of Rus were economic. Those who baptized Russia wanted the role of the state to strengthen, so that state traditions would prevail over communal traditions. In addition, pagan Russia risked being isolated in the middle of Christian nations who did not want to associate and trade with the pagans.

The meaning of the baptism of Russia

The baptism of Rus had a huge impact on the country. Material culture began to develop. After baptism, icon painting, mosaics developed in Russia, houses began to be built of bricks - more durable material than a tree. The one who baptized Kievan Rus, hoped that Christianity would change the harsh pagan customs. And he was right. Under Christianity, the slave trade and the sacrifice of people were banned.

The adoption of Christianity made Russia equal to other European states. The Europeans no longer looked at the Russians as barbarians, but began to engage in dialogue with them. But Russia still felt isolated, because Christianity in it was Orthodox and came from Byzantium, and Catholicism dominated in Western Europe at that time. And the one who baptized Kievan Rus did not know that Greek Byzantium would soon fall, and therefore Rus would remain the only Orthodox state.

Russia itself also received writing from Christianity. Schools began to open, handwritten books appeared, and the number of literate people increased.

How the Slavs perceived the baptism of Rus

The baptism of Rus was a drama for a part of the then Russian people. The Tale of Bygone Years indicates that Prince Vladimir baptized Rus by force. First, a decree was given to all Kievites to appear on the Dnieper River for baptism. Those who wanted to refuse baptism were declared enemies of the prince.

The baptism of various Russian lands was accompanied by various armed conflicts. The Joachim Chronicle reports that the inhabitants of the Sofia side of Novgorod with weapons in their hands resisted baptism. In 989, the parishioners of the Savior Church were massacred, and it was set on fire.

The part of the people that did not particularly support paganism took the spread of Christianity relatively calmly. Christianity in Russia was introduced with the help of the Bulgarian Church, and therefore all divine services were conducted in the Slavic language, understandable. Then Kiev was considered the main Russian city. The baptism of Rus began right here. Kiev maintained close ties with the First Bulgarian Kingdom, and from there missionaries arrived in Russia, who carried out the catechetical program. I must say that Bulgaria was baptized in 865, that is, a century earlier than Russia, and by the time of the baptism of Russia there were already developed Christian traditions and a rich library. Therefore, when the year 988 came, the baptism of Rus became a completely natural phenomenon.

Consequences of the baptism of Rus

After the baptism of Rus, not everyone agreed with the assertion of the power of the Kiev prince. Certain regions were against, in particular, Novgorod. The dissenters were headed by the Magi.

The baptism of Rus, the date of which falls on the year 988, gave rise to extensive cultural development. Many monasteries were built, in particular the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery. At the beginning of the 12th century, it became the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. In 1037, construction began on the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. It is being built with the support of the prince.

Myths about the Baptism of Rus

The baptism of Russia, like any significant historical event, surrounded by fictions and falsifications. The most famous myth claims that Christianity in Russia destroyed a highly developed pagan culture. But why then no traces of this high culture remained?

The second well-known myth claims that Christianity in Russia was inoculated by force, so to speak, with fire and sword. But at the same time, there is no information in any historical sources that there were mass killings of Russian pagans. Prince Vladimir did not force rebellious cities such as Rostov or Murom to be baptized. At the same time, most of the townspeople calmly perceived the baptism of Rus, the name of Prince Vladimir - the initiator of the baptism - was perceived by them with respect.

The third myth says that even after the baptism of Rus, paganism dominated the country. This statement is somewhat true. Even after baptism, the pagan wise men ruled over the masses, especially in the villages. For a hundred years after baptism, many still worshiped idols and engaged in sacrifices. The final establishment of Christianity took place in the 13th and 14th centuries, when Russian society was faced with the need to unite in the face of the advance of the Golden Horde.