Vladimir Svyatoslavich went down in history as the initiator of the baptism of Rus'. This event largely predetermined the fate of the country and had a fundamental impact on its culture. This article is devoted to the biographies of the prince, his sins, mistakes, as well as political, diplomatic and military achievements.
A family
The father of Prince Vladimir was the famous commander and at that time the ruler of Kyiv Svyatoslav Igorevich. The latter was the only son of Igor Rurikovich and Princess Olga, who was the first Russian ruler to accept Christianity.
Vladimir's mother, Malusha, was the housekeeper and alms giver to Princess Olga. She yielded to the claims of Svyatoslav, who was married to the Ugric princess Predslava and had two sons from her - Yaropolk and Oleg.
Olga, angry at Malusha, who had conceived a son in sin, sent her to the village of Budyatino. When the boy was 3-4 years old, he was returned to Kyiv without his mother. There he was under the care of his grandmother Olga, since pagan laws accepted him as a princely heir. In addition, Vladimir was taken care of by his maternal uncle Dobrynya, who was the Kyiv governor.
strife between brothers
When the sons grew up, Svyatoslav, who had previously been more interested in military campaigns than in affairs in the lands subject to him, distributed them to his sons. As a result, Yaropolk received Kyiv, Oleg got the land of the Drevlyans, and Vladimir Svyatoslavich was sent as governor to Novgorod.
After the death of his father in 972 in a battle with the Pechenegs, his heirs became full rulers in their principalities. However, peaceful life soon came to an end.
For a minor reason, Oleg killed Yaropolk's comrade-in-arms. He was furious and, at the instigation of the Varangian governor Sveneld - the father of the slain warrior - decided to take away the Drevlyansky lands from his brother. A battle took place in which Oleg was crushed to death by his own retreating warriors. Having become the ruler not only of Kyiv, but also of the Drevlyane lands, Yaropolk decided to remove Vladimir from the road, especially since he always considered him the son of a slave and put him below himself.
Flight and return
Realizing the danger threatening him, Vladimir Svyatoslavich went "over the sea", to the Varangians in Scandinavia. So Yaropolk began to single-handedly rule Russia.
Meanwhile, Vladimir was preparing to return to his fiefdom. In 978, together with the army, in which the majority were Varangian warriors, he was able to recapture Novgorod and set off to conquer the lands of the Drevlyans. The local population, grieving for the murdered Oleg, greeted the new prince with delight.
Matchmaking
Heading to Kyiv, Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich wooed the Polotsk princess Rogneda. The girl said that she did not want to be the wife of the son of a slave, and ridiculed him in front of all the people. Then the offended Vladimir laid siege to Polotsk. Having destroyed the city, the prince raped the failed bride in front of her parents, and then ordered them to be killed. He made Rogneda himself his wife against her will.
Seizure of power
For the final victory over his brother, Vladimir Svyatoslavich went to bribery. He managed to attract to his side the voivode Blud Ivechey, who persuaded Prince Yaropolk to leave Kyiv and fortify himself in the fortress of Roden. Soon the army of Vladimir arrived there and began the siege. The defenders of the fortress had a hard time. Yaropolk was forced to agree to negotiations. However, his brother set a trap for him and killed him from an ambush. In Rodin, Vladimir liked the pregnant wife of his brother - a former Greek nun. Shortly thereafter, the woman gave birth to a son, Svyatopolk, whom the prince raised as his own.
Ascension to the throne of Kyiv
The warriors of Yaropolk came under the command of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich. Thus, he formed a fairly large army. Vladimir understood that it was time for him to part with the Varangian mercenaries, since he did not want the sack of Kyiv. Before heading there, the prince sent the rest to Constantinople, to serve the Byzantine emperor, promising "mountains of gold." The deal was successful for both sides, since Constantinople needed soldiers to protect themselves from external and internal enemies.
Consolidation of power
In order to give legitimacy to his rule, Vladimir Svyatoslavovich decided to enlist the support of the priests. Paganism was to his liking, as it justified polygamy and did not blame for the presence of a huge number of concubines.
To appease the idols, the prince built a temple in his capital. Rites and sacrifices were regularly held there. Vladimir Svyatoslavich ordered the main idol Perun to give the features of himself.
The people were impressed by the worship of the prince to the traditional gods, so they treated the new ruler well. In addition, the first 10 years of the reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavich were marked by numerous victories over warlike neighbors, especially in the west, which helped to strengthen the borders and allowed the population not to be afraid of raids.
In search of a new unifying ideology
The pantheon of gods among the various tribes that inhabited the possessions of Vladimir was quite diverse, so paganism prevented the formation of a powerful unitary state. Being a far-sighted politician, the prince understood that the country needed a more advanced religion. Then his attention was attracted by Christianity, especially since its adherents were becoming more and more every day, including among the nobles. Suffice it to say that Vladimir Svyatoslavich's grandmother professed this religion. During his childhood, spent at the court of Princess Olga, he probably had the opportunity to observe how the Kyiv Christians performed their rites. In addition, the prince, most likely, could have some idea about the salvation of the soul and the resurrection after the Day of Judgment.
Important for Vladimir was the political aspect of choosing Christianity as the state religion, which promised the strengthening of allied relations with Byzantium.
Historical evidence of how and when Vladimir Svyatoslavich was baptized
Oddly enough, no reliable records of contemporaries dedicated to this important event have been found. In this regard, the testimony of the Armenian chronicler Stepanos (Stephan) of Taron is especially valuable. He lived at the same time as the prince and was engaged in the creation of the "Universal History" precisely at the time when Vladimir was choosing a new religion for his state.
In his work, Stepanos described the events that took place from 885 to 1004. Recalling the events that took place in the year 1000, he writes about 6,000 foot troops of the Ruzes, who were in Armenia. According to him, these were soldiers who arrived at the request of Emperor Basil. According to Stepanos, this happened when the latter gave his sister in marriage to Vladimir. In the same place we read that this event coincided with how the Ruzes believed in Christ.
As for other sources, they confirm the testimony of Stepanos, but provide more detailed information.
In particular, many chroniclers indicate that Vladimir decided to marry Anna, the sister of the Byzantine emperors. They agreed, demanding military assistance in the fight against the rebel Varda Foka. The princess herself opposed the decision of the brothers, but later agreed to become the wife of the Russian prince if he converted to Christianity. The most reliable information about this event is reported by the Syrian historian of the 11th century, Yahya of Antioch.
Capture of Korsun and baptism
The version that Vladimir captured Korsun and threatened to do the same with Constantinople if Anna was not given to him cannot be considered valid. It is proved that at that time Russian soldiers already helped Vasily II in the fight against internal enemies. Most likely, military support was provided to the Byzantines in exchange for consent to the marriage between Vladimir and Anna.
According to legend, the wedding flotilla with the princess arrived in Korsun. However, the prince refused to be baptized. The Lord punished him for breaking this word, and Vladimir became blind. Anna persuaded him not to resist, and during the ceremony, the sight returned to the prince. On Vladimir, who took Christian name Basil, God's grace descended. He ordered the boyars and squad to follow his example, and then married Princess Anna.
Baptism of Rus'
Returning to Kyiv, Vladimir Svyatoslavich (date of birth - about 960, date of death - July 15, 1015) first ordered his sons to be baptized. Then the prince gathered the inhabitants of the city on the banks of the Dnieper. By his order, a mass baptism took place, which no one dared to resist.
To strengthen the new faith, Vladimir ordered the erection of a temple of the Most Holy Theotokos and giving a tenth of all state income to the church.
To convert the inhabitants of other cities to Christianity, the prince called priests and educators from Greece. For the training of local clergy, special educational establishments. In addition, a church charter was published, called the Pilot's Book, and on Mount Athos, Vladimir purchased a skete for Russian monks. Mass construction of churches began in all corners of the state.
Domestic and foreign policy
Under Vladimir Svyatoslavich, the first Russian coins of gold and silver were minted. To protect the state, he built several fortress cities and appointed his sons as rulers in them.
In the last decade of his life, he almost did not make aggressive campaigns and periodically took up arms only to repel the endless raids of the Pechenegs.
Sons of Vladimir Svyatoslavich
As already mentioned, the prince was a famous voluptuary and had a large number of wives and concubines. Having adopted Christianity, he abandoned them and began to live only with Anna, recognizing her as his only wife before God.
However, Vladimir's family idyll was overshadowed by the strife of the children. The prince had 12 sons, each of whom owned their own lands. Vladimir's favorites were Boris and Gleb, born to the Bulgarian Milolika. Towards the end of his life, the prince decided to bequeath the throne to Boris, arousing the indignation of Svyatopolk and Yaroslav, who hoped to inherit him by birthright.
The unexpected death of Vladimir in 1015 led the senior heirs to decide to usurp the throne. Svyatopolk seized power in Kyiv, but realizing that the people were on the side of Boris and Gleb, he ordered them to be killed. His next victim was brother Svyatoslav. Yaroslav, who took the throne, was able to stop the crimes of Svyatopolk.
Memory
For the greatest merits Vladimir Svyatoslavich (reigned: 978-1015) in the creation of the Russian state was canonized by the Orthodox Church as a saint. In addition, he is revered by Catholics, as he lived before the Ecumenical schism.
Every year on July 15 in Russia and in many other countries the day of his memory is celebrated. In Moscow, Kyiv, Sevastopol, Belgorod and other St. Monuments were erected to Vladimir, and a temple was built in his honor on the territory of Chersonese.
Now you know the biography of Vladimir Svyatoslavich. Modern man it is difficult to understand many of his actions. However, it cannot be denied that it was he who laid the foundations of Russian statehood and united the nation.
On July 28, the Orthodox remember the great deeds of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and honor his blessed memory. An epochal event is connected with the name of Vladimir, which became the most significant in the formation of the Christian faith in Rus' - the Baptism of Rus'. It was he who became the progenitor of the Russian state as an Orthodox state, it was his life and worldview that transformed the spiritual history of Rus', its further development, as well as political and diplomatic relations with other countries and internal state self-determination.
Since 2010, this date has been officially assigned the status of the Day of the Baptism of Rus'. The Day of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, whom the people called Vladimir the Red Sun, harmoniously combines the holiday of Orthodoxy, culture and the state.
On Saint Vladimir's Day,
I want to congratulate you.
May the heavenly patron
Won't leave you for an hour.
Gives peace, health, joy,
Protects from troubles, insults.
And the flow of light energies,
Let it be open for you.
With the great day of Vladimir,
Congratulations,
And joy, prosperity,
We sincerely wish.
Let sorrows, bad weather, -
Walk away,
Success and only happiness
Yours keeps you calm.
Health, we wish
Love and warmth
And the most cherished -
Let dreams come true!
Congratulations on the Day of Vladimir. I wish that the guardian angel is with you always and everywhere, so that you, Volodya, submit to any peak and any depth. I wish you health and love, brave Vladimir, as well as eternal courage of the heart, harmony of the soul and happiness of life.
I am you, Volodya, today
Congratulations from the bottom of my heart.
Celebrating birthdays
May the days be good.
May your heavenly intercessor
Help in difficult times.
May you sorrow and sadness
Never gnaws.
At Saint Vladimir
Ask for health.
Life is full let there be peace
Kindness and love.
Happy Prince Vladimir Day! May this date
Add fun to the good life.
And the soul will become rich in kindness.
To do this, just smile now!
May the angel keep from adversity and grief,
The Lord helps, giving hope.
So that happiness is careless and mischievous
Shine like a star always for you!
Congratulations on Vladimir's Day
All Slavic people
After all, once Prince Vladimir
He gave us Christianity.
Still standing with a cross
On the Dnieper steep,
Protects his people
Mighty faith.
I wish everyone on this day
I am good and strong
To faith in Christ
Saved our world.
Saint Vladimir is your protector
Let him show you the way.
To the world, casting aside all doubts,
Allows you to take a look.
May this day give hope
Joy, fulfillment of a dream.
Life will be better than before.
Let everything be as you want.
Pride in the name of Vladimir,
Power over the world and destiny.
You will be joyful, beloved,
Angel next to you!
May he give you success
Quiet wisdom comfort!
And health will be strong
Let all sorrows go away.
You own the world, Vladimir.
And so, the Day of the angel has come.
Through life on your own
So that you get all the blessings!
I want to be you, Volodya,
Just as strong and cool
Let the money come to you
And your path will be golden.
I want to meet the princess
The one you deserve!
Let fate caress you
And all dreams come true!
Prince Vladimir red sun
A foreign land will not become a homeland.
Goethe Johann Wolfgang
Prince Vladimir the Red Sun, that is what the people of this ruler called, was born in 948. Even during the life of his father, Svyatoslav, Vladimir ruled Novgorod. In this city, the glorious deeds of the young ruler, who was loved by the people, began.
Beginning of the reign
In 980, the prince became the full ruler of all Kievan Rus. This happened as a result of the first internecine war in the history of Russia between the heirs of Prince Svyatoslav. The people respected and loved this man. His services to Russia are difficult to overestimate. As a result of the policy that accompanied the reign of this man, the people began to call him only the Great. For services to the church, he was awarded the title "equal to the apostle."
At the beginning of his reign, Vladimir, the red sun, was religiously directed to paganism, because he himself was a convinced pagan. Having come to power, this ruler even ordered to put new idols in the center of Kyiv Slavic God Thunder - Perun. He also had five wives, who bore him twelve sons and several daughters. Trying to share power between his sons, Vladimir makes each of them the head of one of the twelve largest cities of Kievan Rus. With this decision, he actually began the division of the country, as well as the prerequisites for new internecine wars.
Military campaigns
In 981 Prince "Krasno Solnyshko" went on a campaign against Volhynia, which was under the yoke of the Poles. As a result of this military campaign, the cities of Cherven and Przemysl were annexed to the possessions of Kievan Rus. In addition, in order to strengthen his own influence in this region, the winner lays the foundation for the city, which was named Vladimir-Volynsky. This campaign began numerous wars to strengthen and expand the borders of their own state. In 981 there were new campaigns, this time against the Vyatichi. Twice during the years the squad of Kievan Rus was put forward on the offensive, until a victory was won. The following year was marked by campaigns against the Yotvingians, who submitted to Rus' and pledged to pay tribute to Kyiv. After that, it was the turn of another permanent enemy - the Volga Bulgaria. As a result of this campaign, a peace agreement was signed between the Bulgars and the Russians. A little later, the Volga Bulgaria was conquered by the Golden Horde and became part of it. Batu Khan became the conqueror of the Bulgars. To collect tribute in this region, the city of Kazan was later built. In 982, Prince Vladimir went to the Carpathians, where he managed to conquer the Croat tribes.
Baptism of Rus'
One of the main decisions of Vladimir, as the prince of Rus', was the decision to be baptized himself and to baptize all of Kievan Rus. The reign of the prince was majestic. He won many glorious victories, which allowed him to feel his own superiority and the superiority of his country over its neighbors. Therefore, he did not want to ask the ruler of Byzantium for baptism. The plan was different - to conquer Byzantium and, as the winner, to accept Christianity. Thus began a new military campaign, this time against Byzantium. In 988, having gathered an army, Vladimir set off along the Dnieper to the Byzantine city of Chersonesus, located in the Crimea. Russian ships surrounded the city, setting up a naval blockade. The troops landed on the shore and prepared for the assault. The inhabitants of Chersonesus did not interfere with the landing, because they were confident in the impregnability of the city. Russian troops attacked the fortress twice, but to no avail. Then the long siege of the city began. One day, an arrow fell at Vladimir's feet, apparently fired from a besieged city. A parchment was attached to the arrow, which said that not far from the camp there was a well that fed the people of Kherson with water. After that, according to the chroniclers, Prince Vladimir said: “If it comes true, I will be baptized!” He ordered to dig in the indicated place. The pipe was found and destroyed. Thirst forced the inhabitants of Chersonese to surrender, which allowed Rus to capture the city.
After the capture of Chersonese, Vladimir sent a message to Byzantium that he wanted to marry the emperor's sister Anna. The Byzantines gave the go-ahead, but only if the Russian prince converted to Christianity. Then Prince Vladimir announced his desire to be baptized. Together with Vladimir, all Rus' was baptized. Prince Vladimir died in 1015.
Vladimir Svyatoslavich the Great Saint
Reign: 980-1015
Years of life: 947-1015
The Grand Duke of Kyiv, a political and religious figure who went down in the history of Orthodoxy as an "Equal to the Apostles" prince; gave Christianity in Rus' the status of a state religion. Also known as the "Baptist of Rus'".
Prince Vladimir the Great - biography
The son of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Svyatoslav I Igorevich, who, when dividing his principality, installed Vladimir to reign in Novgorod at the request of the Novgorodians in 969. According to legend, Vladimir's mother is the housekeeper of Princess Olga Malusha.
During the internecine war between the two older brothers Yaropolk and Oleg, which ended in the death of Oleg, Vladimir was frightened by the lust for power of his older brother and fled "over the sea" to the Varangians. He returned in 980, at the head of the Varangian squad in order to return the lost. He fulfilled his task: having taken Kyiv, he lured Yaropolk out of it with the help of the traitor Yaropolk for negotiations and killed him.
Kyiv prince Vladimir the Great
Strengthening his power with the help of the Varangians, he subordinated to Kyiv the Vyatichi, Radimichi and Yatvingians (tribes that lived in the west of present-day Belarus). For a more successful opposition to the nomads (Pechenegs, etc.), he built fortresses and earthen ramparts on the southern borders: along the Desna, Irpen, Osetra, Sula, Trubezh rivers. Chronicles emphasize the militancy and cruelty of Vladimir the pagan, who did not shy away from human sacrifices.
In 995, Vladimir with an army was forced to flee from the Pechenegs near Vasiliev; in 997, when Vladimir went to Novgorod to gather an army, the Pechenegs attacked Belgorod (the city was saved by a miracle). Fought with the Volga Bulgaria. His wars with Byzantium and Poland are also known (campaign of 992).
It was Vladimir who founded the first schools in Rus' for teaching literacy, but this was already done under the influence of Christianity and in order to be able to train his own, Russian priests.
Vladimir the Great - years of reign
Most of all, Vladimir became famous for the fact that he baptized Rus', that is, precisely 
on his orders, many people converted to the Christian faith. By birth and upbringing, he was a pagan. When he defeated his brother Yaropolk and began to reign in Kyiv, he first ordered the construction of a temple of the most important pagan gods in the city, including the god Perun.
Gradually, it turned out that the interests of the state required the adoption by all of one faith, a faith that could unite disparate tribes into one people in order to stand together against enemies and earn the respect of allies. But the peoples who lived around Rus' prayed different gods Muslims to Allah, Jews to Jehovah, Christians to the Christian God. And although they all recognized only one true god, the rites and laws of all of them were different.
Therefore, it was very difficult to choose one of the faiths. According to legend, in 986 he received ambassadors from Volga Bulgaria, Rome, from the Khazars and Greeks, who offered him to accept, respectively, the Muslim, “Latin” (Western Christian), Jewish or “Greek” (Eastern Christian) faith.
After listening to everyone, including the Greek "philosopher", he next year sent his own envoys to test different religions and was captivated by the famous story of those who visited Byzantium, fascinated by the "heavenly" beauty of the divine service there (in passing, the boyars and elders reminded the prince of the Christian choice of "grandmother his Olga, the wisest of all men").
Christian Rus' under Vladimir the Great
Then he made the final decision, which, according to another, more political and pragmatic version, was due to the "Korsun issue", i.e. campaign against Byzantium (aggressive or allied, associated with the suppression of the local uprising of the commander Phocas), as a result of which Vladimir converted to Christianity, taking the Byzantine princess Anna, the sister of Emperor Basil II, as his wife.
In 988 Vladimir took Kherson (Korsun). The baptism of the prince took place in 987/989 precisely in Kherson, while he adopted the new name of Vasily, in honor of the emperor as his absentee successor. (In church tradition, 988 is accepted for the year of baptism.) Returning to Rus', the prince brought with him Greek priests, liturgical books and utensils.
Baptisms in Kyiv took on a mass character, pagan idols were destroyed, the first Christian churches were erected (the wooden church of St. Basil and the stone one, Tithes, in honor of the Virgin; the latter was consecrated in 996). Finally, in the same years, a special Kyiv Metropolis of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and a number of other bishoprics (Belgorod, Novgorod, Polotsk, etc.) were established.
According to the chronicles, after accepting the new faith, Vladimir's character changed: filled with goodwill, he became famous for his charity work and now refused to execute even criminals, preferring to take a fine (vira) from them. This did not prevent him, a skilled strategist, from successfully defending himself against the Pechenegs (populating the southern borders for this purpose) and opposing Poland in Galicia.
With a large number of wives and concubines, Vladimir had many children. History mentions the following sons: Vysheslav, Izyaslav, Yaroslav, Vsevolod, Svyatoslav, Stanislav, Pozvizd, Boris, Gleb, Mstislav, Sudislav and Svyatopolk.
In 995, Vladimir divided Rus' into appanages and gave them to management. 
sons. Historians believe that this was the biggest mistake of all, which subsequently led to the fragmentation of Rus' into separate principalities and civil strife.
Vladimir decided to go on a campaign against Novgorod in order to punish the recalcitrant son of Yaroslav, the local prince, but he died in his suburban village of Berestov (near Kyiv) on July 15, 1015 and was buried in the tithe church in Kyiv.
Favorite hero of folk epics, "Vladimir the Red Sun about"was canonized as Holy Grand Duke Vladimir. Church memory is celebrated on the day of his death on July 15 (28).
In 2017, a grandiose historical film "Viking" was released on the screens of Russia. It was dedicated to the Grand Duke.
The personality in the history of Russia is exceptional, fateful, cornerstone. Through him, the Lord showed Rus' great happiness - the Orthodox faith, and the prince himself, having accepted Christ with all his heart, courageously led the peoples who inhabited ancient Rus' to the light of God.
Vladimir is called Equal-to-the-Apostles, because the deed done by him equates him with the holy apostles, who enlightened various lands with the faith of Christ. According to the significance of his deeds, he is called the Great and so is commemorated in temples. He is also called Vladimir the Baptist for the large-scale action that, at his command, took place in the waters of the Dnieper. Ordinary people called him the Red Sun for the light of goodness and the warmth of mercy shown to him after receiving Baptism. And there was no other such person in Rus' who so decisively and radically influenced the entire subsequent history of our Fatherland.
Vladimir was born around 960 A.D. His mother was the housekeeper Malusha, who faithfully served. Who is the key? This is the one that had the keys to all the doors, that is, she was in charge of the princess's extensive household and, of course, enjoyed great influence in the princely court. At the same time, she remained a slave. The marriage of the prince with her, although it was permissible according to the customs of that time, could in no way be considered equal. Chronicles say that Olga, angry for some reason with her housekeeper, exiled her to the remote village of Bududino near Pskov. There is an assumption that Malusha was a Christian, like Princess Olga herself; she performed the duty of a benefactor, that is, she distributed alms out of the Christian motives of the princess, but she violated the commandment “do not commit adultery” with Svyatoslav, which caused the wrath of his mother. One way or another, but the fate of God came true, and the future great saint, Prince Vladimir the Great, was born in the distant Bududino.
The father of Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir was the warlike prince Svyatoslav († 972) - the first Russian prince known to us with Slavic name. The son of Igor, he was an example of valor and courage, spent time in military campaigns, thinking about strengthening the greatness and glory of Rus'. Unfortunately, with many military and state merits, Svyatoslav was opposed to Christianity. So it was impossible to baptize his children, even though they lived at the court of their grandmother, Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga. Vladimir was directly educated by his uncle Dobrynya - according to the customs ancient Rus' the upbringing of the heir was entrusted to senior combatants experienced in military and state affairs.
As a child Vladimir became Prince of Novgorod
In 969, Svyatoslav went on a campaign, from which he was never destined to return: on the way back he was ambushed by the Pechenegs and was killed. But before the campaign, Svyatoslav managed to divide the Russian land between his three sons. Kyiv went to the eldest son Yaropolk, the Drevlyane land - to Oleg, but with Vladimir there was such a story. Novgorodians came to Kyiv at that time and asked to send the prince to them. Svyatoslav asked them mockingly: “About who went to you?” - that is, does anyone want to go to you? And then the Novgorodians, on the advice of Dobrynya, asked Vladimir to reign. Svyatoslav agreed. So Vladimir, still a child, became a prince of Novgorod and began his path as a ruler, who subsequently decisively influenced the fate of the people. Vladimir's mentor in Novgorod was his uncle, voivode Dobrynya.
The death of Svyatoslav in 972 turned historical events in the most unexpected way. The sons began to reign independently, but the triarchy could not continue for a long time, the clouds were already gathering over the relationship of the brother rulers. In 977, an internecine war broke out between Yaropolk and his brothers.
Oleg was defeated by Yaropolk and, retreating, was crushed in a ditch by falling horses. Having learned about the death of his brother, young Vladimir fled "over the sea" - to the Varangians, to the fatherland of his ancestors, and Novgorod went to Yaropolk. It seemed that Vladimir had left the historical scene forever - and Rus' would not see Christian Baptism. To flee from one's native Fatherland meant, first of all, to save one's own life, feeling unsustainable at home. In foreign lands, the fate of the Russian prince could be decided in the most sad way. But the life path of people is included in, and often the Lord leads a person to glorious deeds through initial humiliation. Vladimir was already growing up, he was able to show extraordinary organizational skills in Scandinavia, together with his uncle Dobrynya, he managed to recruit an army, find the support he needed, and soon the young prince returned, having managed to take possession of Novgorod.
A war broke out between Vladimir and Yaropolk. A lot of cruelty was manifested by the pagan army, and Vladimir himself at that time was not distinguished by generosity. It was impossible to see a future Christian in him. So, Vladimir captured the city of Polotsk, which supported Yaropolk, inhumanly humiliated and killed the family of the ruler of the city, Prince Rogvolod. Shortly before this, the daughter of the Polotsk prince Rogneda proudly rejected Vladimir's offer to become his wife. “I don’t want to marry the son of a slave,” she said about the origin of Vladimir from the housekeeper. The insult turned into cruel retribution: on the advice of Dobrynya, Vladimir dishonored Rogneda in front of her parents, and then killed her father and two brothers. Rogneda, previously married to Yaropolk, was forcibly taken by Vladimir as his wife.
Often it is impossible to understand the Providence of God. The Lord allows one to fall into the depths of evil, so that later the appeal to Him would be stronger. As he said, “when sin increased, grace began to abound more” (Rom. 5:20), and the power of God is manifested in the fact that the sincere confessor of Christianity becomes the one about whom, humanly, it was impossible to think of this.
Meanwhile, success in the war accompanied Vladimir. Soon he laid siege to Kyiv, where Yaropolk locked himself. Not showing the necessary determination in time, Yaropolk let go of the initiative; in addition, Vladimir was able to bribe his governor with the eloquent name of Fornication. It was this Fornication that played a deplorable role in the fate of the prince: he provoked a rebellion of local residents in Kyiv. Judging by the annalistic data, it was Yaropolk who provided the Christians in Kyiv with many benefits and rights, which caused discontent among the majority of the population. Yaropolk lost the support of the people of Kiev, and the governor Blud persuaded the prince to flee to the small town of Roden. He also convinced Yaropolk that he should negotiate with Vladimir. As soon as Yaropolk, believing his brother, entered Vladimir's chambers, Fornication promptly closed the doors behind him, and two Varangians raised Yaropolk on swords "under their bosoms." So Vladimir the pagan went to outright fratricide, and took Yaropolk's pregnant wife, a former Greek nun, as his concubine.
To understand the power of the subsequent change, it is necessary to know what a fierce pagan Vladimir was before.
With such atrocities began the Kiev reign of Vladimir (978). Indeed, in order to understand the power of the subsequent change, it is necessary to know what a fierce pagan Vladimir was in the first years of his reign. He was cruel and vindictive, the chroniclers do not spare black colors, depicting Vladimir before the adoption of Christianity.
The young prince indulged in a stormy sensual life, and his womanly love was captured in The Tale of Bygone Years: “Vladimir was defeated by lust, and he had wives ... and he had 300 concubines in Vyshgorod, 300 in Belgorod and 200 in Berestovo, in the village , which is now called Berestovoye. And he was insatiable in fornication, bringing to himself married women and corrupting girls." Most likely, the quantitative characteristics are an exaggeration, but Vladimir had five wives at that time: Rogneda, whom he publicly dishonored (the mother of Izyaslav, Yaroslav the Wise and Vsevolod), a Greek woman - the widow of the murdered Yaropolk, who was formerly a nun and brought to Kyiv by Prince Svyatoslav, struck by her beauty (from her was born Svyatopolk the Accursed), a certain Bulgarian woman (mother of saints Boris and Gleb) and two Czech women (one is the mother of the first-born Vladimir Vysheslav, and the other is the mother of Svyatoslav and Mstislav). There were sons from other women, in particular Stanislav, Sudislav and Pozvizd.
Vladimir acted as an ardent opponent of Christianity and a convinced pagan. At the same time, it is believed that the prince took measures to reform the pagan cult. At that time, the prince thought that it was possible to consolidate the Old Russian state, scattered by tribes with separate gods, around a single cult common to all. He saw the unsatisfactoriness of the established pagan religion, but believed that its authority could be increased through reforms. So, by the will of Vladimir in Kyiv, the pagan temple was moved outside the princely court and the service became a public state event, and not a private or dynastic one. A whole pantheon was built on a hill near the palace of Vladimir - statues of Perun, Khors, Dazhdbog, Stribog, Semargl and Mokosh were placed. These were the six main gods of Slavic paganism, solemn sacrifices were established for them, and Perun was recognized as the main deity. “And people worshiped them, calling them gods, and brought their sons and daughters, and sacrificed to demons ... And the Russian land and that hill were defiled with blood,” the chronicle says. Similar actions were taken in other cities. So the prince believed that the introduction of a single cult throughout the country with a single main god Perun would personify the unity of the state, the supremacy of Kyiv and Kyiv prince.
Since the former Prince Yaropolk sympathized with Christianity, Vladimir began to fight against the Christian faith. It is known that the ancient Rus from time to time practiced human sacrifice, for which they killed captured prisoners, but lots could also be thrown to select a victim. In 983, after a successful campaign against the Yotvingians, Prince Vladimir decided to make a sacrifice to idols on Perunov Hill. The lot fell on the court of the Varangian Christian Theodore, and the pagans demanded that his son John be given to them for sacrifice. Theodore refused. “You don't have gods,” he said, “but a tree; today they are, but tomorrow they will rot ... God is one, Who created heaven and earth, the stars and the moon, and the sun, and man ... ”The furious pagans burst into the courtyard, cut down the canopy on which Theodore and John stood, and so killed them. These two Vikings became the first martyrs in Rus' for the faith of Christ. And apparently, their dying words, conveyed to Prince Vladimir, their fearlessness in the face of death with the confession of the true God made a strong impression on him.
For his native land, he was a zealous master who expanded and defended its borders.
But, of course, black colors should not be thickened excessively. Vladimir was, no doubt, and before the Baptism of the Grand Duke. For his native land, he became a zealous master who expanded and defended its borders. He fought with the Polish prince Meshko I for the border Cherven Rus and was able to annex a number of territories to his native land. It was Vladimir who first annexed the territory of the Vyatichi to the Old Russian state, and also conquered the Radimichi and the Balto-Lithuanian Yatving tribe. He defeated the Bulgars and imposed tribute on Khazaria. The prince “pasted his land with truth, courage and reason,” the chronicle says about him, and returning from a campaign, he arranged generous and cheerful feasts for the squad and for all of Kyiv.
But no feasts and victories could satisfy the anguish of the heart. The soul had no rest with external glory and achievements. Everything seemed to be there, but something most important was missing. But the soul lacks a meeting with God, whose grace saturates the depths of the human spirit. The calling of a person to Christ is always mysterious and incomprehensible to the human mind. This vocation is often made in spite of the prevailing circumstances and way of life. This is the action of the Providence of God, in which the human heart suddenly responds to the caller.
Prince Vladimir's choice of the faith of Christ was just such a response to God's call, and just as the once persecutor of Christians Saul became the supreme apostle Paul, so the pagan Vladimir became an Equal-to-the-Apostles prince who called hundreds of thousands of people to faith. The prince, of course, took a considerable risk, giving preference to a faith that was not adhered to by a significant part of the population. The pagans could react to such an election very harshly, bloodily. But the prince still went for it.
Paganism could not give a rod public life
This step was due to both the personal religious quest of the prince, and a number of political reasons. Primitive Slavic paganism was significantly inferior to the more developed religions of neighboring peoples. Rus' was already entering into interaction with the Christian powers, and the religious lag was evident. In addition, Rus' ceased to be the former military federation of separate tribes, where everyone prayed to their gods, turned into a single state. Unlike Christianity, paganism could not provide the core of state life, consolidating and uniting the people.
In the interests of the Fatherland and the state, it was necessary to adopt one faith, one that would unite disparate tribes into one people, and this would help to resist enemies together and earn the respect of allies. The clever prince understood this, but how, while still a pagan, was it possible to figure out which faith was true? The peoples who lived around Rus' seemed to profess monotheism, but had radically different religions, respectively - and different rituals and rules of life.
The rumor that the prince was dissatisfied with the pagan faith and was thinking about changing it quickly spread. Neighboring countries were interested in Rus' accepting their faith. The Tale of Bygone Years tells that in 986 ambassadors began to come to the prince with a proposal to accept their religion. The first came the Volga Bulgars, who professed Islam. “Prince,” they said, “you seem to be wise and strong, but you do not know the true law; believe in Mohammed and worship him." Having asked about their law and heard about the circumcision of babies, the ban on eating pork and drinking wine, the prince renounced Islam.
Then the German Catholics came and declared: “We were sent to you from the pope, who ordered to tell you:“ Our faith is the true light ”...” But Vladimir replied: “Go back, because our fathers did not accept this.” Indeed, back in 962, the German emperor sent a bishop and priests to Kyiv, but they were not accepted in Rus' and "barely escaped."
After that came the Khazar Jews. They believed that since the two previous missions had failed, it meant that not only Islam, but also Christianity was rejected in Rus', therefore, Judaism remained. “We heard,” they turned to the prince, “that Mohammedan Bulgarians and Catholic Germans came to you and instructed you in their faith; but know that Christians believe in Him Whom our fathers once crucified, while we believe in the one God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” After listening to the Jews about their law and rules of life, Vladimir asked: “Tell me, where is your homeland?” To this, the Jews honestly answered: “Our homeland is in Jerusalem, but God, angry with our fathers, scattered us to different countries, and gave our land to the power of Christians.” Vladimir drew the correct conclusion: “If so, how do you teach others when you yourself are rejected by God? If God had been pleased with your law, He would not have scattered you into foreign lands. Or do you want us to suffer the same fate? So the Jews left.
Struck by the story of the Last Judgment, the prince said: “Good for those who stand to the right, and woe to those who stand to the left.”
After that, a Greek philosopher appeared in Kyiv. History has not preserved his name, but it was he who, with his speech on Orthodoxy, was able to make the strongest impression on Prince Vladimir. The philosopher told the prince about the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, about heaven and hell, about the mistakes and errors of other faiths. In conclusion, he showed a picture of the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment. Struck by this picture, the Grand Duke said: "Good for those who stand to the right, and woe to those who stand to the left." The philosopher answered this: "If you want to stand on the right side, then be baptized."
And although Prince Vladimir did not make a final decision, he seriously thought about it. He knew that there were more and more Christians both in the squad and in the city, he remembered the fearlessness of Saints Theodore and John, who went to their death with the confession of Jesus Christ, he also remembered his grandmother Olga, who accepted Christian Baptism in spite of everyone. Something in the prince's soul began to lean towards Orthodoxy, but Vladimir did not yet dare to do anything and gathered the boyars and city elders for advice. It was they who advised the prince to send "good and sensible men" to different countries so that they actually compare how different nations worship God.
Having visited the religious services of Muslims and Latins, the ambassadors of Prince Vladimir arrived in Constantinople, where they attended the service in the Hagia Sophia. In a literal sense, they were fascinated by the otherworldly beauty of the worship there. Orthodox priesthood had an unforgettable effect on them. Upon returning to Kyiv, the ambassadors told Prince Vladimir: “We were in the Bulgarian land and saw how the Mohammedans pray in their temples, which they call mosques; in their temples there is nothing joyful for a man, their law is not good. We visited the Germans and saw many different rituals in their temples, but we did not see splendor. Finally, we were with the Greeks, we were taken to the temple, where they serve their God. During the service, we did not understand where we were: whether there, in heaven, or here, on earth. We are not even able to tell about the holiness and solemnity of the rites of Greek worship; but we are quite sure that God Himself is present in Greek temples along with those who pray, and that Greek worship is better than all the rest. We will never forget this holy celebration, and we can no longer serve our gods.
The boyars remarked to this: “If the Greek law were not the best, then your grandmother Princess Olga, the wisest of all people, would not have accepted it.” "Where shall we be baptized?" - asked the prince. “And this is where you wish, we will accept it there,” they answered him.
By the will of God, circumstances arose that influenced the course of the entire history of Rus'
For Prince Vladimir, the superiority of the Orthodox faith over all others was already obvious. However, it was hardly possible for the Grand Duke to accept Baptism and baptize an entire nation so easily - it was required from someone to accept priests, to enter into new, ecclesiastical relations with the Orthodox power that gave Baptism, which would entail a change in socio-political and international relations. In a sense, the dependence of the state could arise, which the wise Vladimir did not want to allow. And now, by the will of God, some more historical circumstances developed that influenced the course of events of that time and turned everything in the most favorable way for Prince Vladimir and all of Rus'.
In the Byzantine Empire, a rebellion arose against the legitimate emperors Basil II and Constantine VIII. The influential commander Varda Foka declared himself emperor, drew a large army with him and laid siege to Constantinople. In view of the mortal threat, Emperor Vasily II urgently turned to Prince Vladimir for help. The occasion turned out to be the most suitable for the unexpected rise of Rus' in the international arena. The Grand Duke demanded in return for help an unheard-of reward - kinship with the Byzantine emperors, namely marriage to the sister of Emperor Basil, Princess Anna. For those times, this was a unique exception to the dynastic rules of Byzantium. The very socio-political move of Prince Vladimir was simply an outstanding step of him as an unsurpassed diplomat of that time.
In Constantinople, for the sake of saving the empire, they were forced to agree. However, Vasily II did not want to give his sister to a pagan polygamist and he himself suggested that the prince be baptized and enter into a legal Christian marriage with Princess Anna. Vladimir, having been prepared by all the previous events, agreed. Help was quickly provided to Byzantium, the army that arrived from Prince Vladimir helped to defeat the innumerable forces of Varda Foki, and the rebel himself died. But then Basil II slowed down with the fulfillment of the promise: Rus' was too elevated through a dynastic marriage with the Byzantine emperor. And then Vladimir the Great undertook a campaign against Korsun (Chersonese) in the Crimea to intimidate the emperor, so that he would hurry up with the fulfillment of his obligations.
Chersonese was a stronghold of Byzantine domination on the Black Sea
It is important to note that it was a stronghold of Byzantine domination on the Black Sea, one of the vital nodes of the economic and trade relations of the empire. Therefore, a blow to the city had a very tangible effect on Byzantium. Chersonese was besieged by Prince Vladimir in 988. At the same time, the city showed outstanding stamina in defense. For example, when the besiegers made an embankment around the city walls, the Korsunians, having dug a secret tunnel under the wall, carried out the earth from below and thereby destroyed the embankment.
After a nine-month siege, despairing of the success of the enterprise, Vladimir was already thinking of retreating, but at that time one of the townspeople, named Anastas, shot an arrow into the Russian camp with a note that said: “Our wells are located behind the walls on the eastern side, from which water flows through pipes to the city; dig them up and cross the water." As it turned out later, Anastas was a priest. What prompted him to notify Prince Vladimir, the chronicles are silent, but his advice played a decisive role in the capture of the city. It is known that after the events associated with Chersonesus, Anastas followed Prince Vladimir, participated in the Baptism of the people of Kiev and occupied one of the first places in the emerging Russian Orthodox Church. As for his note, after reading it and looking at the sky, Vladimir said: “If only the Lord helps me take this city, then I will be baptized.” The wells were dug up, thirst set in the city, and Chersonese surrendered to Vladimir.
Prince Vladimir sent a message to Emperors Basil and Constantine that if they did not give him his sister as a wife, he would go to Constantinople. At that time, Byzantium experienced different problems and need, she did not have the strength to wage war with Vladimir. Vasily and Konstantin gave their final consent to the wedding and sent Anna to Korsun, only reminding her that she should marry a Christian, not a pagan. Vladimir replied: "I have experienced and loved the Greek faith for a long time."
Princess Anna arrived in Korsun accompanied by priests. Everything went to the baptism of the Grand Duke. Of course, his mind and military strength decided quite a lot. However, for a visual, obvious conviction, God Himself intervened directly in the events: Prince Vladimir had a pain in his eyes and went blind. Upon learning of this, Princess Anna sent a message to him: "If you want to get well, then be baptized as soon as possible." It was then that Vladimir ordered to prepare everything necessary for Holy Baptism.
The prince said: "Now I have seen the true God." It really was an insight, not only bodily, but also spiritual.
The bishop of Korsun performed with the clergy, and as soon as Vladimir plunged into the font of Baptism, he miraculously regained his sight. The chronicle preserved the words that the prince symbolically uttered after Baptism: "Now I have seen the true God." It really was an insight, not only bodily, but also spiritual. A personal meeting with the Lord took place in the secrets of the heart of St. Vladimir, which is inexplicable in human language, but which reveals the Heavenly Father and joins the soul of the reborn person to His eternal Kingdom. From that moment begins the path of Prince Vladimir as a holy man and wholly devoted to Christ.
In Baptism, Vladimir took the name Vasily in honor of St. Basil the Great as his heavenly patron. But to be more precise, Prince Vladimir took over the name of the ruling Byzantine emperor Vasily II. Such was the practice of baptizing the rulers of that time. This meant that Emperor Vasily II was recognized as Vladimir's godfather in absentia. Any leader or prince of the people could dream of such a relationship with the ruler of the Byzantine Empire. This was especially true of the marriage with Princess Anna. Dynastic and interstate ties between Russia and Byzantium were strengthened. In all the events of that time, it is clearly seen that the Lord, through the holy prince Vladimir, created Holy Rus' as the successor to Orthodox Byzantium.
Many of the prince's retinue, seeing the miracle of healing that took place over him, accepted holy Baptism here, in Chersonese. The marriage of Grand Duke Vladimir and Princess Anna was also performed. Thus, an abundance of grace descended on the former treacherous pagan Vladimir, making him a friend of God, a pure and sincere Christian. The prince returned the city of Chersonesos to Byzantium as a gift for the royal bride, and at the same time he built a temple in the city in the name of St. John the Baptist in memory of his baptism. As for the rest of the wives acquired in paganism, the prince freed them from marital duties. It is known that he offered Rogneda to choose a husband, but she refused and took monastic vows. Thus, after Baptism, the prince began new life In the literal sense of the word.
The Grand Duke returned to Kyiv with hitherto unknown escort - Princess Anna, Constantinople and Chersonese clergy. With them they carried liturgical books, icons, church utensils, as well as the holy head of the Hieromartyr Clement of Rome (+ 101; Comm. 25 November) to bless Rus'.
Upon arrival in Kyiv, Saint Vladimir immediately baptized his sons. He was baptized and his whole house, and many boyars. Then the Equal-to-the-Apostles prince set about eradicating paganism, ordered the overthrow of the idols, the very ones that he had set up a few years before. There was a decisive change in the heart, mind, and the whole inner world of the prince. Idols that darkened the souls of people and accepted human sacrifices were ordered to be treated in the most severe way. Some were burned, others were chopped with a sword, and the main "god" Perun was tied to the tail of a horse, dragged from the mountain down the street, beaten with clubs, and then thrown into the waters of the Dnieper. Vigilantes stood along the river and pushed the idol away from the shore: there is no return to the old lie. So Rus' said goodbye to the pagan gods.
The clergy, as well as previously baptized princes and boyars, went around the squares and houses, instructed the people of Kiev in the truths of the Gospel, denounced the vanity and futility of idolatry. Some were baptized immediately, others hesitated. There were also inveterate pagans who would never agree to leave their gods.
The prince acted decisively, but he had the right to do so as the father of the people, who was responsible for the spiritual future of his native land
Upon learning of this, the Grand Duke ordered a general baptism to be announced the next day. The chronicle preserved his words addressed to the people of Kiev: "If someone does not come tomorrow to the river - whether rich, or poor, or a beggar, or a slave - let there be an adversary to me." The prince acted decisively, but he had the right to do so as the father of the people, who was responsible with his head for the spiritual future of his native land.
And then came the only and unforgettable morning in Russian history. The Baptism of Rus' is a turning point in our history. The sacred desire of the holy prince was fulfilled unquestioningly: "At one time our whole earth glorified Christ with the Father and the Holy Spirit." Of course, not everyone went with a strong personal desire, many agreed out of fear, not everyone understood the meaning of Baptism, but over time, Orthodoxy became their native faith for them too. And only the most inveterate pagans opposed the command of the prince and fled from Kyiv. The baptism of the people of Kiev took place in the waters of the Pochaina river, a tributary of the Dnieper. The sacrament was performed by the priests of the "Tsaritsyns", that is, those who came to Rus' with Princess Anna from Constantinople, and the "Korsun" priests, that is, those who arrived from Korsun together with Prince Vladimir.
It was a spiritual upheaval that was taking place among the Russian people through the efforts of Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir. In the pure Kievan waters, overshadowed by the grace of Baptism, a mysterious transformation of the Russian soul took place, there was a spiritual birth of a people called by God to the highest feat of Christian service to the world in history.
Mass baptisms began to be held in other large cities of Rus'. “Then the darkness of idols began to depart from us, and the dawn of Orthodoxy appeared, and the Sun of the Gospel shone on our land.” Everywhere, from ancient cities to distant graveyards, pagan slaughterhouses were overthrown, idols were cut, and in their place the prince ordered the erection of churches of God, the consecration of thrones for the Bloodless Sacrifice of Christ. People were accustomed to visiting established places of religious worship, going to them out of habit, but there they acquired a new, pure faith, holy service to the Heavenly Father, and partook of the blessing of God that was abundantly given to them.
On elevated places, at the bends of the rivers, on the ancient path "from the Varangians to the Greeks", all over the face of the Russian land, temples of God grew up, as if lamps and candles lit up, illuminating the twilight of life. Saint Hilarion, Metropolitan of Kyiv, who sang of the feat of Saint Vladimir in the Sermon on Law and Grace, exclaimed: “Temples are destroyed and churches are supplied, idols are broken and icons of saints appear, demons flee, the Cross sanctifies the city.” So, on the hill where the altar of Perun was located, Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir built a temple in the name of his heavenly patron Saint Basil the Great. And on the site of the martyrdom of the holy Varangians Theodore and John, he laid the stone church of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos. This magnificent temple was the main cathedral church of the Russian Orthodox Church, it was richly decorated with wall frescoes, crosses, icons and sacred vessels brought from Chersonese.
Vladimir, having consecrated the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos, thereby dedicated the capital city to the Heavenly Lady
The day of the consecration of the temple on May 12 (in some manuscripts - May 11), St. Vladimir ordered to be included in the calendar for the annual celebration. Once upon a time, the holy emperor Constantine the Great consecrated on May 11 the new capital of the Roman Empire - Constantinople (this happened in 330). The royal city was dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos. And Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir, following Saint Constantine, consecrating the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos, thereby consecrating the capital city to the Heavenly Lady. The chronicle preserved the prayer of St. Vladimir, with which he turned to God Almighty at the consecration of the Assumption Church: “Lord God! Look down from the sky and behold. And visit your garden. And accomplish what Your right hand has planted - these new people, whose heart You have turned to the truth to know You, the true God. Look at Your church, which I created, Your unworthy servant, in the name of the Mother of the Ever-Virgin Mother of God who gave birth to You. If anyone prays in this church, then hear his prayer, for the sake of the prayer of the Most Pure Mother of God.
This cathedral church was also called the Church of the Tithes, because at that time St. Vladimir granted the Russian Orthodox Church a tithe from all income, and the Church of the Assumption became the center of the all-Russian collection of church tithes. “Behold, I give to the church of this Holy Mother of God a tithe of all my reign,” says the ancient text of the charter, or Church Charter of St. Vladimir.
The tithe church was especially dear and beloved to Prince Vladimir. In 1007 St. Vladimir transferred the relics of his holy grandmother Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga to this church. And four years later, in 1011, his wife, an associate of many of his undertakings, the blessed Empress Anna, was buried there.
A special Kyiv Metropolis of the Patriarchate of Constantinople was also established, as well as a number of dioceses: in Chernigov, Polotsk, Pereyaslavl Russian (Southern), Belgorod Kiev, but above all, of course, in Novgorod.
As for the baptism of Novgorod, the chronicles report unrest among the people. Novgorod was a free city and reacted violently to any innovations. Against the prince, who overthrew the idols, an uprising arose, which Vladimir's uncle Dobrynya had to suppress by force. But in general, the Christianization of Rus' took place quite peacefully.
After Kyiv and Novgorod, holy Baptism was received by the inhabitants of Smolensk, Polotsk, Turov, Pskov, Lutsk, Vladimir Volynsky, Chernigov, Kursk, Rostov the Great and other Russian cities. But the holy prince did not stop there either, his apostolic zeal extended so far that he sent preachers of the faith of Christ to the banks of the Dvina and Kama, to the steppes of the wild Pechenegs and Polovtsians.
Not only culture or places and objects of prayer changed - people's hearts changed. According to the annals, the character of Prince Vladimir changed after Baptism. This happened because nothing is impossible for God, and the grace of the Sacraments is like leaven, which leavens the dough and in some sense changes its composition.
Previously insidious, cruel, Vladimir was filled with kindness and mercy to his neighbors.
Previously insidious, cruel, Vladimir was filled with kindness and mercy to his neighbors. Having learned the words: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (Matt. 5:7), the holy prince began to do many good deeds. He ordered every beggar and wretch to come to the princely court and take everything that is needed: food, drink, and even money. Moreover, having heard that not all the sick and infirm could reach his court, Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir ordered food to be delivered to them. The chronicle cites the following testimony: “And he ordered carts to be equipped and, putting on them bread, meat, fish, various vegetables, honey in barrels, and kvass in others, to deliver around the city, asking: “Where is the sick or beggar who cannot walk?” And give them everything they need." For such kindness and mercy, the people nicknamed Prince Vladimir the Red Sun.
Rus' did not see such a thing until the time of St. Vladimir. And the reason for such mercy was that Saint Vladimir accepted Christ with a sincere heart, with all his soul. Here is what the monk Jacob, the author of “Memory and Praise to Prince Vladimir”, writes: “And not in Kyiv alone, but throughout the Russian land - both in cities and in villages - everywhere he did alms, dressing the naked, satiating the hungry, thirsty to drink, wanderers bestowing mercy, honoring the clergy, and loving, and having mercy, giving what is required, the poor, and orphans, and widows, and the blind, and the lame, and the sick - all having mercy and clothing, and saturating, and giving drink. And so Prince Vladimir remained in good deeds ... ”He wanted Rus' to no longer be hungry and poor, destitute and abandoned by all the sick.
It is known that every Sunday and on big church holidays after the Divine Liturgy, Saint Prince Vladimir exhibited for the people of Kiev plentiful holiday tables. The bells rang, the choirs sang praises, and the “passing kaliki” sang epics and spiritual verses. The feasts themselves now became not a place of revelry of paganism and sinful passions, but a triumph and testimony of the Gospel of Christ, the virtue of mercy and mutual love. A description of the consecration of the Church of the Tithes on May 12, 996, has been preserved, when the prince “create a light feast”, “distributing many estates to the poor, and the poor, and wanderers, both in churches and in monasteries. For the sick and the poor, he delivered great kads and barrels of honey, and bread, and meat, and fish, and cheese through the streets, wishing that everyone would come and eat, glorifying God.
The exceptional mercy and kindness of St. Vladimir was expressed in an unprecedented measure for that time in the abolition of the death penalty. In order not to anger God with an unjust or excessive judgment, the holy prince no longer wanted to execute the villains. He spared the life of the killers and punished them only with vira, that is, monetary fines. Having acquired pure Christian love, he was ready to forgive abundantly. And then the pastors of the Church opposed such mercy, which turned out to be excessive for the internal affairs of the state. “You were put by God to be executed by the evil, and to the good for mercy. The criminal should be punished, but only with consideration, ”they said, and the Grand Duke listened at first, but then, after consulting with the boyars and city elders, he nevertheless established vira to punish the criminals.
St. Vladimir's inclination to war also weakened. He no longer undertook major campaigns, did not seek the glory of a warlike hero, lived in peace with neighboring states. And only one danger from external enemies forced the Equal-to-the-Apostles prince to remember weapons. The predatory Pechenegs devastated the southern borders of Rus', the pastors of the Church reminded the Grand Duke that he was called to protect his native Fatherland from external enemies, and the former military spirit awakened in the prince's heart.
The defense of Rus' under Vladimir became a truly state matter, common to all the tribes inhabiting Rus'
The Pechenegs, a nomadic and wild people, have troubled Rus' for about a century. At one time they killed the father of Vladimir, Prince Svyatoslav, and almost took Kyiv. Now Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir made efforts to repulse their raids, and for this he populated the southern borders, erected fortifications and increased military strength. Fortresses were erected along the southern and southeastern borders of Rus', on the right and left sides of the Dnieper, rows of earthen trenches and guard "outposts" were arranged to deter the attacks of nomads. The fortresses were settled by the "best people" from other regions of the country - the lands of the Novgorod Slovenes, Krivichi, Chud, Vyatichi. The defense of Rus' under Vladimir became a truly state matter, common to all the tribes inhabiting Rus'. National tasks now exceeded the interests of individual tribes.
The Tale of Bygone Years contains many legends regarding the opposition of Rus' to the Pechenegs. So, the story of the young man-kozhemyaku (the one who pulled out a piece of meat from the side of an angry wild bull) who defeated the “very scary” Pecheneg hero in the battle on the Trubezh River has been preserved. Seeing this, the Pechenegs fled in panic, and Prince Vladimir, according to legend, as a sign that the Russian hero "took glory from the enemies" ordered the city of Pereyaslavl to be built on the banks of the Trubezh. Another legend (about the "Belgorod kissel") tells about the siege of the city of Belgorod by the Pechenegs. The besieged were running out of supplies, and then one old man suggested an ingenious way out. They collected all the remains of wheat, oats and bran, boiled jelly out of them, then poured it into a tub and placed it in a well, and next to it they dug a barrel with a sweet honey drink made from the last honey. After that, ambassadors from the Pechenegs were invited. Those, seeing two wells filled with food, were surprised, considered it a miracle and, deciding that the city could not be starved out, lifted the siege.
Hiding from his pursuers, the prince hid under the bridge. Hope remained only in God
Once Saint Vladimir himself found himself in extreme danger from the Pechenegs. On the Stugna River, the prince built the city of Vasilev. The Pechenegs approached the city. Saint Vladimir came out to meet them with a small army, was defeated and forced to flee on horseback. Hiding from his pursuers, the prince hid under a bridge near the city of Vasilev. Hope remained only in God. Expecting the appearance of enemies under the bridge, Saint Vladimir fervently prayed to God and made a vow that if he was saved, he would build a temple for the feast of the day in Vasilevo. And it was on August 6, 996. The Pechenegs did not think of looking under the bridge, rode on and, without finding the prince, returned to their own borders. Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir understood that he had escaped captivity by a miracle. In gratitude to God and in honor of his salvation, he built the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior in Vasilevo.
Under St. Vladimir, large-scale stone construction began in Rus'. The cities of Vladimir on the Klyazma (990), Belgorod Kyiv (991), Pereyaslavl South (992) and many others were founded.
In all the most important centers of Rus', St. Vladimir put his sons to reign. In Novgorod, the eldest son Vysheslav was appointed to reign, in Polotsk - Izyaslav, in Turov on Pripyat - Svyatopolk (later called the Accursed; he was adopted by Vladimir, being the son of Yaropolk Svyatoslavich), in Rostov - Yaroslav the Wise. After the death of Vysheslav around 1010, Yaroslav received Novgorod, and St. Boris was transferred to his place, to Rostov. Saint Gleb was planted in Murom, Vsevolod - in Vladimir-on-Volyn, Svyatoslav - in the Drevlyane land, Mstislav - in Tmutorokan, Stanislav - in Smolensk, and Sudislav - in Pskov. So the old tribal centers, ruled by representatives of their tribes, now began to be controlled directly by the sons of the Kievan prince.
Caring for the people is also expressed in their education.
The protection of the people is not only fortresses, ditches and embankments, but above all it is sincere faith in Christ with fervent prayer to Him, this is the construction of temples with reverent worship in them. And then God helps people. But still concern for the people is expressed in its enlightenment.
It was Saint Vladimir who established the systematic teaching of literacy in Rus'. "He sent to collect from the best people children and send them to book education. The mothers of these children wept for them; for they were not yet established in the faith, and wept for them as if they were dead.” “Book learning” became the subject of state concern, although it was so unusual and was perceived by someone as a tragedy. Teaching was necessary in order to grow in the true faith, to prepare the pastors of the Church and people capable of carrying the message of Christ. Education was seen as a step towards virtue. And just a generation later, wonderful masters of the word, connoisseurs and creators of spiritual literature grew up in Rus'.
The holy prince cared not only about the heavenly, but also about the earthly, in every possible way protected the Fatherland. Under him, not a single piece of Russian land was lost, moreover, Rus' grew and grew stronger, it was respected far beyond.
Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir began the first in Rus' to mint gold and silver coins - golden coins and pieces of silver. Before that, Byzantine and Arab gold and silver coins were used, but now, under the holy Prince Vladimir, Rus' became strong and self-sufficient, its own coin emphasized the independence and strength of the Equal-to-the-Apostles prince as a Christian sovereign. What is important, the prince placed the image of Christ the Savior on the coins, emphasizing the new confession of Rus', and the prince himself was depicted on the other side of the coin. It was there that the lifetime features of St. Vladimir were preserved - a man with a massive chin, a small beard and a long mustache. Some coins indicated the name of St. Basil, after whom Vladimir was named in Baptism. And on some we see the image of the princely family sign - the trident, and then a halo already appears around the head of Vladimir, this indispensable attribute of the Byzantine imperial portraits of that time. Rus', in the person of the Holy Prince Vladimir, adopted the traditions of Byzantium as an Orthodox empire and thus outlined the path along which Rus' had to go for another thousand years.
Prince Boleslav the Brave dreamed of subordinating the Slavic tribes to Catholic Poland
The era of St. Vladimir is undoubtedly a key period in the state formation of Orthodox Rus'. Slavic lands were united and formalized state borders. All this was accompanied by a tense struggle, both spiritual and political, with neighboring states that promoted a completely different culture and other faith. Rus' was baptized from Orthodox Byzantium, this was the most important step in state self-determination. The baptism and marriage of Vladimir to the sister of the reigning emperors led to the maximum increase in the status of the Kyiv prince, he became a spiritual relative of the Byzantine kings. Rus' received many privileges and completely gained power over the Kerch Strait and adjacent lands (Tmutarakan Principality). Holy Prince Vladimir greatly helped the Byzantine kings in their campaigns with his troops, which strengthened the ties between Rus' and Byzantium. But nearby were centers of Western Christian civilization. The Polish prince Boleslav the Brave dreamed of subordinating the Slavic tribes to Catholic Poland. In a sense, he became the main ideological rival of St. Vladimir.
In 1013, a conspiracy against the Grand Duke was uncovered in Kyiv. It turned out that Svyatopolk the Accursed, having married the daughter of Boleslav, began to strive for power in Rus'. The inspirer of the conspiracy was the confessor of his wife, the Catholic Bishop Reinburn, behind whom was the Polish prince Boleslav. This conspiracy was a threat to all further Russian history.
Saint Vladimir managed to take drastic measures: all three were arrested. Rainburn soon died in captivity. But the Equal-to-the-Apostles prince did not want to take revenge on the “persecuting and hating”. Svyatopolk brought feigned repentance and saved his life. Who knows, maybe the mercy of St. Vladimir turned out to be excessive, and this allowed Svyatopolk to cause confusion after the death of St. Vladimir. But the Equal-to-the-Apostles prince could no longer act differently. Christianity entered too deeply into his heart.
The life of a prince is one of continuous anxieties, unexpected blows and twists of fate. In 1014, another son of St. Vladimir, Yaroslav, Prince of Novgorod (the future Yaroslav the Wise) revolted. He started a separate army and refused to pay the due annual tribute to Kyiv - 2 thousand hryvnias. As the ruler of Rus', Saint Vladimir was obliged to react harshly to this, otherwise there would not be a single state, for which the Grand Duke fought all his life. Saint Vladimir ordered to prepare for a campaign against Novgorod. But his strength was already running out. The Lord God did not allow war with his son, who, as it later turned out, became a worthy successor to the holy prince Vladimir. In preparation for the campaign, the baptist of Rus' fell seriously ill.
Saint Vladimir trusted Boris, he saw him as the successor of his work
Thinking about who to pass the throne to, Vladimir called his beloved son, St. Boris, to Kyiv. Saint Vladimir trusted him, he saw him as the successor of his work. It was St. Boris who was the closest person to St. Vladimir in the last years of his life, was a support when other sons hatched insidious plans. However, the rebellions of the older brothers Svyatopolk and Yaroslav themselves, perhaps, were caused by their preference for the holy and meek Prince Boris of Rostov. “This noble prince Boris, from a good root, was obedient, obeying his father in everything ... with his eyes kind and cheerful ... in advice he is wise and reasonable, with everything he is decorated in every possible way, like a flower in his youth, and the grace of God flourished on him,” he said about him an ancient Russian scribe.
At this time, another attack befell the Russian land: the Pechenegs came again. Saint Vladimir was in great sorrow that he himself could not go against them. He handed over his warriors to his faithful son Boris, who, having gone on a campaign with an army, did not find the Pechenegs: having heard about the approach of the Russians, they went back to their steppes. But Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir was no longer destined to find out about this: on July 15, 1015, he gave his spirit to the Lord in his beloved village of Berestov near Kyiv.
The ancient Russian writer monk Jacob (XI century) in the essay “Memory and Praise to Prince Vladimir” described the death of the baptist of Rus' in this way: “Prince Vladimir, leaving this world, prayed, saying:“ Lord my God, I did not know You, but You had mercy me, and through holy baptism enlightened me, and I knew you, God of all, holy Creator of all created things, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Glory to Thee with the Son and the Holy Spirit! Lord God, do not remember my malice, I did not know You in paganism, but now I know You and know. Lord my God, have mercy on me. And if you want to execute and torment me for my sins, execute me yourself, Lord, and do not give me up to demons. And thus speaking and praying to God, he gave up his soul in peace to the angels of the Lord, and died. After all, the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and their reward is from the Lord, and their arrangement is from the Most High - they will receive the crown of beauty from the hand of the Lord.
Yes, after the death of the Grand Duke, there was a considerable turmoil in Rus'. Power in Kyiv was seized by Svyatopolk, who shed the blood of his three brothers - Saints Boris and Gleb, and also Svyatoslav. But God did not give success to the Accursed Svyatopolk, holy Rus' irrevocably embarked on the historical path chosen by the holy Prince Vladimir.
“And the boyars wept for him as for the protector of the land, the poor as for their intercessor and breadwinner…”
It is known that Svyatopolk tried to keep his father's death a secret, it was to his advantage, but it was impossible to hide the death of the Grand Duke, who had done extremely much for his country, for a long time. St. Vladimir was buried in Kyiv, in the Church of the Tithes built by him, with a huge gathering of people. He was mourned by all the people of Kiev, rich and poor, noble and simple: “And the boyars wept for him as a protector of the land, the poor as about their protector and breadwinner ...” He ruled Russia for 37 years (978-1015), of which 28 lived in holy baptism.
People's memory has preserved the image of the holy prince Vladimir as a hospitable and hospitable prince, the Red Sun, who was served by Russian epic heroes. Under him, Rus' reached its highest prosperity in all directions: the formation of the state, the development of the economy, the protection of borders, trade, construction and education. But the most important thing is that he united Rus' with the Lord Jesus Christ, opened the way to the eternal Kingdom of Heaven for us, he is our guide, who at the right time was able to direct the historical paths of our Motherland to the most important treasures that every human soul yearns for.
