KYIVAN RUS BAPTIZATION
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KYIVAN RUS BAPTIZATION
In 988 Kyivan Rus was a major power. It had been established. Prince Igor's attempts to follow Oleg's steps in Byzantine, settling Drevliany tribes union by Olga and campaigns against the enemies of the Ancient Rus Spartan Sviatoslav were the thing of the past. Sviatoslav's son Volodymyr ascended to the prince throne in Kyiv. Later he was also called the Great. That was the time of baptizing on the lands governed by Kyiv.
Volodymyr stayed in history as a reformer, and introducing Christianity was not the only reform performed by him. However, it can hardly be denied that it was that reform that had the most considerable effects for Kyivan Rus. The events below preceded baptizing.
In 980 the prince tried to reform the pagan religion. It was reported in the "Tale of Bygone Years,"
"— He placed the idols on the hill, behind the palace yard: a wooden Pe-run, — and his head was silver, while the moustache was golden, and Khors, and Dazhbog, and Strybog, and Simargl, and Mokosh. Sacrifices were offered to them and they were called gods—"
However, another version of events can also be valid. It appeared in the early 20th century. Following this version, Volodymyr did not organize any pagan temples. Instead, he installed the cult of the one god Perun. In any case it was soon found out that the reform did not encourage the development of the state, culture and literacy. Moreover, it did not benefit the relations with European countries, which were mainly Christian at that time. Owing to that overall background, Volodymyr had the idea of baptizing Rus.
Olga’s baptization in Constantinople. Miniature from Radziwill Chronicle
An occasion occurred in 987, when the Byzantine Emperor Basil asked Kyiv for support in its internal fight against landlords. Volodymyr agreed, but set a condition for his participation in the campaign — a marriage to Emperor's sister Anna. The counter-requirement of the Byzantine Emperor was Volodymyr's baptizing and the introduction of Christianity as the official religion of Kyivan Rus.
Afterwards the events developed rapidly. At the end of 987 Volodymyr provided the Emperor with a detachment of 6,000 Norsemen. Right after the victory over the opponents the Emperor decided to breach the agreement and refuse the marriage between the Prince and his sister. It entailed Volodymyr's raid to Crimea and the seizure of Korsun (Sevastopol) — the city, which played an important role in the Byzantian economy. When the city surrendered, Basil arranged a fleet, which brought Anna to Korsun. Upon her arrival Volodymyr was baptized. Then he married Anna and went to Kyiv to perform the rest of his obligations.
V. Vasnetsov. Volodymyr s baptization. Volodymyr Cathedral, Kyiv
"— Upon the arrival, he ordered to pull down the idols — either to cut or burn them down. He required to tie Perun to the horse's tail and drag it from the Hill down Borychev to Ruchai, and he placed twelve men to beat the pagan god with sticks... After that Volodymyr sent his messengers throughout the city saying, 'If somebody does not come to the river tomorrow — regardless of being rich or poor, old or young, — this person will become an enemy to me —"
Thus the "Tale of Bygone Years" described Rus baptizing. The only thing to add is that Prince Volodymyr was canonized between 1240 and 1311 by the Catholic and Orthodox churches as an equal to the apostles.
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