The baptism of Kievan Rus is the date of celebration. Day of the Baptism of Rus'. Traditions, rituals, signs

It happened in 988 and is associated with the name of Prince Vladimir, whom historians called great, the church called Saint Equal to the Apostles, and the people called Vladimir the Red Sun.

Prince Vladimir was the grandson of Grand Duchess Olga and the son of Prince Svyatoslav and the “virgin of things” Malusha, who became a Christian together with Princess Olga in Constantinople. He began ruling independently at the age of 17 and spent the first six years on campaigns. According to legend, during these years the prince was a pagan, a lover of military campaigns and noisy feasts.

As the chronicle “The Tale of the Test or Choice of Faiths” narrates, in 986 embassies from different nations came to the prince in Kyiv, urging him to convert to their faith. First, the Volga Bulgarians of the Muslim faith came and praised Mohammed, then foreigners from Rome preached the Latin faith from the pope, and the Khazar Jews preached Judaism. The last to arrive, according to the chronicles, was a preacher sent from Byzantium, who told Vladimir about Orthodoxy.

To understand whose faith is better, Prince Vladimir sent nine envoys to visit the countries from which the preachers came. Upon returning, the ambassadors spoke about the religious customs and rituals of these countries. They visited both the Muslim mosque of the Bulgarians and the Catholic Germans, but the patriarchal service in Constantinople (Constantinople) made the greatest impression on them.

However, Vladimir did not immediately convert to Christianity. In 988, he captured Korsun (now the territory of the city of Sevastopol) and demanded Anna, the sister of the Byzantine emperors - co-rulers Vasily II and Constantine VIII, as his wife, threatening otherwise to go to Constantinople. The emperors agreed, demanding in turn that the prince be baptized so that his sister could marry a fellow believer. Having received Vladimir's consent, the brothers sent Anna to Korsun. There, in Korsun, Vladimir and his warriors were baptized by the bishop of Korsun, after which they performed the wedding ceremony. At baptism, Vladimir took the name Vasily, in honor of the ruling Byzantine emperor Vasily II.

There is a legend that in Korsun the prince became blind, but immediately after baptism he was healed and exclaimed: “Now I have come to know the true God!” After marrying Princess Anna, Vladimir released all his wives and concubines.

Returning to Kyiv, accompanied by Korsun and Greek priests, Vladimir baptized his sons from his previous wives in a spring known in Kyiv as Khreshchatyk. Following them, many boyars were baptized.

He ordered the destruction of the temple he had once built in Kyiv. The idols were chopped into pieces and burned. Then he ordered to gather all the residents of Kyiv to the banks of the Dnieper. The day before, the prince announced throughout the city: “If anyone does not come to the river tomorrow - rich or poor, beggar or slave - he will be my enemy.”

Mass baptism of Kiev residents took place at the confluence of the Pochayna River into the Dnieper. The chronicles read: “The very next day, Vladimir went out with the priests of Tsaritsyn and Korsuin to the Dnieper, and countless people gathered there. They entered the water and stood there, some up to their necks, others up to their chests, small children near the shore up to their chests, some holding babies , and the adults wandered around, while the priests performed prayers, standing still...” This most important event took place, according to the chronicle chronology, in 988.

Following Kiev, Christianity gradually came to other cities of Kievan Rus: Chernigov, Volyn, Polotsk, Turov, where dioceses were created. The baptism of Rus' as a whole dragged on for several centuries - in 1024 Yaroslav the Wise suppressed the uprising of the Magi in the Vladimir-Suzdal land (a similar uprising was repeated in 1071; at the same time in Novgorod the Magi confronted Prince Gleb), Rostov was baptized only at the end of the 11th century, and in Murom, pagan resistance to the new faith continued until the 12th century.

The Vyatichi tribe remained in paganism the longest of all the Slavic tribes. Their enlightener in the 12th century was the Monk Kuksha, a Pechersk monk who suffered martyrdom among them.

The adoption of a new, unified faith became a serious impetus for the unification of Russian lands.

The baptism of Rus' also determined the civilizational choice of Russia, which found its place between Europe and Asia and subsequently became the most powerful Eurasian power.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Russia is the largest and most multinational country. Along with this, there are many religions in our country. However, the most important of them is Orthodoxy, which is considered the most correct and faithful teaching on the planet, in all moral respects. But it is not Orthodoxy that could become the main religion in Russia and other countries, but Islam, since several religions were considered for adoption in Rus'. And yet, it is thanks to Prince Vladimir that our Rus' is known for its ringing of bells, golden domes with Orthodox crosses decorating churches, the singing of the church choir and the unshakable faith of the Russian people.

History of the holiday Day of the Baptism of Rus'

Only very recently in the Russian Federation a law was approved on the adoption of the holiday Day of the Baptism of Rus'. Only five years have passed since the adoption of the holiday. Perhaps the first date worth noting is the first day of summer 2010. At that time, the current president of Russia was Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev, and it was on this day that some amendments were made to Article 11 of the Federal Law, which talk about amendments regarding days of military glory and memorable dates in Russia.

Even before this holiday was approved, there was an event that played a dominant role in its adoption. This happened back in 2008, when the President of Belarus and the President of Russia were asked to add another important date to the calendar of official important dates, namely July 28 - the Day of Remembrance of Prince Vladimir, which we have already mentioned a little. No one dared to ignore this event, and there was no particular need to do so. And already in August 2009, the ministry began to develop a draft federal law, which stated the adoption of a new Orthodox holiday. After this, thanks to the efforts of representatives of the State Duma, the law was officially approved and came into force.

From now on, every year on July 28, the holiday of the Baptism of Rus' is celebrated. Kyiv is considered the center of the celebration, and the reins of government are handed over to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill. On this day, celebrations take place in the main squares of cities, and solemn services are held in churches.

The Baptism of Rus' as a historical event

It is known from history that 988 is considered the year of the Baptism of Rus'. It is with this date that many historical events are associated, such as the cessation of the existence of pagan deities, who are known for their mythological rituals and sacrifices, and the start of a new era in the history of the spiritual development of the country. There is also a historical chronicle on earth that has survived to this day, called the “Tale of Bygone Years.” It says that the Sacrament itself took place in the rivers of the Dnieper, under the leadership of Byzantine clergy.

At the beginning of the article, we mentioned that the main religion in Rus' might not have been Orthodoxy at all, but something completely different, so why did Prince Vladimir choose it? Let's figure it out. Perhaps this truth will disappoint someone, because Vladimir’s goals were far from noble in making this decision. At that time, Rus' was in great need of strengthening its global status, therefore, beneficial alliances would not have hurt our country. It was at this time that the Byzantine emperor turned to Rus' for help; he wanted to maintain power in his hands, and for this he needed to defeat his rival, the courageous Bardas Phocas. Of course, an alliance with Byzantium would be very beneficial, because this country was an extremely powerful power in all respects. For the fact that Prince Vladimir’s troops would help him in his affairs, he would give him his sister Anna as his wife. And so it happened. But there was one note: the wedding would not have taken place if Vladimir had not been baptized. Thus, Rus' became Orthodox.

But not only selfish goals pursued the Prince of All Rus'. It is known that even before the reign of Prince Vladimir, his great-grandmother, called Princess Olga, ruled in Rus'. It also follows from history that this princess was a true Christian believer and repeatedly tried to convert Rus' to her faith, but, alas, unsuccessfully. Although, everything could have worked out if her son, Svyatopolk, had helped his mother. There is also a version that Prince Vladimir hesitated for a long time between Orthodoxy and Islam. In the first religion he was attracted by the decorations and beauty of Byzantine temples, singing within its walls, in the second by polygamy. And, perhaps, the main reason for abandoning Islam was the rule prohibiting eating pork.

We cannot say whether Prince Vladimir made the right choice, however, thanks to the fact that all of Rus' became baptized, the level of development of the country began to rise sharply. Thus, art and architecture began to develop at a catastrophic speed, the educational system rose to a new level, and books began to be published. The culture of Rus' did not stand still.

Vladimir Yasnoe Solnyshko

Perhaps it’s also worth telling a little about Prince Vladimir himself. This is quite a prominent figure in history. He was very smart and cunning. Initially, this prince ruled in Novgorod, but thanks to his qualities as a ruler and leader, he achieved success and moved to the Kiev throne. The reign went together with his brother Yaropolk. Before Prince Vladimir was baptized, he was known for his cruelty and greed, historians also claim his love for fornication (now there is no doubt that he could not decide between Orthodoxy and Islam). It is also known that Vladimir worshiped pagan deities and performed sacrifices. That is why, as soon as he came to power in Kyiv, he ordered the construction of statues of the six main gods, they were located in the cemetery. There is an opinion that it was this prince who instilled in the Russians a love of human sacrifice, which is very doubtful.

Prince Vladimir was a born leader. He also had conquering abilities, thanks to which he tried to strengthen and expand the borders as best as possible. If it were not for Orthodoxy, this prince could without hesitation be called the most bloodthirsty and cruel ruler of his time, if Orthodoxy had not appeared on his path at the right time. It was this that radically changed his soul, leading him to the true path. It was as if he was born again and looked at life. And now Prince Vladimir is known to us as Vladimir the Great and Vladimir the Baptist. But it was thanks to folk epics that he acquired the title: Vladimir the Clear Sun.

The Day of the Epiphany of Rus' is considered a truly bright and great holiday; it should be celebrated with the whole family, expanding your horizons. It falls in the second month of summer, so spend it together. A great idea would be to go to the capital of Ukraine and visit all sorts of attractions: museums, palaces, parks, etc. There are also many holidays in our history that you should learn about. Spend this holiday usefully without sitting in the house. Read also about the merits of this great prince and delve into history with us! This is all very interesting and exciting and will give you a lot of positive new impressions. Develop and don't stand still!

At the end of July, Russia and Ukraine celebrate the most important historical date - Christening Day of Rus'(in Ukraine the holiday is called Baptism Day of Kievan Rus).

Day of the Baptism of Rus' in the Russian Federation - date

The Day of the Baptism of Rus' is a state memorial date of the Russian Federation, officially established in 2010 in memory of the baptism of Rus' by the prince Vladimir, which historians date back to 988. Since the exact date of this event is unknown, the Day of the Baptism of Rus' is celebrated on the day of remembrance of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince of Kyiv Vladimir, the baptizer of Rus' (July 15 according to the Julian calendar). Thus, according to the Gregorian calendar, this holiday always falls on July 28th.

The history of the holiday of the Baptism of Rus'

On June 27, 2008, in the year of celebrating the 1020th anniversary of the baptism of Rus', the Council of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed a message to the then President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev with a proposal to celebrate the day of memory of Prince Vladimir the Baptist as a public holiday. The letter indicated that the baptism of Rus' was extremely significant for the peoples of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, since this event determined their historical path.

On May 26, 2010, the corresponding bill was approved by the Federation Council, and on May 31 of the same year, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a Federal Law, according to which a new memorable date was established in Russia - the Day of the Baptism of Rus', celebrated on July 28.

On this day, religious processions, cultural, charitable and educational events are held annually, the purpose of which is to convey to Russians the importance of the baptism of Rus' for all Slavic peoples.

The legend of the baptism of Rus'

The holiday Day of the Baptism of Rus' was established in honor of one of the main milestones in the history of Rus' - the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion in 988.

The Baptist of Rus' is Prince Vladimir, known in history under the name Vladimir Red Sun, - was the grandson of the Grand Duchess Olga, who herself was baptized in Constantinople and tried to direct her heir to the Christian path.

There is a legend that Vladimir chose a suitable religion for his people by organizing a kind of “tender” among representatives of different faiths. In the chronicle “The Tale of Bygone Years” by the ancient Russian chronicler Nestor it is said that during this survey, Vladimir renounced Islam, since it prohibits the consumption of alcohol, and said: “Rus' has joy in drinking, we cannot exist without it.” Since then, the expression “The joy of Rus' is drink”, which has become, as they would now say, a meme, has been used for self-justification by all those who like to “pawn it by the collar.”

It is also argued that Vladimir was persuaded to Christianity, or rather to Orthodoxy, by the splendor of the church service, which he was told about by the envoys he sent to Constantinople.

In fact, the baptism of Rus' was determined historically. Firstly, it was time to part with paganism and introduce a more progressive monotheistic religion, which corresponded to the principle of “one state, one prince, one God.” Secondly, all of Europe was already Christian, and Vladimir did not want to lag behind his “advanced” Western neighbors. And thirdly, Christianity became a serious incentive for the development of Rus', both political and cultural.

As we know from history, Vladimir propagated Christianity using rather harsh methods; thus, all the people of Kiev (and he ruled, as is known, in Kyiv) by order of the prince were literally driven by force to the Dnieper, where the rite of baptism was performed on the neophytes. Vladimir tried to spread Christianity beyond the borders of Kyiv; he actively built churches in conquered or built cities. Following Kiev, other cities began to accept Orthodoxy, but the entire process of the baptism of Rus' dragged on for several centuries - until Christianity finally supplanted pagan beliefs. However, in the so-called folk Christian tradition, echoes of paganism are still strong. This phenomenon is reflected in the still enduring folk Christian traditions and holidays.

Day of the Baptism of Kievan Rus in Ukraine

The day of remembrance of Vladimir, the baptizer of Rus', is also celebrated in Ukraine. There, the holiday, which is officially called “Day of the Baptism of Kievan Rus - Ukraine,” was established in 2008. The corresponding decree was signed on July 25, 2008 by the third President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko. The Day of the Baptism of Kievan Rus - Ukraine is also celebrated on July 28 and follows approximately the same scenario. However, the canonical connection between Orthodox Ukrainians and Russians is marred by a schism. The fact is that in Ukraine the leading role is now played by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP), which arose in 1992 as a result of the schismatic actions of the former primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Filareta (Denisenko) and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, supported by the leadership of Ukraine. Currently, the UOC-KP is not recognized by any of the canonical Orthodox churches.

Congratulations on the Day of the Baptism of Rus'

***
Orthodox people
Christening Day of Rus'
Today has arrived.
Rejoice that it's nice
The Lord blessed
Us and the sinful land.
Otherwise they would have been inconsolable.
Congratulations to everyone and everything,
God and the Russian land are with us!

***
Prince Vladimir baptized Rus',
He built temples everywhere.
Orthodox people
His feat will not be forgotten.
And since then we every year
We all go to the religious procession.

***
On the holiday, Rus''s Day of Epiphany
We want to wish you
To ensure that all the rituals
I managed to do it.

To believe humbly,
After all, everything in life is for a reason,
A blessing will descend
To you from the Lord Christ.

***
From the day of the baptism of Rus'
Many centuries have passed.
In the water of the Dnieper the people sanctified
Vladimir-Prince, that never happened.

But even to this day this ritual
People honor and respect him.
Baptizing babies, in their church
They also dip into the font.

We congratulate the Orthodox
With the emergence of a new era.
We will celebrate this holiday together.
We wish everyone love and faith.

The Day of the Baptism of Rus' is a holiday of all believers and representatives of the Supreme clergy.

Date of celebration.

The Day of the Baptism of Rus' is a state memorial date of the Russian Federation, legally established on May 31, 2010 in memory of the baptism of Rus', dated back to 988. Celebrated annually on July 28, as the day of remembrance of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, the baptizer of Rus' (July 15 according to the Julian calendar). Like all memorable dates in Russia, the Day of the Baptism of Rus' is not a day off.

The Day of the Baptism of Rus' is enshrined in the legislation of the Russian Federation “as a memorial date of an important historical event that had a significant impact on the social, spiritual and cultural development of the peoples of Russia and on the strengthening of Russian statehood.”

History of the holiday.

The event coincides with the Orthodox date - the day of remembrance of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir - the baptizer of Rus'. In the Russian Federation, the Russian Orthodox Church came up with the idea of establishing an official state holiday.

As the chronicles tell, in 986 embassies from different nations came to the prince in Kyiv, urging him to convert to their faith. First, the Volga Bulgarians of the Muslim faith came and praised Mohammed, then foreigners from Rome preached the Latin faith from the pope, and the Khazar Jews preached Judaism. The last to arrive, according to the chronicles, was a preacher sent from Byzantium, who told Vladimir about Orthodoxy. To understand whose faith is better, Prince Vladimir sent nine envoys to visit the countries from which the preachers came. Upon returning, the ambassadors spoke about the religious customs and rituals of these countries. They visited both the Muslim mosque of the Bulgarians and the Catholic Germans, but the patriarchal service in Constantinople (Constantinople) made the greatest impression on them.

However, Vladimir did not immediately accept Christianity. In 988, he captured Korsun (now the territory of the city of Sevastopol) and demanded Anna, the sister of the Byzantine emperors - co-rulers Vasily II and Constantine VIII, as his wife, threatening otherwise to go to Constantinople. The emperors agreed, demanding in turn that the prince be baptized so that his sister could marry a fellow believer. Having received Vladimir's consent, the brothers sent Anna to Korsun. There, in Korsun, Vladimir and his warriors were baptized by the bishop of Korsun, after which they performed the wedding ceremony. At baptism, Vladimir took the name Vasily, in honor of the ruling Byzantine emperor Vasily II.

Returning to Kyiv, accompanied by Korsun and Greek priests, Vladimir baptized his sons from his previous wives in a spring known in Kyiv as Khreshchatyk. Following them, many boyars were baptized.

Following Kiev, Christianity gradually came to other cities of Kievan Rus: Chernigov, Volyn, Polotsk, Turov, where dioceses were created. The baptism of Rus' as a whole dragged on for several centuries - in 1024 Yaroslav the Wise suppressed the uprising of the Magi in the Vladimir-Suzdal land (a similar uprising was repeated in 1071; at the same time in Novgorod the Magi opposed Prince Gleb), Rostov was baptized only at the end of the 11th century, and in Murom, pagan resistance to the new faith continued until the 12th century.

The Vyatichi tribe remained in paganism the longest of all the Slavic tribes. Their enlightener in the 12th century was the Monk Kuksha, a Pechersk monk who suffered martyrdom among them.

The adoption of a new, unified faith became a serious impetus for the unification of Russian lands.

The baptism of Rus' also determined the civilizational choice of Russia, which found its place between Europe and Asia and subsequently became the most powerful Eurasian power.

Celebration traditions.

Today, representatives of religious associations continue their educational activities. On July 28, 2018, on the Day of the Baptism of Rus', Orthodox holidays, prayer services, and cultural events are held in Russia and Ukraine, in which an increasing number of participants are involved. This suggests that people, tired of lack of spirituality, the results of the destruction of moral and moral foundations, need to revive the ideas of goodness and peace.

Orthodox celebrations were revered and loved on Russian soil. Before the revolution, they were celebrated at the state level. On such days, production and agricultural work was suspended, and a huge crowd of people flocked to church. Each of the holidays is overgrown with centuries-old rituals and traditions, which were carefully passed down from wise fathers and gray-haired grandfathers to their children and growing grandchildren. Recently celebrated on July 28, the Day of the Baptism of Rus' is not one of the glorified and well-known religious celebrations. That is why it is time to talk in more detail about this holiday.

Federal date

People do not remember historical milestones as much as they are interested in Christmas fortune-telling and Easter feasts. But it is necessary to know the significant stages of the formation of the Russian nation. In 2010, at the request of representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, then-current President D. A. Medvedev launched a new era. The Day of the Baptism of Rus' is July 28: the history of the holiday, which received state status, has begun its countdown. With the consent of representatives of other religious denominations, this celebration is classified as one of the significant memorial dates of federal significance. The impetus for such an event was the desire to pay tribute to the spiritual and cultural heritage of our ancestors.

Vladimir Svyatoslavich

The Baptism of Rus', as a significant and vibrant historical event, occurred in the 10th century. It is not possible to compile an exact chronology of those distant years, but the date of the celebration was not chosen by chance. And it is connected with the memory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. It is worth telling about what this extraordinary personality was so famous for, and why July 28 was proclaimed the Day of the Baptism of Rus'.

This figure in history is considered extremely controversial, but unique. On the one hand, popularly nicknamed the Red Sun, Prince Vladimir is a highly respected leader, and on the other hand, his character and actions are not always capable of arousing the sympathy and pride of his descendants. He could well have remained in history as a bloodthirsty, ferocious and unbridled politician, but due to a number of circumstances he became the one whom distant descendants remember on July 28 - the Day of the Baptism of Rus' - with a kind word.

Characteristics of a historical figure

If you believe the chronicles, Vladimir’s mother was a simple housekeeper Malusha, who received the attention of the Grand Duke of Kyiv. Therefore, being the heir of the powerful Svyatoslav Igorevich, the boy was taken to the capital at an early age. There, Voivode Dobrynya, better known to modern people not from history textbooks, but from folk tales and epics, took up his upbringing.

Possessing great ambitions, a remarkable intelligence and innate cunning, in order to clear his way to the throne, Vladimir stepped over his brother. Not disdaining his means, he conquered and obtained new lands by cunning, striving for sole power in the state. was an ardent pagan by upbringing and conviction. However, the Day of the Baptism of Rus', which took place in history on July 28, is associated with the will of this very colorful personality. After a trip to Byzantium, which took place in 988, Vladimir changed his faith himself, ordered his sons and squad, and then his people to do the same.

About the reasons for radical changes

Many historians believe that this event occurred for political reasons. One God was more suitable for a ruler whose goal was to unite the state from disparate principalities. And the worship of numerous idols only contributed to disunity between various groups on religious grounds.

But perhaps the Prince of Kiev really sincerely repented of his pagan past. Be that as it may, since then its people have been considered an Orthodox nation. Although the echoes of idolatry were not forgotten for a long time, making themselves felt right up to the present times, despite the fact that the Day of the Baptism of Rus', celebrated on July 28, marked more than a thousand years of the history of Christianity.

Events of chronicles and traditions

The baptism of our ancestors was carried out en masse in the waters of the Dnieper and some other rivers, and not always with their voluntary consent. However, centuries later, to summarize, it is possible to conclude that this measure was a huge step forward in the advancement of Rus' on the world stage in political and cultural terms, and turned out to be an impetus for the development of sciences, arts, writing and architecture. Christianity sanctified family ties, and somewhat later greatly strengthened the state’s ties with enlightened Europe.

Strictly speaking, July 28 - the baptism of Rus' - falls on the 15th day of the specified month according to the Julian calendar. At this time, from time immemorial it was customary to honor the memory of St. Vladimir. And so it remained until 1918, but the post-revolutionary government abolished the old principles, introducing a new Gregorian counting of dates and months. The specified religious holiday was forgotten. And the epoch-making date of the change in the ancient Slavic pagan faith was obscured by other historical events, which at that time seemed more important. But the church ministers continued to honor the old traditions. And in the 21st century, the events described were remembered and talked about again.

Epochal historical milestone and modernity

The transition of the ancient Slavic peoples from pagan customs to the covenants of Christ is now celebrated not only in Russia, but also on the territory of Belarus and Ukraine. The solemn date on the Day of the Baptism of Rus' - July 28 - is marked by a variety of events: church, educational and cultural. Among them, the now memorable ones are: the religious procession, mass baptisms, the Divine Liturgy and the ringing of bells. The young holiday is becoming increasingly famous, strengthening in the public consciousness the idea of the origins of our religious culture and the traditions of our ancestors. It is also quite possible that this date will soon become a warm family celebration and acquire its own traditions.