Marry

The prince who baptized Rus' in 988. Religious customs of the Slavs before the baptism of Rus'. However, the main reason that Prince Vladimir chose the Orthodox faith is God's providence. It was by the will of the Lord Himself that many amazing events took place, which

The Russian prince Vladimir, in the first years of his reign, made an attempt to adapt paganism to his politics. He wanted to collect all the gods who were worshiped by various tribes and form a pantheon from them in Kyiv. Among the Vladimir gods, placed in a prominent place for popular worship, were not only Russian gods: between Perun and Dazhbog, the sun god, stood Hore, also the sun god of the peoples of the East. Simargl, a deity mentioned in the epic of peoples, was also placed here. Central Asia. Mokosh, the goddess of the Finnish tribes, was also there. But there are no Norman deities in this pantheon, which indicates the diversity of Rus' and the Normans.

Vladimir wanted to create a religion that could serve as a solid basis for the unification of the entire state. But attempts to modernize the old cults did not meet urgent needs, since the pagan gods, representing a relic of the primitive system with its characteristic classless society, could not satisfy the needs of a class society. For the goals that were set ruling classes Kyiv State, Christianity with its detailed teaching and complex church organization was much more suitable.

From the chronicle's story about sending 10 ambassadors to compare religions. It can be assumed that Prince Vladimir raised the religious issue at a veche meeting of residents of Kyiv, the political and administrative center of the Polyana land. Since the ambassadors were elected “by all people.”

Standing at the head of one of the largest early feudal states, Vladimir, like Svyatoslav, could not help but take part in European affairs of that time. Like Svyatoslav, Vladimir had to deal with Byzantium, and Byzantium was again the initiator of establishing this connection.

986 HARD TIMES OF BYZANTIUM

After the unsuccessful siege of Sofia, the retreating Byzantine troops were completely defeated by the Bulgarians in the narrow Balkan passes, and Basil only with the pitiful remnants of his army reached Philippopolis. After this, the Bulgarian Tsar Samuil quickly conquered all of Eastern Bulgaria from the Byzantines; The largest Byzantine port on the Adriatic Sea, Dyrrachium, also fell into his hands. Vasily was now powerless to do anything against the Bulgarians, since in 986 the uprising of the Asia Minor feudal lords began, this time under the leadership of Varda Phocas.

Finding himself in such a critical situation, Vasily II was forced to buy the friendship of the Cairo caliphs with large concessions and turn to the Russian Prince Vladimir for help.

According to the treaty of 971, the Russian prince was obliged to provide military assistance to the Byzantine emperor in the event of an attack on his country. But Vladimir, just like his father Svyatoslav, was by no means inclined to act as a simple mercenary in relations with Byzantium. For the military assistance that he was ready to provide, he demanded a high reward - the hand of the emperor's sister, the porphyry princess Anna. We can now hardly imagine what this demand meant. The Byzantine court not only considered itself the first of the ruling Christian courts, but was also recognized as such by everyone. He was the bearer of the centuries-old traditions of the Roman Empire: nowhere was the “greatness of imperial dignity” surrounded by such an aura as in Byzantium. The wealth and splendor of Constantinople, luxury and refined ceremony imperial court served as a subject of widespread surprise and imitation. Constantinople was still the main center of European culture. Vladimir’s demand to give him the emperor’s sister as a wife meant that the proud and arrogant Byzantines must recognize the Russian prince as their equal. This demand was unprecedented. The Bulgarian Tsar Peter, who threatened Byzantium at a time when it could not field any army against him, had to be content with marrying the granddaughter of the usurper Roman Lekapin, who did not belong to the imperial dynasty. The emperors of the Western Roman Empire since the Carolingians had sought in vain the honor of entering into family relations with a Byzantine court. Thus, the Russian prince demanded from Byzantium what Western emperors could not achieve from it.

Pagan Prince Vladimir and the "Mountain of the Gods".
Painting by V. Vasnetsov

987 AGREEMENT OF THE RUSSIAN PRINCE WITH THE BYZANTINE EMPEROR.

The Byzantine ambassadors who appeared in Kyiv were hardly authorized to accept this demand. The negotiations dragged on, but the critical situation of Vasily II forced him to yield to the advances of the Russian prince. He announced that he was ready to give the Russian Grand Duke his sister Anna as a wife if Vladimir and his people accepted the Christian faith from Byzantium and were baptized.

End of 987. 1st BAPTISM OF VLADIMIR.

We can talk about Vladimir’s personal baptism at the end of 987, that is, immediately after he concluded an agreement with Vasily II “on matchmaking and marriage.” This calculation is confirmed by the words of the Life that “after holy baptism, blessed Prince Vladimir lived 28 years.” Vladimir died on July 15, 6523/1015. Therefore, the Life dates his baptism to 987.

April 988. ARRIVAL OF THE RUSSIAN AUXILIARY DETACHMENT IN CONSTANTINOPLE.

But first of all, quick military assistance was required from the Russian prince. According to the agreement, Vladimir was obliged to immediately send an auxiliary military detachment to Constantinople, and his marriage to Princess Anna was to take place after the baptism of the Russians. The ground was already sufficiently prepared for declaring Christianity the dominant religion in Rus', and therefore Vladimir accepted these conditions and without delay sent a six-thousand-strong detachment of Varangians and Russians to Constantinople. This detachment arrived in time to change the course of the war and save Vasily II. His appearance in Constantinople should be dated at least later than April 988, since even in April Basil II considered his situation extremely difficult.

Beginning of 989. BATTLE OF CHRISOPOL.

Princely warrior.
Drawing by F. Solntsev

The first battle in which the Russians took part on the side of Vasily II was the Battle of Chrysopolis. Having landed on the Asian side, the Russians, at sunrise, rushed at the enemy, who was not expecting an attack, whom they took by surprise. At the same time, the imperial fleet set fire to the rebel camp with Greek fire. Phocas' supporters tried in vain to resist: they were partly killed, partly dispersed. Kalokir Delfina and most of the rebel leaders were captured; they were subjected to severe torture

After the victory at Chrysopolis, Basil II returned to Constantinople to prepare for a decisive struggle with Bardas Phocas. Varda Phocas, who was in Nicaea, heard about the failure in Chrysopolis, and was not at a loss. Gathering all his strength, he united near Abydos with Leo Melissen. According to Psellus and Asohik, in addition to the Byzantines, Varda Phocas relied on the Georgians. In the battle that decided his fate, the Georgian infantry constituted the best part of his army. Asohik claims that Phocas began the war against Constantinople at the head of Greek and Iberian troops. Believing that the capture of Abydos would make it possible to starve out the capital, Phocas vigorously waged the siege. Vasily II divided his army into two parts. He put his brother Konstantin at the head of one, and headed the other himself. The Russian detachment constituted his main force. Having landed near Lampsacus, he positioned himself opposite the camp of Varda. The latter directed his main forces against the emperor. Several days passed without a fight.

Finally, on the night of April 12-13, 989, Vasily, having made all preparations in secret, suddenly attacked the rebel militia. At the same time, the first detachment of the imperial army set fire to their fleet.

This unexpected attack caused confusion in the rebel army, which began to crumble. Having somehow restored order in his army, Varda, at the head of the Georgian guard, rushed to the detachment led by the emperor, but at that time he suffered an apoplexy. The sudden death of the leader sowed panic in the ranks of the insurgents; Varda's troops were partly destroyed and partly fled. Thus, thanks to the help of the Russians, Vasily II avoided political, and perhaps physical death and retained his throne.

But, having gotten rid of Varda Phokas, the Byzantine court did not show any intention to fulfill the obligations given to Vladimir. In his pride and, perhaps, yielding to the requests of his sister, the emperor refused to fulfill his promise to give Anna as a wife to Vladimir. The Kiev prince was waiting for Anna, going out to meet her and stopping at the place where the Byzantine mission, as part of which Anna was supposed to arrive, was in danger from the Pechenegs, who were constantly watching the Russians at the doorsteps. Without waiting for Anna, he returned to Kyiv to prepare a campaign against Chersonesos for the next year and thus, by force of arms, force the Byzantine emperor to fulfill his obligations.

Autumn 988. THE BEGINNING OF THE SIEGE OF CHERSONESES.

The Russian prince took the most decisive measures to force Emperor Vasily II to fulfill the agreement. With an army consisting of Varangians, Slovenes and Krivichi, in the same 989 he besieged the main stronghold of Byzantine rule in the Northern Black Sea region - Chersonesos, which at that time could not expect any help from Byzantium. Russian ships appeared at the walls of Chersonesos. To break into the city, the Russians built an earthen rampart in front of its walls. The garrison and population of Chersonesus put up stubborn resistance.

However, in besieged Chersonesos there were people who helped Vladimir. One of the versions of the legends about the capture of Chersonesus reports that a note attached to an arrow told Vladimir where the water pipes supplying the city with water were located. Vladimir ordered them to be dug up, and the city, deprived of water, surrendered. Among the persons who contributed to the capture of Chersonesus are the clergyman Anastas and the Varangian Zhdbern.

Although the position of Vasily II improved after the death of Varda Phokas, it was still far from complete security. Since their victory over Basil II at the Trajan Gate in 986, the Bulgarians have not ceased to threaten the empire and, while the Russians occupied Chersonesos, captured the city of Verria in Macedonia. This was also a heavy blow for Byzantium, since now the Bulgarians could threaten Thessalonica.

In addition, having learned about the death of her husband, the widow of Bardas Phokas released Bardas Skleros, and this experienced Byzantine tactician led in Asia Minor guerrilla warfare against Vasily II, prevented the supply of food to the capital and disrupted the normal activities of the government apparatus in Asia Minor. Therefore, Vasily II made every effort to reconcile with Skler.

The capture of Chersonesus was an extremely important event, since it unexpectedly revealed a new enemy for Byzantium, and a very serious enemy at that, in the person of a recent ally. The resumption of hostilities on the part of the Russian prince should have raised fears that Russian ships would soon appear again near Constantinople, that the Russian prince would unite with the Bulgarians; Finally, this news could cause excitement among the Russian auxiliary detachment. Therefore, Vasily had to agree to Vladimir’s demand. Very soon, and perhaps even immediately, Princess Anna was equipped for the journey with the appropriate retinue of clergy and accompanying persons and sent to Chersonesus. This time the emperor was forced to fulfill the conditions to which he had previously agreed.

The Russian auxiliary detachment remained in the service of the Byzantine emperor in subsequent times. There is reason to think that Vladimir received an appropriate reward for this.

Late summer or autumn 989. 2nd BAPTISM AND MARRIAGE OF PRINCE VLADIMIR.

There is a colorful story that on the eve of Anna’s arrival, Prince Vladimir fell ill and went blind. The princess advised him to be baptized as soon as possible. As the Tale of Bygone Years reports, Vladimir was baptized by the Korsun bishop and the priests who came with Anna in Chersonesos in the Church of St. Basil. After the prince was immersed in the font, he regained his sight. Then the marriage of Vladimir and Anna took place in Chersonesus. Leaving Chersonesos, Vladimir returned it to his new relatives. Chersonese, and not in order to transfer it to the Khazars. Immediately after its abandonment by the Russians, Chersonesus was occupied by a Byzantine garrison. After the baptism of Rus', Chersonesos acquired even greater importance for Byzantium as an intermediate point for relations with the Russians.

990 BAPTISM OF Kyiv.

Then Russian army and the prince and his wife returned to Kyiv, and there, no later than the end of the summer of 990, the baptism of the Kievites took place. Prince Vladimir “ordered to overturn the idols - to chop some up and burn others. Perun ordered that the horse be tied to the tail and dragged from the mountain along the Borichev road to the Stream and ordered twelve men to beat him with rods. When Perun was dragged along the Stream to the Dnieper, the infidels mourned him. And, having dragged it, they threw it into the Dnieper. And Vladimir assigned people to him, telling them: “If he lands somewhere on the shore, push him away. And when the rapids pass, then just leave him.”

Indirect evidence suggests that the date of baptism of the Kievites is Friday, August 1, 990. And if the Tale of Bygone Years indicates that their baptism took place in the Dnieper, then another source indicates that it was the Pochaina River, one of the tributaries of the Dnieper. At the end of the 10th century. its channel was located much closer to Kyiv than the channel of the Dnieper, ships entered the local harbor different countries. The main Kyiv markets were also located on Pochaina, and the trading day of the week was Friday. Some went to the river under duress, some were fierce adherents old faith, hearing Vladimir’s strict order, fled to the steppes and forests.

990 ARRIVAL OF THE PRIESTS AND DOBRYNA IN NOVGOROD. LESS BAPTISM.

Following Kiev, it was necessary to baptize Novgorod, and Vladimir sent the clergy there. But, fearing resistance from the Novgorodians, Vladimir also sent an army led by his uncle Dobrynya. The preachers limited themselves to turning to the townspeople with a word of faith, reinforced for further admonition by the public spectacle of “crushing idols” (probably those that stood in the prince’s courtyard, since the main sanctuary of the Novgorodians - Peryn - has not yet been touched). The result of the efforts of the Kyiv teachers was the baptism of a certain number of Novgorodians and the erection of a wooden church in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord at the Nerevsky end, somewhat north of the Kremlin.

991 year. DOBRYNYA LEFT NOVGOROD.

Dobrynya walked with the bishops “across the Russian land and to Rostov.” It was necessary to pacify the revolts of the Rostovites. Having learned about the uprising of pagans in Novgorod, he was forced to return, and the Rostov thousand Putyata joined him.

991 year. CONFRONTATION OF PAGAN PRIESTS AND DOBRYNA IN NOVGOROD.

The preaching of the new religion did not evoke sympathy among the majority of Novgorodians. By the time Bishop Joachim arrived in Novgorod, the situation there was tense to the limit. Opponents of Christianity managed to organize themselves and gained the upper hand in the Nerevsky and Lyudino ends (in the western part of the city), taking hostage the wife and “certain relatives” of Dobrynya, who did not manage to get to the other side of the Volkhov; Dobrynya retained only the Slavonic end on the eastern (Torgovaya) side. The pagans were very determined - “they held a veche and swore not to let [Dobrynya] into the city and not to let the idols be refuted.” In vain Dobrynya exhorted them with “good words” - they did not want to listen to him. In order to prevent Dobrynya’s detachment from penetrating the city’s left bank, the Novgorodians swept away the Volkhov bridge and placed two “vices” (stone throwers) on the bank, “as if they were their own enemies.” The position of the princely side was complicated by the fact that the city nobility and priests sided with the people. In their person the uprising acquired authoritative leaders. The Joachim Chronicle names two names: the main city sorcerer (“highest over the priests of the Slavs”) Bogomil and the Novgorod thousand-man Ugony. The first was given the nickname Nightingale - due to his rare “sweet speech”, which he successfully put to use, “the great one insisting on submitting to the people.” The hijacker did not lag behind him, and, “driving everywhere, yelled: “It’s better for us to die, rather than let our gods be desecrated.” Having heard enough of such speeches, the enraged crowd poured into Dobrynin’s courtyard, where the governor’s wife and relatives were kept in custody, and killed everyone who was there. After this, all paths to reconciliation were cut off, which, apparently, was what the eloquent leaders of the pagans sought. Dobrynya had no choice but to use force.

September 991. CAPTURE OF DOBRYNAYA OF THE NOVGOROD LEFT BANK

At night, several hundred people under the command of Prince Putyata were put into boats. Unnoticed by anyone, they quietly went down the Volkhov, landed on the left bank, a little above the city, and entered Novgorod from the Nerevsky end. In Novgorod, any day now they were expecting the arrival of reinforcements - the zemstvo militia from the Novgorod "suburbs", and in the camp of Dobrynya, obviously, they found out about this. The governor’s calculations were completely justified: no one sounded the alarm, “having seen the future of their warriors.” Under the welcoming cries of the city guard, Putyata rushed straight to Ugonya's courtyard. Here he found not only the Novgorod tysyatsky himself, but also other leaders of the uprising. All of them were captured and transported under guard to the right bank. Putyata himself, with most of his warriors, shut himself up in the Ugonyaev yard. Meanwhile, the guards finally realized what was happening and raised the Novgorodians to their feet. A huge crowd surrounded Ugonya's courtyard. But the arrest of the city elders did its job, depriving the pagans of unified leadership. The crowd divided into two parts: one randomly tried to take possession of the courtyard of the Novgorod thousand, the other took up pogroms - “the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord was swept away and the houses of Christians were raked.” The coastline was temporarily left unattended. Taking advantage of this, Dobrynya and his army swam across the Volkhov at dawn. It was apparently still not easy to provide direct assistance to Putyata’s detachment, and Dobrynya, in order to divert the attention of the Novgorodians from the siege of the Ugonyaev yard, ordered several houses on the shore to be set on fire. For a wooden city, a fire was worse than a war. The Novgorodians, having forgotten about everything, rushed to put out the fire. Dobrynya freed Putyata from the siege without interference, and soon Novgorod ambassadors came to the governor asking for peace. Popular proverb: “Putyata should be baptized with a sword, and Dobrynya with fire.”

992 THE OVERTHROWING OF PERUN BY BISHOP JOAKIM.

Bishop Joachim began to overthrow pagan veneration in Novgorod. He ordered the idols to be crushed: the wooden ones to be burned, the stone ones to be broken, thrown into the river, and the main idol of Perun, before whom Novgorod especially revered, he ordered to be destroyed in front of all the people and thrown into the Volkhov. Everything was done according to the Kyiv model. The Novgorod sanctuaries were devastated by the warriors of Dobrynya in front of the Novgorodians, who looked at the desecration of their gods with “a great cry and tears.” Then Dobrynya “commanded that they go to baptism” on Volkhov. However, the spirit of protest was still alive, so the veche stubbornly refused to legitimize the change of faith. Dobrynya had to resort to force again. The soldiers who did not want to be baptized “were dragged and killed, men above the bridge, and wives below the bridge.” Many pagans were cunning, posing as those who had been baptized. According to legend, it is with the baptism of Novgorodians that the custom of Russian people wearing crosses is connected: they were supposedly given to all those who were baptized in order to identify those who were only pretending to be baptized.

In the same year, Saint Joachim founded the first church in the name of St. Sophia, in memory of Constantinople, from where the enlightenment of Rus' came.

992--1100 years. FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF CHRISTIANITY BY Kyiv RUS.

Following Novgorod, Christianity established itself in Ladoga and other cities of the Slovenian land. There is information about the refusal of princely sons to receive baptism from the pagans of Bear Corner (the future Yaroslavl). The pagans also managed to reject Christianity in Murom. At the beginning of the 11th century. In the Ilmen region, as well as in the Luga, Sheksna and Mologa basins, the Christian burial custom spread. The introduction of Christianity in Rus' was carried out by the will of Kyiv nobility and the Polyano-Kyiv community as a whole. Imposed on the subject East Slavic and other foreign-speaking tribes, it was imposed by force using bloody means. It took more than a hundred years for the baptism of all the East Slavic tribes united around Kyiv. This happened at the turn of the XI-XII centuries.

The elite in Rus' as a whole was interested in the adoption of Christianity and it was strong and powerful enough to carry out Christianization.

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

Reasons for accepting baptism in Russia

Before answering the question of what year the baptism of Rus' took place, let us find out the reasons for such a drastic change in the cultural orientation of ancient Russian society. The state of Kievan Rus was created from several large tribal unions of 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, the idea naturally arose of creating a unified ideology based on a successful monotheistic religion. Last fact, associated with monotheism, was also very important, since it formed the idea of a single strong power of one prince over everyone, including over the intra-tribal elite. Among Rus''s neighbors, Byzantium stood out with special power and wealth, with which Rus' had close economic, cultural, and political ties. Therefore, Orthodox ideology was more suitable than any other for state building.

Prince Vladimir

The main work of the life of Vladimir the First, which also influenced his nickname - the Saint - was the baptism of Rus'. The date and year of this event are controversial due to the fact that the conversion occurred gradually. First the prince and his squad were baptized, then the people of Kiev, and then the residents 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, the ardent pagan Vladimir tried to create a pantheon of gods common to all tribes. But it did not take root, and did not solve all government problems. Having thought about adopting the Byzantine religious cult, the prince still hesitated. The Russian ruler did not want to bow his head to the Emperor of Constantinople. The baptism of Rus' took a long time to prepare. It is not clear exactly how many years the negotiations took place. But during the period from 980 to 988, Byzantine ambassadors visited Kiev (by the way, not alone: Catholics, representatives of the Khazar Kaganate, and Muslims also came), and Russian ambassadors visited several countries, choosing a liturgical cult, and negotiations were held about the marriage of the Byzantine princess Anna with the Kyiv ruler. Finally, the Russian prince ran out of patience, 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 the strong army of the Kyiv prince as an ally, and Vladimir wanted to maintain independence and independence. The receipt of assistance by the emperor against the uprising of Bardas Phocas from the Russian prince was provided for under 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, Vasily the Second, the Byzantine emperor, was in no hurry to send Anna to Slavic lands. Vladimir, having gathered an army, went to the Byzantine colony in Crimea - Chersonese. 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 the 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 not most of his squad.

Baptism of Kievites

Returning to the capital as a Christian, with a new wife, Vladimir continued to make efforts to introduce a new Christian ideology. First of all, the pagan pantheon of gods was destroyed. The statue of Perun was thrown into the waters of the Dnieper, having previously suffered abuse and ridicule. The chronicler testifies that the townspeople cried and sobbed for Perun, but could not do anything. Having baptized his closest assistants from the boyars, his many children, ex-wives and concubines, Vladimir took on the citizens. All Kyivians, young and old, were herded to the river bank and literally driven into its waters. Addressing his subjects, Vladimir declared that everyone who opposes baptism also opposes the will of the prince. And from now on it will be his personal enemies. In fear, sobs and lamentations, under the blessings of Byzantine priests from the shore, this grandiose baptismal ceremony was performed. Researchers argue about what year the baptism of Rus' took place in general and the people of Kiev in particular. Most historians are inclined to believe that these are events of 988-990.

Methods of converting the Slavs

It is difficult to imagine that anyone can sincerely believe that, having emerged from the waters of the Pochayna (a tributary of the Dnieper, where mass baptism took place), the people immediately became Christian. The process of daring away from old, familiar norms of behavior and pagan rituals was quite difficult. Temples were built, sermons were read in them, and conversations were held. The missionaries made considerable efforts to change the pagan worldview. How it turned out, too controversial issue. Many still argue that Russian Orthodoxy represents dual faith, a kind of synthesis of Christian and pagan ideas about the world. The further from Kyiv, the stronger the pagan foundations were. And in those places we had to act even tougher. Those sent to conduct the baptism ceremony in Novgorod encountered resistance from local residents, including armed ones. The prince's army suppressed discontent by baptizing Novgorod with "fire and sword." It is possible to perform the ritual by force, but how to put new ideas into the minds of people? This is not a matter of one, or even a decade. For several centuries, the Magi called on the people to resist the new religion and raised uprisings against the princes. And they resonated with the population.

Official date of the baptism of Rus'

Recognizing the fact that it is impossible to accurately name the year of the baptism of Rus', Orthodox Church and the state still 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 proposal of the head of the Synod, K. Pobedonostsev. In 1888, the 900th anniversary of the Christianization of Rus' was solemnly celebrated in Kyiv. And although it is historically correct to consider the year 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 what year the baptism of Rus' took place - in 988 AD. Contemporaries went further, establishing the exact date baptism. July 28 was previously celebrated as the day of remembrance of St. Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles. Now on this day, ceremonial events dedicated to baptism are officially held.

The Baptism of Rus' was of great importance in national history. Pagan beliefs were replaced by a national unified religion. The adoption of Christianity from Byzantium predetermined the future path of development of Russia as the largest stronghold of Orthodoxy.

Paganism of Ancient Rus'

Before the adoption of Christianity, the Slavs were pagans. Each tribe worshiped its own god, who was considered its protector and patron. Common Slavic deities also stood out.
The most significant in Ancient Rus' were:

Perun (god of thunder, lightning and thunder);
Volos or Veles (god of livestock, trade and wealth);
Dazhdbog and Khors (various incarnations of the sun god);
Stribog (god of the winds, whirlwind and blizzard);
Mokosh (goddess of earth and fertility);
Simargl (god of seeds and crops).

As princely power strengthened, the need arose to centralize the state. The diversity of pagan beliefs weakened Ancient Rus', prevented the merger of tribes into a single ethnic group.

The first attempt to create a common state religion was undertaken during the reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich. After defeating all opponents and establishing himself on the grand-ducal throne, Vladimir ordered the installation of idols of the main Slavic gods in Kyiv.

Rice. 1. Reconstruction of the temple of Perun on the island of Peryn.

At the head of the pantheon stood the wooden Perun with a silver head and a golden mustache. The people of Kiev offered sacrifices to the deities, including human ones.

Search for a new religion

Despite the approval of the pan-Slavic pantheon of gods, the union of tribes steadily disintegrated. Vladimir Svyatoslavovich understood that a stronger religion was needed that could unite people.

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The prince was inclined towards the Byzantine faith. Christianity has been penetrating Rus' for a long time. In 957, Princess Olga was baptized. People from the prince's immediate circle became Christians.

Ambassadors from other states arrived to Vladimir. The Jewish missionaries were immediately rejected by the prince. He reproached them for the fact that the holy city of the Jews, Jerusalem, was in the hands of the Muslims. The chronicle says that the prince sent his people to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each religion.
The envoys' report contained the following information:

Islam ( Volga Bulgaria): “there is no joy in them, only sadness and a great stench”;
Catholicism (Holy Roman Empire): “they saw no beauty”;
Orthodoxy (Byzantium): “their service is better than in all other countries.”

After consulting with the boyars, Vladimir made a choice on the Byzantine faith.

The chronicle, of course, embellishes the virtues of Orthodoxy. Vladimir’s choice was based on quite understandable causes :

a huge impact Byzantine culture to Slavic Rus';
long-standing trade and diplomatic contacts;
the power of the Byzantine Empire.

Baptism of Prince Vladimir

Despite the decision to be baptized, Vladimir Svyatoslavovich remained a typical pagan warrior who was accustomed to acting with the help of military force. In 988 he started a war with Byzantium and besieged Korsun.

The “Korsun Legend” says that Vladimir swore an oath to be baptized if the city was captured. One of the Korsun residents named Anastas showed the prince where the water comes from in Korsun. The prince blocked the source, and the inhabitants of the city surrendered.

Vladimir demanded that the Byzantine co-rulers Vasily and Constantine give him his sister Anna as his wife. The emperors agreed on the condition that the prince would definitely be baptized.

The chronicle tells about another “miracle”: Vladimir became blind, but after baptism he immediately regained his sight. This finally convinced him of the superiority of Orthodoxy over other religions. Many participants in the siege also received baptism after this.

Rice. 2. Monument to Prince Vladimir on Borovitskaya Square in Moscow.

Vladimir married Anna, took priests, relics, church utensils, and icons from Korsun and returned to Kyiv.

Baptism of Rus'

Briefly, the most important thing about the baptism of Rus' comes down to the following points:

The generally accepted date of the baptism of Rus' is 988.
Vladimir returned to Kyiv and immediately ordered the destruction of the pantheon of pagan gods.
The prince addressed the people of Kiev with a statement: the next day everyone must come to the Dnieper for baptism. The prince's charismatic personality inspired respect and fear. The mass baptism took place quite peacefully.
Vladimir was actively involved in spreading the new religion. On the site of a pagan temple in Kyiv, he erected the Church of St. Basil. Churches begin to be built throughout Rus' and priests are appointed.

Perun was subjected to “punishment”: they threw the statue into the river and did not allow him to land on the shore until the very Dnieper rapids (i.e., to the borders of the Russian land).

The meaning and results of the baptism of Rus'

The baptism of Rus' by Prince Vladimir significantly increased the authority Old Russian state. The establishment of a state religion contributed to the formation of a single nation. Culture received a huge boost in development.

Rice. 3. Baptism of Prince Vladimir. Fresco by V. Vasnetsov in the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv.

The chronicles make it possible to trace how baptism took place throughout the territory of Rus'. Between the pagans and Christian preachers armed conflicts arose. The priests were forced to adapt to local conditions. As a result of the merger with paganism in Rus', an original form of Christianity emerged - Russian Orthodoxy. In the history of Russia, a special path of development has emerged.

What have we learned?

By the end of the 10th century, all the prerequisites for the adoption of a national religion had developed in Kievan Rus. In 988, the baptism of Rus' took place according to the Byzantine model. The influence of the baptism of Rus' on the further history of Russia is difficult to overestimate. After the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453, Russia became the world center of Orthodoxy, which allowed it to more decisively assert its imperial rights.

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Baptism of Rus' or acceptance by Russia (Russian people) Christian religion of the Greek sense occurred during the reign of Kievan Rus of the Grand Duke Vladimir I Svyatoslavich (Vladimir the Red Sun, Vladimir the Holy, Vladimir the Great, Vladimir the Baptist) (960-1015, reign in Kyiv from 978)

After Olga’s death, Svyatoslav placed his eldest son, Yaropolk, in Kyiv and his second son, Oleg, with the Drevlyans, leaving his youngest son, Vladimir, without an appointment. One day, Novgorod people came to Kyiv to ask for a prince and directly stated to Svyatoslav: “If none of you comes to us, we will find a prince for ourselves on the side.” Yaropolk and Oleg did not want to go to Novgorod. Then Dobrynya taught the Novgorodians: “Ask Vladimir.” Dobrynya was Vladimir's uncle, brother his mother, Malushi. She served as housekeeper for the late Princess Olga. The Novgorodians said to the prince: “Give us Vladimir.” Svyatoslav agreed. So there became three princes in Rus', and Svyatoslav went to Danube Bulgaria, where he died in battle with the Pechenegs. ( Karamzin. History of Russian Goverment)

Reasons for the Baptism of Rus'

The desire of the Kyiv princes to be equal to European monarchs
The desire to strengthen the state: one monarch - one faith
Many noble Kyivians were already Christians according to the Byzantine image
Archaeological data confirm the beginning of the spread of Christianity before the official act of baptism of Rus'. Since the middle of the 10th century, the first pectoral crosses. Princes Askold and Dir with the boyars and a number of people were baptized, because 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 arose in that very 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 there. He cared little about the beliefs of the Russian people
Until the mid-10th century, paganism dominated in Rus'. 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. The circle was considered a symbol of protection from evil forces. Hence the appearance of such decorations as wreaths, chains, rings

A Brief History of the Baptism of Rus'

882 — Varyag Oleg becomes prince of Kyiv. Accepts the title of “Great”, unites the Slavic lands within the state
912-945 - reign of Igor, son of Rurik
945-969 - reign of Olga, Igor's widow. Strengthening the state, Converted to Christianity under the name of Helen
964-972 - Reign of Svyatoslav, son of Igor and Olga, continuation of the construction of the state of Kievan Rus
980-1015 - Reign of Vladimir the Red Sun
980 - Religious reform, creation of the pantheon of gods of Slavic paganism (Perun, Khorsa, Dazhdbog, Stribog, Semargl and Mokosha)
987 - Boyar Council convened by Vladimir to discuss the adoption of a new faith
987 - Revolt of Bardas Phocas the Younger against Byzantine Emperor Basil II
988 - Vladimir’s campaign, siege of Korsun (Chersonese)
988 - Agreement between Vladimir and Vasily II on providing assistance in suppressing the uprising of Varda Phokas and the marriage of Vladimir to Princess Anna
988 - Marriage of Vladimir, baptism of Vladimir, squad and people (some historians indicate the year of baptism 987)
989 - A Russian detachment defeated the army of Bardas Phokas. Capture and annexation of Chersonesus (Korsun) to Rus'

The baptism of Rus' was not always voluntary and the process of Christianization of the country lasted for for a long time. Many chronicles have preserved scant information about forced baptism Rus'. Novgorod actively resisted the introduction of Christianity: it was baptized in 990. In Rostov and Murom, resistance to the introduction of Christianity continued until the 12th century. Polotsk was baptized around the year 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 acceptance of Russians into the family of European nations, the flourishing of culture in Kievan Rus
Kievan Rus became a completely centralized state
Rus', and then Russia, turned into one of the religious centers of the world along with Rome
became a pillar of power
The Orthodox Church performed functions that united the people during the period of unrest, fragmentation, and the Mongol-Tatar yoke
The Orthodox Church has become a symbol of the Russian people, its cementing force

The Baptism of Rus' by Prince Vladimir in 988 is perhaps the most mysterious episode in the history of the Russian people, which is filled with cruelty and ignorance towards all representatives of the Slavic-Aryan Family. The Baptism of Rus' in 988 can rightfully be considered a grandiose falsification on a global scale, which was organized Christian Church, European historians and ruling elites Russian Empire 17th – 18th centuries.

Of course, you may disagree with this and recognize this statement as complete nonsense and nonsense, but still, we will try to convince you otherwise.

Let's start with the fact that everything that will be written below is the purely personal opinion of the author and is for informational purposes only.

To begin with, let's refresh our memories (according to the official version of history) about such an important event as the BAPTISM OF Rus'. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich (Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko) did not immediately accept Christianity, but there was a so-called “test of faith.”

They were the first to come to Prince Vladimir in 986 AD. ambassadors from Volga Bulgars with a proposal to accept Islam, but after all their long persuasion, the prince rejected their proposal, citing the too strict rules of this religion.

The second to come to Prince Vladimir were the Germans, who were sent by the Pope to preach to the Slavic lands. But, despite all the efforts of the preachers, their work was doomed to failure, since they claimed that “If anyone drinks or eats, then it is all for the glory of God.” Vladimir responded to this statement with a decisive refusal, telling them “Go where you came from, for our fathers did not accept this.”.

The third to come to him were the Khazar Jews, but here everything was already very clear. Since Vladimir’s father, Prince Svetoslav, defeated their native state - Khazar Khaganate, it was inappropriate for Prince Vladimir to disgrace the memory of his father and accept the faith of his sworn enemies.

The fourth and last to arrive to Prince Vladimir was a Byzantine preacher. This preacher told Vladimir about biblical history and the Christian faith, after which Prince Vladimir chose this particular faith, or rather religion - Christianity according to the Greek type.

And in the summer of 6496 from S.M.Z.H. (Creation of the World in the Star Temple) - this is 988 AD. Prince of Kievan Rus decided to be baptized Church of Constantinople. After which, clergy were sent from Constantinople, who baptized the residents of Kyiv in the waters of the Dnieper and Pochayna, and Vladimir himself was baptized a year earlier - in 987.

Yes, it's very beautiful story, which sounds and smells so sweet from the lips of modern priests and historians, but was it really so?

So, let's take it in order!

The concept of Rus', which began to be baptized in 988, must be understood as KIEVAN Rus', or more correctly, the DUTY OF KIEV, which broke away from the GREAT TARTARY - the Great Slavic-Aryan Power.

But the baptism of the Kievites itself did not take place as our religious leaders tell us. As it turned out, before baptism the population of Kievan Rus was educated, there were schools, almost everyone was taught to read and write, i.e. Almost the entire population could read, write and count freely, just like you and me. And it's not empty words, there is a lot of evidence of this even in official history, for example, the same “birch bark letters”.

So, the then inhabitants of Kievan Rus were adherents of Vedic culture, like the rest of the population of Great Tartaria. That is, they had a Vedic worldview, which gave people a real understanding of the laws of nature and the structure of the world, which in turn completely denied any religion with its blind belief in any rules and dogmas. Therefore, the people of Kiev refused to voluntarily accept the Greek faith, which Prince Vladimir wanted to impose. But behind Vladimir there were great forces who wanted to conquer the proud Slavs and Rus of Kievan Rus as soon as possible. This was followed by 12 years of forced Christianization, which gave Prince Vladimir the nickname BLOODY.

In the process of this Christianization, almost the entire adult population of Kievan Rus was destroyed. After all, this religion could only be imposed on unreasonable children who, due to their age, did not understand that they were simply being turned into weak-willed slaves, deprived of spiritual development.

From sources that have survived to our time, it turned out that before the start of Christianization in 988, on the territory of Kievan Rus there were about 300 cities and approximately 12 million inhabitants lived, but after it only 30 cities and 3 million tortured inhabitants remained. In fact, in the process of this GENOCIDE of the Slavs and Rus of Kievan Rus, 270 cities were destroyed and 9 million innocent people were killed!!! But despite all the hardships that befell the people of Kiev, the Vedic tradition was not completely destroyed and on the territory of Kievan Rus the so-called unspoken dual faith appeared, which lasted until church reform Nikon 1650 - 1660.

You are probably thinking why the Great Tartaria did not intervene in this and did not stop this bloody extermination of the fraternal people. Believe me, this event did not go unnoticed, Tartaria simply could not fight on two fronts, since its main forces were concentrated on the Far Eastern borders in order to suppress the conflict with Arimia (China). But as soon as the military conflict with the Chinese was over, the troops of Great Tartaria were transferred to the western borders of the empire and in 1223 they began a military campaign to liberate the fraternal peoples. This event is better known as the Tatar-Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus Khan Batu. Now you understand why on the Kalka River the united army of the Russian princes was completely defeated and why some Russian princes fought on the side of the “Tatar-Mongols”?!

So, not knowing the true history of our people, you and I do not understand the obvious actions of our ancestors. There was and could not be any invasion of Mongol nomads! The Russian Khan Batu had the task of returning the lost territory back to Great Tartary and stopping the invasion of Christian fanatics into Vedic Rus'.