Prince Vladimir: life, icons, prayers. Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, Baptist of Rus' (†1015)

Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince VLADIMIR, Baptist of Rus' (†1015)

The life of Prince Vladimir is divided into two periods - before and after baptism. The first period was very short (up to the age of 25). During this time, Vladimir lived like a pagan. But he quickly matured spiritually. In the second period (until old age), he, like a father, cares about the spiritual and material welfare of his fatherland.

Vladimir, the grandson of Saint Olga, was born around 962. His father was Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich - the grandson of Rurik (but he was illegitimate son Svyatoslav). The mother was Malusha Malkovna, daughter of Malk Lyubechanin, whom historians identify with Mal, Prince of Drevlyansky. Having brought the rebel Drevlyans to submission and having taken possession of their cities, Princess Olga ordered the execution of Prince Mal, for whom they tried to woo her after the murder of Igor, and took his children, Dobrynya and Malusha, with her. Dobrynya grew up to be a brave, skilled warrior, possessed a state mind, and was subsequently a good assistant to his nephew Vladimir in matters of military and government administration.

Dobrynya Nikitich and Malusha - concubine of Svyatoslav Igorevich, mother of the future Prince Vladimir (Baptist of Rus')

Malusha, a Christian who, however, retained in herself the mysterious darkness of the pagan Drevlyan forests, fell in love with the stern warrior Svyatoslav. She became Princess Olga's housekeeper, i.e. guardian of furs, silver, coins and other valuables. Chronicles say that, angry with her slave, Olga exiled her to a remote village Budutin all. There a boy was born, named by the Russian pagan name Vladimir - who owns the world, who has a special gift of peace. Soon Vladimir was taken away from his mother.

Sergey Efoshkin. Mother and son. Malusha says goodbye to Vladimir

He was brought up in Kyiv, at the court of his grandmother, Princess Olga. But for a long time the contemptuous nickname “robichich,” that is, “son of a slave,” will haunt him.

In 970, Svyatoslav, setting off on a campaign from which he was never destined to return, divided the Russian land between his three sons. He reigned in Kyiv Yaropolk, in Ovruch, the center of the Drevlyansky land, - Oleg, in Novgorod - Vladimir .

After the death of Svyatoslav, civil strife began between his children. Sixteen-year-old Yaropolk in 975 marched against his brother Oleg and Oleg died in the battle near the city of Ovruch. Then Yaropolk moved to Novgorod. It is absolutely clear that he wanted to reign alone, without competitors. Vladimir was only 12 years old at that time, and Dobrynya took him “overseas” (to present-day Sweden). Three years later he returned to Novgorod with a foreign army.

Thus began the war between Vladimir and his brother Yaropolk. He led a campaign in which everyone sympathized with him. pagan Rus', against Yaropolk the Christian, or, in any case, according to the chronicle, “who gave great freedom to Christians.” In addition, the enmity between the brothers worsened due to the fact that the daughter of the Prince of Polotsk Rogneda, whose hand Vladimir asked for, refused him with these words: "I don't want to take off my shoes(take off the groom's shoes- wedding ceremony; take off your shoes instead - get married) son of a slave", reproaching him for his low maternal origin, and was going to marry Yaropolk. Insulted, Vladimir captured Polotsk, dishonored Rogneda in front of her father and mother, and then killed both parents. Following this, in the summer of 978, he besieged Kyiv. Yaropolk is locked in the town of Rodnya. After almost two years of siege, hunger forced Yaropolk to surrender to the mercy of his brother. But when Yaropolk entered Vladimir’s chambers, two Varangians standing in the doorway lifted him up with their swords “under their bosom.”

Sergey Efoshkin. Prince Vladimir and Prince Yaropolk

With this villainous murder, Vladimir’s autocratic reign in Rus' began, which lasted for 37 long years.

The chroniclers deliberately do not spare black colors, depicting Vladimir before he accepted Christianity, in order to more clearly indicate the miraculous effect of the grace of baptism, presenting the same prince in the brightest form. He was cruel, vindictive and generally endowed with a variety of vices, among which, first of all, is exorbitant voluptuousness. Vladimir had five wives at that time. One of them is already mentioned Polotsk princess Rogneda (mother of Yaroslav the Wise).

Vladimir and Rogneda with their son. ROGNEDA of Polotsk (c. 960 - c. 1000) - daughter of Prince Rogvolod from the city of Polotsk. She was very beautiful. She was going to marry Yaropolk Svyatoslavovich. She refused Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich and insulted him, calling him the son of a slave. In 979, Vladimir captured Polotsk, killed her relatives, and made her his wife. In 981 she gave birth to a son, Izyaslav. Around 987 she made an attempt on her husband's life. For this, Vladimir ordered her to dress smartly and wait in the room. She realized that she was in danger, called her son and hid him. When the prince entered with a sword in his hand, little Izyaslav stood up for his mother. Vladimir did not kill Rogneda. He sent her and her son to the city of Svisloch (Izyaslavl). Now this is the city of Zaslavl not far from Minsk. In total, she gave birth to Vladimir 4 sons (among them Yaroslav the Wise) and 3 daughters. In 1000, shortly before her death, she became a monk under the name of Anastasia.

Vladimir’s other wife was the widow of Yaropolk, whom he killed, a certain Greek woman who had previously been a nun and was brought to Kyiv by Prince Svyatoslav, struck by her beauty. From her, by the way, he was born later Svyatopolk the Accursed - killer of the holy brothers Boris and Gleb. In addition to his legal wives, the prince had hundreds of concubines. “He was insatiable in fornication, bringing to himself married wives and corrupting girls,” this is how the chronicler wrote condemningly about Vladimir. As they say, “lived to the fullest.”

In addition, Vladimir was at first a convinced pagan and an ardent opponent of Christianity. Soon after entering Kiev, he built a real pagan pantheon on a hill near his palace - he placed statues of pagan gods: Perun, Khors, Dazhbog, Stribog, Simragl and Mokosha.

“And people worshiped them, calling them gods, and brought their sons and daughters, and made sacrifices to demons... And the Russian land and that hill were defiled with blood.”, says the chronicle.

Statues of Perun, who by the will of Vladimir became the main deity of ancient Rus', were also installed in other ancient Russian cities. In 983, after one of Vladimir’s campaigns, it was decided to organize human sacrifices on “Perunov Hill”. The lot fell on the court of a certain Christian Varangian, and the Kyiv pagans demanded that his son be sacrificed. The Varangian did not submit to them and did not give his son to be slaughtered to demons. In retaliation, the Kievans swept away his entire yard and cut down the entryway where he stood with his son, and so killed them. These Christian Varangians (late church tradition calls their names: Theodore and his son John) became the first martyrs for the faith in the Russian land.

Sergey Efoshkin. The first Russian martyrs Fyodor and John before their death

The introduction of a single state cult of Perun for the entire country was supposed to personify unity Old Russian state, the primacy of Kyiv and the Kyiv prince.

Pagan temple. The ceremony takes place in the temple. In the center of the temple there are 4 domes Svetovit

With all this, Vladimir during these years shows every concern for strengthening the state. He makes several successful campaigns to the west and east (against the Poles, Yatvingians, Volga Bulgarians, Khazars), subjugates a number of East Slavic tribes (Radimichi, Vyatichi) to the power of Kiev, and annexes the so-called. Cherven cities (Volyn). Various areas The Russian state is held together by stronger bonds than before. He “grazed his land with truth, courage and reason,” like a kind and zealous owner, if necessary, he expanded and defended its borders with force of arms, and returning from a campaign, he arranged generous and cheerful feasts for the squad and for all of Kiev.

Vasnetsov. Vladimir the pagan

However, the pagan reform, which changed only the external appearance of the old gods, could not satisfy Vladimir. Personal search for faith coincided with the demands of the times. Rus' was finally losing its former features military federation separate tribes, turned into single state, which played an increasingly important role in European and world politics. All this required changes in the sphere of ideology.

Filatov. The choice of Vera by Prince Vladimir

It was not long before Vladimir came to his faith. The chronicle says that at first the prince received ambassadors from the Volga Bulgarians (Muslims), Latins and Khazar Jews, who invited him to accept their law. Prince Vladimir listened carefully to everyone and asked questions.

In Islam, Vladimir seemed to like the possibility of polygamy both in this life and in the future. It was no coincidence that the Mohammedans emphasized precisely this point of their creed: they clearly tried to adapt to the morals of Vladimir the pagan. But they did not know that Vladimir had already turned away from paganism in the depths of his soul. Moreover, he could “indulge in all fornication” without converting to another faith...
But Vladimir, after a conversation with the “Greek philosopher,” settled on Orthodoxy.

Choosing Faith

According to the chronicle, Prince Vladimir, called by God's Providence to be the baptizer of Rus', was already ready to accept the Orthodox faith from the Greeks, but, being a wise leader, he prepared the people for baptism through frequent conversations about faith at the princely court, by testing faith and sending embassies to other countries. And it was decided to send ambassadors and test each faith on the spot, and for this they chose ten men, “kind and intelligent.” Sending an embassy, ​​he introduced the Russians to the faith, the state of trade, the army, life, and the life of peoples.

And these ambassadors observed in Bulgaria how Muslims prayed in the mosque: “Having stood there without a belt, making a bow, (the man) sits down and looks here and there like a madman, and there is no joy in them, only sadness and a great stench. Their law is not good." The Germans “We saw various services in churches, but did not see any beauty.” In Byzantium, in the Constantinople Church in the name of Sophia the Wisdom of God, they contemplated the festive patriarchal service in the full light of the chandelier, with the singing of cathedral choirs.

The ambassadors of the Kyiv prince were stunned by what they saw

“They didn’t know whether it was in heaven or on we are on earth, - the ambassadors said upon returning to Kyiv, - for there is no such spectacle and such beauty on earth, and we do not know how to tell about it, we only know that God dwells there with people, and their service is better than in all other countries. We cannot forget that beauty, for every person, if he tastes the sweet, will not then take the bitter, so we can no longer remain here in paganism.” After listening to them, the boyars said to Prince Vladimir: “If the Greek law had been bad, then your grandmother Olga would not have accepted it, and she was the wisest of all people.”

In 987, at a council of boyars, Vladimir decided to be baptized “according to Greek law.”

According to legend, in exchange for this decision, he was even promised the hand of the sister of the ruling Byzantine Emperor Vasily II, Anna, who by this time was already 26 years old. But the promise was not fulfilled, and therefore Vladimir I had to seek Anna’s hand by military force.

According to the chronicle, in the next 988, Prince Vladimir captured Korsun (Chersonese in the Crimea, which then belonged to Byzantium) with a 6,000-strong army and demanded the Byzantine princess Anna as his wife, threatening otherwise to go to Constantinople. Emperor Vasily II was forced to agree, demanding in turn that the prince be baptized so that his sister could marry a fellow believer. Having received Vladimir's consent to accept holy baptism, the Byzantines sent Anna with priests to Korsun. But having achieved his goal, Vladimir forgot his promise. And then something happened to him that changed his whole life. He suddenly went blind!!! Vladimir walked and moaned for several days. The prince’s screams were terrible when he realized that he could remain disabled forever. Princess Anne then reminded him of his promise and advised him to quickly receive holy baptism. In fear of the Christian God, Vladimir and his squad underwent the rite of baptism. At baptism, Vladimir took the name Vasily, in honor of the ruling Byzantine emperor Vasily II, according to the practice of political baptisms of that time. The miracle of returning vision happened after baptism. The world has changed for him.

Sergey Efoshkin. Prince Vladimir. Baptism

Prince Vladimir showed a striking change in his own life, his spiritual and moral state. From a passionate, proud pagan, he was reborn into a chaste, meek, unusually merciful and kind person. He even seriously intended to introduce an innovation hitherto unheard of in human history - to abolish the death penalty for robbers, fearing sin.

Before the adoption of Christianity, polygamy was common in Rus'. The Kyiv prince Vladimir had 5 legal wives. Orthodox sources claim that after baptism the prince freed marital responsibilities all former pagan wives. He offered to choose a husband for Rogneda, but she refused and took monastic vows.

Vladimir himself, after baptism, was married according to the Christian rite with Byzantine princess Anna (+1011). With this marriage, Vladimir achieved that Rus' ceased to be considered a barbarian people in Byzantium. The dynastic prestige of the Kyiv princes also increased. Subsequently, Anna actively participated in the spread of Orthodoxy in Rus', “building many churches.” Her tomb was in the church Holy Mother of God in Kyiv near the tomb of St. Vladimir the Baptist.

The baptism of Prince Vladimir with the boyars and retinue in Korsun (Chersonese) was the beginning of the baptism of the entire Russian land! Accompanied by a squad, boyars, and clergy, Prince Vladimir moved towards Kyiv. In front they carried crosses, icons, and holy relics.

Upon returning to Kyiv, Prince Vladimir gathered 12 of his sons and, having prepared them to accept the holy faith of Christ, baptized them in the spring, which forever received the name Khreshchatyk . Together with them, his entire household was baptized, as well as some boyars, probably from those who had not been to Chersonesus.

Perov V.G. Baptism of Rus'. (second half of the 1870s - early 1880s)

Then Vladimir ordered mass baptism to begin. The baptism of Kiev residents took place in the waters of the Dnieper by Korsun priests. In Kyiv, the baptism of the people took place relatively peacefully, while in Novgorod, where Dobrynya led the baptism, it was accompanied by uprisings of the people and their suppression by force. In the Rostov-Suzdal land, where local Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes retained a certain autonomy due to their remoteness, Christians remained a minority even after Vladimir (until the 13th century, paganism dominated among the Vyatichi).

Prince Vladimir ordered the destruction of pagan idols everywhere: some were burned, others were chopped up. And the main idol of Perun with a silver head and golden mustache was ordered to be tied to the tail of a horse, dragged to the Dnieper, beaten with sticks for public desecration, and then escorted to the rapids so that no one could pull it out and take it. There they tied a stone around the idol’s neck and drowned it. Russian paganism has sunk into the water...

His alms to the poor knew no bounds. "Red Sun" nicknamed Vladimir by the Russian people. The famous feasts of St. Vladimir were also a means of Christian preaching; on Sundays and major church holidays after the liturgy, abundant festive tables, the bells rang, the choirs sang their praises, and even, according to legend, he ordered food and drink to be transported on carts for the weak and sick.

At the same time, the prince continued to remain a victorious commander, a courageous warrior, a wise head and builder of the state. Under Holy Prince Vladimir Kievan Rus reached its peak and its influence spread far beyond its borders.

Under Vladimir, large-scale stone construction began in Rus'. The cities of Vladimir (990), Belgorod (991), Pereyaslavl (992) and many others were founded.

Vladimir began to build God's temples. From the first centuries of Christianity, the custom began to erect temples on the ruins of pagan sanctuaries or on the blood of holy martyrs. Following this rule, Saint Vladimir built the temple of Saint Basil the Great on the hill where the altar of Perun was located, and laid a stone Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Church of the Tithes) at the site of the martyrdom of the holy Varangian martyrs.

Sergey Efoshkin. At the Tithe Church

The church was built by masters from Byzantium. The Church of the Tithes was most likely built on the model of the Pharos Church at the Great Imperial Palace in Constantinople, where Anna loved to go to prayer services. And although neither the Faros nor the Tithe churches survived, archaeologists managed to recreate them appearance. The church, 27 meters long and 18 wide, was crowned with five large domes. It was decorated with frescoes and mosaics made of multi-colored glass, as well as jasper. Due to the abundance of marble on the floor and soaring columns with carved capitals, contemporaries called the Tithe Church “marble.” The parapets near the choir, the altar barrier and the cornices at the main windows were decorated with marble. The floor of the altar, in addition to multi-colored marble tiles, was made of tiled tiles. The building itself was made of flat thin bricks covered with white plaster.

In 1007, Saint Vladimir transferred the relics of Saint Olga, Equal-to-the-Apostles, to the Church of the Tithes. And four years later, in 1011, his wife, an associate of many of his endeavors, blessed Queen Anna, was buried there.

The times of Vladimir were marked by the beginning of the spread of literacy in Rus' - which is associated with Epiphany. Like many other progressive reforms in the Russian land, it was carried out by force. The first teachers in Rus' were both Byzantines and Bulgarians, including those who studied on Mount Athos.

The last years of Vladimir Svyatoslavich’s life were overshadowed by enmity with his eldest sons. In 1013, a conspiracy by Svyatopolk the Accursed against Vladimir, his adoptive father, was discovered. Svyatopolk and his wife and their accomplice, a Polish bishop, were arrested and taken into custody. In 1014, another son of Vladimir, Yaroslav of Novgorod, rebelled, refusing to pay tribute to Kyiv. Then Prince Vladimir announced a campaign against Novgorod, but became seriously ill and died July 15, 1015 . He ruled the Russian state for 37 years (978-1015), of which he lived 28 years in holy baptism.

The holy relics of Vladimir were placed in a marble shrine, placed in the Klimentovsky chapel of the Tithe Assumption Church next to the same marble shrine of Queen Anna.

During the Mongol-Tatar invasion, the honorable remains of Saint Prince Vladimir were buried under the ruins of the Tithe Church. In 1635 they were found, the venerable head of Saint Prince Vladimir rested in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, small particles of holy relics rested in different places. In the second half of the 19th century, a temple was built in Kyiv in the name of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, which is currently a cathedral. And in 1853 a monument was erected.

The name and work of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir is connected with the entire subsequent history of the Russian Church. “By them we have become deified of Christ, True Life, have come to know,” St. Hilarion testified. His feat was continued by his sons, grandsons, great-grandsons, who owned the Russian land for almost six centuries: from Yaroslav the Wise, who took the first step towards the independent existence of the Russian Church, to the last Rurikovich, Tsar Theodore Ioannovich, under whom in 1589 year, the Russian Orthodox Church became the fifth independent Patriarchate.

The celebration of Saint Vladimir Equal to the Apostles was established by Saint Alexander Nevsky after on May 15, 1240, with the help and intercession of Saint Vladimir, he won the famous Nevsky victory over the Swedish crusaders.

Since Prince Vladimir lived before the schism christian church(schisms 1054), he is also revered by Catholics.

Material prepared by Sergey Shulyak

for the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Sparrow Hills

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"GRAND DUKE VLADIMIR"

From the series "History of the Russian State".

Saint Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles, is a pagan who accepted Christ with all his heart and completely changed his life; the conquering prince who converted Rus' to the Orthodox faith; prototype of the epic character - Vladimir the Red Sun; a saint in whose honor many churches were built in our country. We will talk about the life of the Grand Duke and the Baptism of Rus'.

Prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavich- grandson of Grand Duchess Olga (glorified by the Church as an Equal-to-the-Apostles saint) and son of Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich.

Saint Vladimir lived and reigned at the turn of the 10th-11th centuries. First, from 970, he reigned in Novogorod; then, from 978 until his death in 1015, in Kyiv, the capital of Kievan Rus.

Exactly Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir, in holy baptism Vasily, is the initiator of the Baptism of Rus', a turning point in the history of our country. In 988, Christianity became the state religion in Kievan Rus. A former pagan himself, Prince Vladimir actively spread the new faith among the Slavs. For this he was nicknamed Vladimir the Baptist.

The Church glorified Prince Vladimir canonized as Equal-to-the-Apostles. Saints equal to the apostles are those who served their lives to preach the Gospel and spread the Christian faith among people. Kings and princes who enlightened their people with the light of Christ are often glorified precisely as equal to the apostles. For example, Grand Duchess Olga, the grandmother of Prince Vladimir, who became the first ruler of Kievan Rus to accept the Christian faith.

When is the memory of Saint Vladimir Equal to the Apostles celebrated?

The memory of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir is celebrated on the day of his death - July 28 according to the new style (July 15 according to the old style, or according to the Julian calendar).

Years of the reign of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich

Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich ruled at the turn of the 10th-11th centuries. First, from 970, he reigned in Novgorod, then, from 978 until 1015 (year of death), in Kyiv, the capital of Kievan Rus.

Prince Vladimir - pagan

The future baptist of Rus' was born in the marriage of Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich with Malusha, who was from the Drevlyans. The Drevlyans are the same tribe against whom Grand Duchess Olga cruelly took revenge for the murder of her husband, Prince Igor. According to legend, Malusha was the housekeeper of Princess Olga.

In 972, Prince Vladimir ascended the Novgorod throne. He became famous among the people as a conqueror of lands. In 980, he recaptured Kyiv from his own brother, Yaropolk. In addition, Vladimir subjugated and imposed tribute on many neighboring tribes: the Vyatichi, Yatvingians, Radimichi; defended the borders of the state from Pecheneg raids. The prince expanded the borders of Rus' from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Bug River in the south.

Before accepting holy baptism, Prince Vladimir was a pagan. His grandmother, Princess Olga, did not pass on her new faith - Christianity - to her son and grandson. Therefore, Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavich had to follow in her footsteps - to find Christ after for long years sinful life and spiritual quest.

During the period of paganism, Vladimir had several wives and many concubines in different cities. He installed idols in the capital of Rus', in front of which sacrifices were made, including human ones. As the chronicle writes, “and they made sacrifices to them, calling them gods, and brought their sons and daughters to them, and these sacrifices went to demons... And the Russian land and that hill were defiled with blood.”

During his reign, the Varangians Theodore and his son John suffered martyrdom for Christ. According to many researchers, it was this event that prompted the Grand Duke to wonder whether the pagan faith was true. After the adoption of Christianity and the Baptism of Rus', the future Equal-to-the-Apostles saint erected the famous Tithe Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the site of the death of the martyrs.

Baptism of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich

Many historians believe that Grand Duke Vladimir chose Orthodox Christianity among several other religions. He convened representatives of different faiths to Kyiv, the mother of Russian cities. Muslim Bulgarians, Catholic Germans, Jews and Orthodox Greeks. Each of them described to Prince Vladimir the merits of their faith, and the Grand Duke made a choice in favor of Orthodoxy. But to make sure that he was not mistaken, he sent ten wise and respected people in Kievan Rus to the capital of Byzantium, Constantinople, so that they could figure out whether the Orthodox faith was really the most worthy.

The sages were amazed by the Sophia of Constantinople - the magnificent architecture of the temple, the angelic singing of the choir, the beauty of the divine service. They returned to Vladimir with the words: “We did not know whether we were standing on earth or in heaven.”

Vladimir made the final decision to be baptized. In order not to fall into submission to the Greeks, Vladimir Svyatoslavich organized a military campaign and took the city of Chersonesus. And he asked the Byzantine emperors Vasily and Constantine for the hand of Princess Anna. Anna could only marry a Christian. In 988, Prince Vladimir received holy baptism with the name Vasily. According to legend, coming out of the baptismal font, he, who had previously been briefly blind, regained his sight and exclaimed: “Now I know the true God!”

Baptism of Rus'

The term “Baptism of Rus'” itself is found already in the Tale of Bygone Years, the oldest chronicle that has reached us. It was written at the beginning of the 12th century.

After baptism, Prince Vladimir returned to Kyiv and brought Orthodox priests with him from overseas lands. They were the first to baptize the sons of Vladimir Svyatoslavich into the new faith, then the boyars. The source where they were baptized began to be called Khreshchatyk.

The Grand Duke began to actively fight paganism. On his orders, they cut down the idols that he himself had recently installed in the capital of Rus'. The temple in the center of Kyiv was a composition of statues of the six main gods of the Slavic pagan pantheon: Perun, Khors, Dazhdbog, Stribog, Semargl and Mokosha. As legend says, the figure of Perun was tied to a horse's tail and thrown into the Dnieper River.

On the initiative of the Christian prince, the clergy told the people about Christ and the Gospel. The result of the sermon was Vladimir Svyatoslavich’s order to all citizens to appear in Kyiv, on the banks of the Dnieper, to receive holy baptism. This event was the first in a series of mass baptisms in Rus'.

Next Novgorod was baptized. Then followed Rostov, Suzdal, Murom, Polotsk, Vladimir Volynsky, Smolensk, Pskov, Lutsk and other cities. The adoption of a new, unified faith became a serious impetus for the unification of Russian lands.

In Soviet historiography there was always room for irony about the supposedly forced and formal mass baptism of Rus', but stubborn historical facts they say the opposite. For such a massive event, it was incredibly peaceful and was almost immediately deeply accepted in popular life.

Coins of Prince Vladimir

During his reign, Prince Vladimir, following the example of Byzantium, began minting coins - for the first time in Rus'. They were made of gold and silver, and they were called, respectively, “zlatnik” and “srebrenik”. The coins depicted the prince sitting on a throne, and it was written: “Vladimir on the table,” which translated means “Vladimir on the throne.”

Foundation of the city of Vladimir

Historians disagree on who founded the city of Vladimir (Vladimir on Klyazma). According to one version, the city was founded in 990 by Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavich himself. According to another, in 1108 - Prince Vladimir Monomakh.

The founding of the city by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir is supported by references to him in several chronicles. These are the Suprasl, Gustyn, Ermolin and some other chronicles.

Church of the Tithes - Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kyiv

The Church of the Tithes in Kyiv was built by decree of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. “The Tale of Bygone Years” writes: “Summer 6497 (989) thoughts of creating the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, and sending and sending masters from the Greek. And I will begin to create, and as soon as I have finished, decorate it with icons.”

Immigrants from Byzantium took 7 years to build the church. In 996 it was consecrated in honor of the Mother of God. The Grand Duke allocated a tenth of his income for the maintenance of the temple, so the church was called Tithe.

The relics of Grand Duchess Olga, the grandmother of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, were transferred to the temple. Here Saint Vladimir later buried his wife Anna.

In 1240, the Mongols, led by Batu, destroyed Kyiv. What remains of the Tithe Church is the southern aisle and a piece of the wall. The ruins stood untouched for four centuries, and only in 1636, Metropolitan Peter Mogila decided to “Tithe Church” Holy Virgin located at the gates of Kyiv, dig it out of the darkness and open it to daylight.” Services have resumed in the temple.

It was Metropolitan Peter Mogila who discovered two sarcophagi among the ruins, and in them the remains of two people. For several centuries they were revered as belonging to Prince Vladimir and Princess Anna, but are now completely lost.

In 1828, on the site of the first Tithe Church, they began to build a new one, according to the design of the architect Vasily Stasov. The temple was built in 14 years, but it was not destined to stand for long. In 1936, the building was dismantled into bricks. In 1938-39, a scientific group from the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the USSR Academy of Sciences conducted excavations and found fragments of fresco and mosaic decoration of the ancient temple, stone tombs and the remains of the foundation.
Modern archaeologists continue excavations at the site of the Church of the Tithes.

Vladimir Red Sun

Vladimir Red Sun - that’s what, according to legend, people called it Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. According to researchers, this epic image is rather a collective one, that is, it cannot be fully attributed to any one historical person.

In the epics, Vladimir the Red Sun is the head of all the heroes, but at the same time he is not a hero himself. Perhaps the Grand Duke, or even a mythical character - Dazhbog, the sun god of the pagan Slavs.

In addition to epics, we find mentions of Vladimir the Red Sun in the so-called Dove Book (East Slavic folk spiritual verse of the late 15th - early 16th centuries). There his names are Volodar, Volodimer, Volodimir Syslavich, Volodumor.

Death and relics of Saint Vladimir Equal to the Apostles

Grand Duke Vladimir died after an illness on July 15, 1015 (July 28, new style). He was buried in the Tithe Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kyiv, which he founded. The sarcophagi of Vladimir and his wife Anna were made of marble and stood in the center of the temple.

In 1240, the Tithe Church was destroyed by the Mongols. In 1632-36, the ruins of an ancient temple began to be dismantled in Kyiv and marble tombs were discovered. The relics of Saint Vladimir Equal to the Apostles and his wife were removed and buried again. Two centuries later, in 1826, researchers again opened the graves and distributed the relics to Kyiv and Moscow churches. Now the remains of the couple have been lost, and modern researchers even doubt that in the 17th century the sarcophagi of Vladimir and Anna were found among the ruins.

Glorification of Prince Vladimir as a saint

The exact date of the canonization of Saint Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles, is not known to scientists. Some researchers suggest that they began to venerate Vladimir Svyatoslavich as a saint together with his sons - Saints Boris and Gleb. Other experts believe that hagiographic stories about Vladimir’s conversion to Christianity appeared immediately after his death. Be that as it may, by the middle of the 12th century he had not yet been officially canonized.

But already in the 14th century, all Prologues and liturgical books mention the day of remembrance of St. Vladimir Equal to the Apostles - July 15 (July 28, new style). Most likely, the canonization took place in the second half of the 13th century.

The key event in the development of church veneration of St. Vladimir was the celebration of the 900th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' in 1888. At the same time, several Prince Vladimir churches were built, for example, the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv.

Icon of Saint Vladimir Equal to the Apostles

The iconography of Saint Vladimir, equal to the apostles, is traditional for all saints equal to the apostles. Equal to the Apostles are those saints who served the Lord, enlightening people with the light of Christ. For example (if we are talking about holy princes and kings), they converted to Christianity the citizens of the country in which they reigned. These saints are likened to the apostles - for spreading the Gospel. This is Saint Mary Magdalene; and Emperor Constantine and his mother Queen Helena; and Saint Nina, the enlightener of Georgia; and Grand Duchess Olga; and Prince Vladimir, who baptized Rus'.

Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir is traditionally depicted standing on icons. IN right hand he has a cross, a symbol of the preaching of Christ, which was preached by all the saints equal to the apostles. In the left hand is a scroll or sword.

Another traditional image of Saint Vladimir - together with Saint Olga, Equal-to-the-Apostles, the first ruler in Rus' to convert to Christianity.

Troparion to Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir

You became like a merchant looking for good beads, glorious Vladimir, sitting at the height of the table with the mother of the cities, God-saved Kiev: testing and sending to the Royal City to lead the Orthodox faith, you found a priceless bead - Christ, who chose you, like the second Paul, and shook off blindness in the holy font, both spiritual and physical. In the same way, we celebrate your dormition, your people, pray for the salvation of your Russian ruler and the multitude of those who rule.

Kontakion to Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir

Having resembled the great Apostle Paul, in his gray hairs, the all-glorious Vladimir, all the wisdom of a child, even the care of idols, left, like a perfect man, adorned with Divine Baptism with crimson, and now, standing before the Savior Christ in joy, pray to be saved by the ruler of the Russian power and the multitude of those who rule .

First prayer to the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir

O great servant of God, God-chosen and God-glorified, equal to the apostles Prince Vladimir! You have rejected pagan evil and wickedness, you have believed in the One True Trinitarian God and, having accepted Holy Baptism You enlightened the entire Russian country with the light of Divine faith and piety. Glorifying and giving thanks to our Most Merciful Creator and Savior, we glorify, thank you, our Enlightener and Father, for by you we have known the saving faith of Christ and have been baptized in the Name of the Most Holy and Divine Trinity: by that faith we have been delivered from the righteous condemnation of God, the eternal slavery of the devil and the torment of hell : by that faith I received the grace of sonship with God and the hope of inheriting Heavenly bliss. You are our first leader to the Author and Finisher of our eternal salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ; You are a warm prayer book and intercessor for the Russian country, for the army and for all people. Our language cannot depict the greatness and height of the blessings you poured out on our land, on our fathers and forefathers and on us, unworthy. O all-merciful father and our enlightener! Look at our weaknesses and beg the most merciful King of Heaven, may He not be very angry with us, as through our infirmities we sin all day long, may He not destroy us with our iniquities, but may He have mercy and save us, by His mercy, may He plant us in our hearts May His saving fear enlighten our minds with His grace, so that we may understand the ways of the Lord, leave the paths of wickedness and error, and strive in the paths of salvation and truth, unwavering fulfillment of the commandments of God and the statutes of the Holy Church. Pray, merciful Lord, to the Lover of Mankind, that He may add His great mercy to us, that He may deliver us from the invasion of foreigners, from internal disorder, rebellion and strife, from famine, deadly diseases and from all evil, that He may give us the prosperity of the air and the fruitfulness of the earth, that He may give us the shepherds are zealous for the salvation of their flock, but all people have the haste to diligently correct their services, have love among themselves and like-mindedness, and strive faithfully for the good of the Fatherland and the Holy Church, so that the light of saving faith may shine in our country at all ends of it, so that all heresies and schisms, so having lived in peace on earth, we will be worthy of eternal bliss with you, praising and exalting God forever and ever. Amen.

Second prayer to the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir

O great servant of God, Equal-to-the-Apostles to Prince Vladimir! Look at our weaknesses and beg the Most Merciful King of Heaven, may he not be very angry with us and may he not destroy us with our iniquities, but may he have mercy and save us by His mercy, may he implant repentance and the saving fear of God in our hearts, may he enlighten us with His grace Our mind is to leave us the paths of wickedness and turn to the path of salvation, and unswervingly keep the commandments of God and keep the statutes of the Holy Church. Pray, kind-hearted God, the Lover of Mankind, that He may show us His great mercy: may He deliver us from deadly diseases and from all evil, may He preserve and save the servants of God (names) from all the snares and slander of the enemy, and may we all be worthy of eternal bliss with you, praising and exalting God forever and ever.

Prince Vladimir Cathedral in St. Petersburg

The Cathedral of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir is located in St. Petersburg on Blokhina Street, 26.

At the very beginning of the 18th century, immediately after the founding of the city, a wooden temple was built on this site, the predecessor of the Prince Vladimir Cathedral. It was a three-altar mud-brick church. The main altar was consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary; services were performed in the presence of Emperor Peter I. By royal decree, the church received the status of a cathedral.

In 1740, they began to build a one-domed stone church next to the Assumption Cathedral, but two years later, when Elizabeth Petrovna ascended the throne, construction was frozen. The project was redone - in 1766, according to the drawings of the architect Rinaldi, they began to build a five-domed cathedral with a three-tier bell tower. By 1772, construction was interrupted by a fire - the fire destroyed the ancient wooden Assumption Cathedral and damaged the stone one under construction. Construction was completed only on October 1, 1789. The cathedral was consecrated in honor of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.

In 1940-2001, the icon of the Kazan Mother of God was kept in the Prince Vladimir Cathedral. Now it has been returned to the Kazan Cathedral.

St. Vladimir's Cathedral in Kyiv

The Vladimir Cathedral was built in Kyiv at the request of Metropolitan of Kyiv and Galicia Philaret, with which he addressed Emperor Nicholas I in 1852. The temple was built with charitable donations and designed by the architect Ivan Shtrom.

The collection of donations proceeded very slowly, but when the new Emperor Alexander II became interested in the project in 1857, things got off the ground. The estimate was changed: they decided to build the temple on a smaller scale and according to a different design - by the architect Alexander Beretti. The first stone in the foundation of the cathedral was laid in 1862, on the day of the celebration of the memory of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.

In 1866, when the building was almost ready - all that remained was to install the domes, the walls suddenly began to crack. The work was frozen and a special technical committee was created from leading Kyiv architects. Ivan Shtrom, the author of the original design of the cathedral, arrived from St. Petersburg. He found errors in the drawings.

As a result, the architect for the cathedral under construction was changed again. Vladimir Nikolaev completed twenty years of construction in 1882. Viktor Vasnetsov, Mikhail Nesterov and other artists were invited to paint the St. Vladimir Cathedral. The temple was consecrated in 1896, in the presence of Emperor Nicholas II and his family.

During the years of Soviet power, the cathedral was not destroyed, but since 1929 it has housed the Museum of Anti-Religious Propaganda. During the German occupation in the Great Patriotic War St. Vladimir's Cathedral remained active. It now belongs to the non-canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate.

Moscow Diocesan House with the Church of St. Prince Vladimir

The Moscow Diocesan House is located practically on the Garden Ring at Likhov Lane, 6.

This building, built by the new martyr Saint Metropolitan Vladimir in 1901 for the purposes of public education, was used in 1917–1918 to hold meetings of the historical Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, it housed the Diocesan Library, a museum, and since 1918 the Theological Institute.

In the 1920s, the Diocesan House was closed, looted, and transferred to the central studio documentaries and disfigured by perestroika. In 2003, the memorial building was illegally sold to private hands in a false bankruptcy.

The return of the building to the state became possible thanks to the combined truly heroic efforts of state administration employees, lawyers and members of the Board of Trustees of the Orthodox St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University (PSTGU). More than 30 arbitration trials were held and more than $2 million were paid out.

Currently, an order from the Federal Property Management Agency has been received and an agreement has been concluded on the right of PSTGU to free use of the building. On the 1000th anniversary of the death of St. Prince Vladimir, which will be celebrated in 2015, the building should be completely restored. This is the only large (there are only chapels and house churches) Vladimir Church in Moscow.

(c. 890 -11.07. 969), son of the great Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich(942–972). Vladimir's mother was the housekeeper of Princess Olga Malusha (c.940/944 - ?) - the daughter of Malk Lyubechanin (? - 946), whom many historians identify with the Drevlyansky prince Mal.

The year of birth of Vladimir Svyatoslavich is considered to be 960. As the Nikon and Ustyug Chronicles report, the future baptist of Rus' was born in the village of Budutin (Budyatyn).

Information about future fate Malusha, Vladimir's mother, is not available. In Kyiv, Vladimir was under the supervision of his paternal grandmother, Princess Olga. Probably, his maternal uncle Dobrynya was involved in his upbringing, since in Rus' it was customary to entrust the upbringing of the heir to senior warriors.

It is worth noting that Vladimir’s grandmother, Princess Olga, was a Christian - back in 955 she received holy baptism in Constantinople. Olga tried to introduce Svyatoslav to the faith, but he did not even think of listening to her.

In 970, shortly before his death, Grand Duke Svyatoslav divided Rus' between his three sons: Kiev was given to Yaropolk (? - 06/11/978), Ovruch, the center of the Drevlyansky land, to Oleg (955–977) , and Novgorod - to Vladimir.

In 977, a fraternal war began between Yaropolk and his brothers Oleg and Vladimir. Prince Oleg died during this feud. At this news, Vladimir fled to Jarl of Norway Hakon the Mighty (c. 937–995). Yaropolk began to rule the entire Russian Land.

While in Scandinavia, Vladimir and Dobrynya gathered an army and in 980 returned to Novgorod, expelling the mayor Yaropolk from there. Vladimir managed to capture Polotsk, which had sided with Kiev, killing the family of the city's ruler, Prince Rogvolod (c. 920 - 978), and taking his daughter, Princess Rogneda (c. 960 - c. 1000), as his wife. It is known that Vladimir previously wooed Rogneda, but she refused to become his wife, calling him “robichich”: the Polotsk princess considered it unacceptable to marry the son of the housekeeper Malusha.

Then Vladimir with a large Varangian army besieged Kyiv, Yaropolk was killed, and Vladimir took Yaropolk’s wife, a former Greek nun, as a concubine.

Vladimir reigned in Kyiv in 980. The chronicle reports that during this period Vladimir was distinguished by his cruel pagan character and depravity. Soon after ascending the Kiev throne, he erected statues of pagan gods on a hill near his palace. However, at the same time, Vladimir was a wise ruler. Let's say, he made several successful military campaigns to the west and east, subjugated the Radimichi and Vyatichi tribes, annexed the “Cherven cities” (Volyn, Kholm, Belz, Brody, Przemysl, Volodava, Cherven and others) to Rus'.

The pagan reform - an attempt to create one common pantheon of gods for all, carried out by Prince Vladimir, was defeated, since each tribe had its own gods. Probably this defeat, as well as the example of the Christians living next to him, increasingly forced the young prince to think about the need for changes in the life of the Russian state.

Baptism of Rus' by Prince Vladimir

The chronicle calls the Baptism of Rus' the result of a conscious “choice of faiths” by Prince Vladimir: preachers of Judaism, Islam, and Western “Latin” Christianity were invited to his court, until Vladimir, as reported in the chronicle, after communicating with the “Greek philosopher”, settled on Christianity of the Byzantine rite.

An important impetus for the Baptism of Rus' was Vladimir’s demand to give him Anna, the sister of the Byzantine emperors Vasily II and Constantine VIII, as his wife, in exchange for support in the fight against the invader Varda Phocas (? - 04/13/989). The Byzantine rulers agreed, but in turn demanded that the Kyiv prince be baptized. Not receiving a bride, the angry Vladimir attacked the Byzantine city of Korsun (Chersonese) in Crimea and only after that the marriage took place.

About Russian size military power and baptism, the Armenian historian Stefan Taronsky, a contemporary of Prince Vladimir, also reports:

Then the entire people of Ruzov (Russians), who were there (in Armenia, around the year 1000) rose up to fight; there were 6,000 of them - foot soldiers, armed with spears and shields - whom Tsar Vasily asked from Tsar Ruzov at the time when he gave his sister in marriage to the latter. At the same time, the Ruz believed in Christ.

The date of the Baptism of Rus' is considered to be 988. At baptism, Vladimir took the name Vasily. It is known that shortly before his baptism, Vladimir was struck by blindness, and immediately after he was baptized, his sight returned. It is known that in Kyiv the baptism of the people took place relatively peacefully, in contrast to Novgorod, where Dobrynya led the baptism and it was accompanied by pagan uprisings and punitive methods on the part of the baptists. In the Rostov and Suzdal lands, where the local Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes were not completely subjugated politically, Christians remained a minority, apparently, even after Prince Vladimir (until the 13th century, paganism dominated the Vyatichi).

During the baptism of Rus', a church hierarchy was also established. Rus' became the Kyiv metropolis of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and a diocese was created in Novgorod. After the baptism of Rus', Prince Vladimir was in two successive Christian marriages: with the already mentioned Byzantine princess Anna and, after her death in 1011, from 1018 with his second wife, who is referred to as “Yaroslav’s stepmother.” Prince Vladimir had 13 sons and 10 daughters. The most famous among them were Svyatopolk, Yaroslav the Wise,.

Prince Vladimir - a wise ruler

Rus' after Epiphany continued its active foreign policy: the struggle with Poland, with the White Croats, the war with the Pechenegs, which lasted until the 990s. Subsequently, based on the memories of the Pecheneg War, legends were formed (the legend of Belgorod jelly, of Nikita Kozhemyak and others). To defend against the Pechenegs, several fortresses were built along the southern border of Kievan Rus, as well as a palisade on an earthen embankment.

Vladimir is credited with the authorship of the “Church Charter,” which determined the competence of church courts. In addition, Prince Vladimir began minting his own coins according to Byzantine models - gold (“zlatnikov”) and silver (“srebrenikov”). On most coins, the Kiev prince is depicted sitting on a throne, and next to it is the inscription: “Vladimr is on the table, and behold his gold (or: silver)”; There are also options with a chest design.

The reign of Prince Vladimir was marked by the beginning of book education in Rus', which was a consequence of the baptism of Rus'. Children began to be taken from their families and sent to study. Here is how The Tale of Bygone Years reports about it:

He sent to collect 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 over them as if they were dead.

The teachers were not only Byzantines, but more often even Bulgarians who had previously studied on Mount Athos. Soon, remarkable rhetoricians and literary connoisseurs arose in Rus', such as, for example, one of the first writers in Rus', the author of the famous “Sermon on Law and Grace,” Metropolitan Hilarion (990–1055)

Under the Kiev prince, active stone construction began in Rus', although the first buildings of this kind known to us date back to the reign of Vladimir’s son, Yaroslav the Wise. Cities such as Vladimir on Klyazma (990), Belgorod (991), and Pereyaslavl (992) were founded.

In the last years of his life, Prince Vladimir probably decided to violate the principle of succession to the throne and transfer power to his beloved son Boris. Prince Vladimir of Kiev reposed on July 15, 1015 in Berestov.

Church veneration Prince Vladimir

There is no exact data about the beginning of church veneration of Prince Vladimir. It is possible that Vladimir was initially commemorated together with his sons, the holy princes Boris and Gleb.

The veneration of Prince Vladimir as a saint to this day causes controversy among historians. It is known that Byzantium refused to recognize him as a saint. Perhaps because his pagan behavior, described in detail in the chronicles, had not yet been forgotten. But for Rus', Vladimir’s services to the Fatherland were obvious: Vladimir is the baptizer of Rus', a wise ruler, commander, a generous and merciful person.

Another obstacle to the church veneration of Prince Vladimir was the lack of miracles associated with his name. Exact time canonization Prince of Kyiv unknown. Vladimir died in 1015, and the earliest surviving written information about his official veneration dates back to XIV century. Liturgical books are celebrated as the day of memory of Vladimir on July 15 (old style).

The relics of Prince Vladimir were not given the gift of miracles, so there were disputes in the Church about his holiness. However, the services of Prince Vladimir to the Russian state were significant and great for all Russian people, and therefore popular veneration of Prince Vladimir arose already in the 11th century. After the death of Vladimir, a whole epic cycle developed around his image. People's memory has preserved the idea of ​​Vladimir as a hospitable, merciful prince, the “Red Sun”. Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich is still revered as a man who lived for the benefit and glory of the Fatherland.

Troparion and Kontakion to Saint Prince Vladimir

Troparion, ch. 4.

Like a merchant, I am looking for good beads, glorious Vladimir, sitting at the height of the table, mother of the city of God-saved Kyiv. And testing sending to the Royal City, take away Orthodox faith. And you will find the priceless pearl of Christ, who chose you as the second Paul, and shook off blindness in the holy font, both spiritual and physical. In the same way, we celebrate your dormition, your people, pray for the salvation of your Russian ruler, and the multitude of those who rule.

Kontakion, ch. 8.

Having become like the great Paul in the apostles, in the sovereign gray hairs of the all-glorious Vladimir, you left all the wisdom of a child, and care for idols. And like a perfect husband, he was adorned with purple at Divine Baptism. And stand before the Savior Christ in joy. Pray for the salvation of the Russian ruler, and the multitude of those who rule.

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Holy Prince Vladimir. Icons

Reliable images of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich from the pre-Mongol period are unknown, which contrasts with big amount surviving images of the passion-bearing princes Boris and Gleb, with whose images already in the early stages of development the iconography of Vladimir Svyatoslavich was almost always associated. In con. XIV - 1st half. In the 15th century, images of Vladimir Svyatoslavich became widespread. By this time, the main variants of the iconography of Vladimir Svyatoslavich and the most stable features recorded in later iconographic originals had been formed: gray hair, the type of hairstyle and curly forked beard, different from both the lifetime images on coins and from the miniatures of the Radziwill Chronicle:

The image and braid are like John the Theologian, and the hair on the head is curly, like Minin (Bolshakov. Iconographic original. P. 116; see also: Iconographic original of the Novgorod edition of the late 16th century. M., 1873. P. 120).

In a number of works of the 16th and especially the 17th centuries. Vladimir Svyatoslavich is depicted with a wider, only slightly forked beard. The permanent attributes of Vladimir Svyatoslavich are a sword in his left hand and a cross in his right. In some early monuments, Vladimir Svyatoslavich is presented in a basket-cloak, traditional for the most ancient princely images; in the air of 1389 he is shown in a fur coat draped over his shoulders.

Joint images of Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Boris and Gleb in the 15th–16th centuries. served as a model for the formation of the iconography of ancient Russian princes: Theodore, Davyd and Konstantin of Yaroslavl, Konstantin, Mikhail and Theodore of Murom. In most of these compositions, the prince-father stands in the center, with young sons on the sides; variants of this scheme are known on icons of the 16th century. Icons depicting Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Boris and Gleb became widespread in the 16th–17th centuries, often in combination with the hagiographic cycle of Boris and Gleb in the fields. Works of this type could be intended both for churches consecrated in the name of Saints Boris and Gleb, and for a few churches and chapels in the name of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.

Saints Vladimir, Boris and Gleb with the life of Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir. Vologda, mid-3rd quarter of the 16th century. From the church of the book. Vladimir in Vologda (?). Later it was located in the Verkhnedolskaya Church of the Virgin Mary. Vologda, Vologda Museum

Temples in honor of Saint Prince Vladimir

In the name of Saint Prince Vladimir there is a church in Moscow in Starye Sadekh. It was built in 1514-16. presumably by the architect Aleviz Fryazin (Novy) on the site of the old temple of the same name. The chapel of Kirik and Iulita was added in 1677. In the 1670s. the main temple was rebuilt, basically the entire top was changed. The second northern chapel in honor of Saints Boris and Gleb was added in 1689. The temple was closed in 1933 and later beheaded. Services were resumed in 1991.

The church of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, which was built in 1554, was consecrated in the name of Saint Prince Vladimir.

Also in honor of St. Vladimir, the chapel (between 1113 and 1125) of the Transfiguration Church on Berestov in Kyiv and the chapel (1635) of the Church of the Resurrection of the Word in the village of Isaida, Ryazan region, were consecrated.

Monuments to the Baptist of Rus'

There are monuments to Prince Vladimir in Vladimir, Veliky Novgorod (the “Millennium of Russia” monument, where Vladimir is depicted to the left of Rurik), and Belgorod.

The princely statue is also located in St. Petersburg, in the Kazan Cathedral. There are also sculptures of Prince Vladimir in Kyiv, Sevastopol, Korosten.

Monuments to the Baptist of Rus' were erected in Toronto (Canada), London (Great Britain), Brisbane (Australia).

In 2015, the Moscow authorities decided to erect a monument to Prince Vladimir on the Sparrow Hills. However, this statement caused heated public debate. There were both supporters and opponents of this intention. Opponents of the installation of a monument to the Baptist of Rus' cited as reasons an “inconvenient” place for the sculpture, which spoils the view of the Sparrow Hills. Some members of the public expressed that due to too heavy weight the monument will slide into the Moscow River. Purely philistine protests were also expressed: the sculpture would interfere with photographing the main building of Moscow State University, and the monument would also disturb the lighting of the surrounding area. However, as Vladislav Kononov, deputy executive director of the Russian Military Historical Society (RVIO), said: “If we set out to collect signatures for the installation of the monument, I believe the count would be hundreds of thousands and millions.” As a result, on November 4, 2016, on the holiday, in the center of Moscow, on Borovitskaya Square, the opening ceremony of the monument to the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir took place.

Since then, Prince Vladimir was the son of the Kyiv prince Svyatoslav. For the first time, the name of Vladimir is mentioned in Russian chronicles in 968, during the narration of the Pecheneg invasion, when his grandmother, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga, with her young grandchildren and the inhabitants of Kiev, due to the absence of their son Svyatoslav, were besieged in Kyiv by steppe nomads. For the second time, the name of Prince Vladimir appears in Russian chronicles in the year 970, when Prince Svyatoslav, shortly before his death, divided the Russian land between three sons: the eldest son, Yaropolk, received Kiev, the middle son, Oleg, received the land of Drevlyanskaya, and the youngest son, Vladimir , - Novgorod.

Soon after Svyatoslav's death, quarrels began between the brothers. In retaliation for the death of his commander, killed by Prince Oleg during a hunt, Prince Yaropolk in 977 set out with an army against the Drevlyansky principality. Prince Oleg died during the retreat near the city of Ovruch. The news of his death reached Novgorod, and Prince Vladimir, knowing his brother’s love of power, fled across the sea to the Varangians. Yaropolk sent his mayors to Novgorod and began to rule alone in Rus'. But three years later, Prince Vladimir returned to Novgorod with a squad of Varangians and expelled the Kyiv mayors. Soon he conquered Polotsk and married Princess Rogneda of Polotsk, the bride of Yaropolk. Then he conquered Kyiv, and Yaropolk was killed by his will. Despite the fact that Yaropolk's widow, a Greek by birth, was pregnant, Vladimir took her as a concubine. A voluptuous pagan who relied on his strength and military squad - this is how Prince Vladimir appears before his conversion to Christianity. According to the pagan concept, truth and justice are on the side of the strong. Prince Vladimir fully followed this as the highest standard of life. The words were still far from his heart at that time: “God is not in power, but in truth.”

Having become the sovereign prince of Rus', Vladimir carried out several successful military campaigns: he conquered Galicia (Chervonnaya Rus), humbled the Vyatichi and Radimichi, defeated the Kama Bulgarians, successfully fought with the Pechenegs and, thus, extended the boundaries of his power from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Bug River on south. Following the example of the Khazar Khagans (Muslims), Prince Vladimir had, in addition to five wives, many concubines.

Having established his power, the Grand Duke of Kiev Vladimir tried in every possible way to strengthen the pagan religion- polytheism, cult of the elemental forces of nature. He installed idols of Perun, Khors, Dazhdbog, Stribog, Simargl, and Mokosha on the Kyiv hills. Sacrifices were made to these idols, and more than once the Russian land was stained with innocent blood.

In 983, after a successful campaign against the Yatvingians, Prince Vladimir, as usual, decided to sacrifice to idols. The boyars cast lots, which fell on John, the son of the Varangian Theodore, who was a Christian (since the time of Princess Olga in Kyiv, there was a Christian community at the temple in the name of the prophet of God Elijah).

Theodore refused to give his Christian son as a sacrifice to soulless idols, telling the princely soldiers: “You have not gods, but wood; today they exist, but tomorrow they will rot... There is only one God, who created heaven and earth, the stars and the moon, and the sun, and man...” An angry crowd of Kyiv pagans destroyed the house of the Varangians, under the rubble of which Theodore and John suffered martyrdom. The dying words of Saint Theodore, conveyed to Grand Duke Vladimir, made a strong impression on him.

The prince's soul, seeking true faith, did not find peace. Vladimir began to remember his childhood and the pious instructions that he heard from his grandmother, Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga. He began to openly doubt the truth of pagan deities. Having learned about this and his desire to accept the true faith, preachers from different countries began to come to Kyiv. The chronicle legend about the “test of faith” tells that the first to arrive in 986 were ambassadors from the Muslim Bulgarians who lived beyond the Volga, along the Kama River. The description of the Muslim paradise with the Gurias pleased the voluptuous prince, but circumcision seemed unnecessary, and the ban on wine unacceptable; he released the Muslims in peace, telling them: “Wine is the joy of Rus', we cannot be without it.”

Ambassadors of German Catholics spoke to Prince Vladimir about the greatness of the invisible God Almighty and the insignificance of pagan idols. The prince answered them: “Go back; our fathers did not accept faith from the Pope.”

After listening carefully to the Jews who came from Khazar Khaganate, Prince Vladimir asked where their fatherland is? “In Jerusalem,” they answered, “but God scattered us for our sins.” “How dare you offer your faith when you yourself are under the wrath of God for your sins?” - Vladimir objected.

After these preachers, a Greek philosopher, sent by the Patriarch of Constantinople Nicholas Chrysovergos, arrived in Kyiv. He outlined to Prince Vladimir the history of the creation of the world and the Fall, the Incarnation and Redemption, and in conclusion he told about the Second Coming and showed the icon of the Last Judgment. Struck by this image, Vladimir sighed: “Goodness to those on the right (the righteous) and woe to those on the left (sinners).” “If you want to stand with the righteous, then be baptized,” the philosopher urged him. Vladimir thought and answered: “I’ll wait a little longer.” Having released the Greek ambassador with gifts, Prince Vladimir gathered his elders and boyars for advice. It was decided to send ambassadors and test each faith on the spot. They chose ten men, “kind and intelligent,” and sent them to the Muslims, Latins and Greeks. The strongest and most favorable impression on the ambassadors was made by the Greek divine service in the Constantinople temple in the name of Sophia the Wisdom of God. “And we don’t know whether we were in heaven or on earth, for on earth one cannot see such beauty,” said the ambassadors upon their return to Kyiv. After listening to them, the boyars said to Prince Vladimir: “If the Greek law had been bad, then your grandmother Olga, who was the wisest, would not have accepted it...”

Soon after, in 987, Prince Vladimir set out on a campaign against the city of Chersonesus (Korsun) in the Crimea, which at that time belonged to the Byzantine Empire. Having taken Chersonesos, he demanded the hand of Princess Anna, threatening, in case of refusal, a march on Constantinople (Constantinople). The Byzantine emperors-co-rulers Vasily and Constantine made it a condition of their sister’s marriage that Prince Vladimir would accept the faith of Christ. “I experienced and fell in love with her a long time ago,” answered Prince Vladimir.

When Princess Anna arrived with the clergy in Chersonesos, Prince Vladimir suddenly became blind. The princess suggested that he be baptized immediately, in the hope of healing. During holy Baptism, Prince Vladimir received his sight both physically and mentally, and exclaimed in spiritual delight: “Now I have seen the True God!” Some of the prince's warriors, amazed by this miracle, were also baptized. In Holy Baptism, Prince Vladimir was named Vasily, in honor of St. Basil the Great. At the same time, in Chersonesos, his marriage to Princess Anna took place. Prince Vladimir, as a “vena” (ransom) for his wife, returned the city of Chersonesos to Byzantium, building in it, in memory of his baptism, a temple in the name of St. John the Baptist and Baptist of the Lord.

Prince Vladimir returned to Kyiv together with Princess Anna, the Constantinople and Chersonese clergy, taking with them liturgical books, icons, church utensils, as well as the holy relics of Clement, Bishop of Rome, and his disciple Thebes.

The Arab historian Yahya of Antioch (end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th century) and the Armenian historian Stefan of Taron, nicknamed Asohik (end of the 10th century), report that after Prince Vladimir’s marriage to Princess Anna, he helped the Byzantine Emperor Basil II suppress the uprising of Bardas Phocas, sending for this Russian army. Thus, dynastic and interstate ties between Russia and Byzantium were strengthened.

Upon returning to Kyiv, Prince Vladimir gathered his twelve sons and, having prepared them to accept the faith of Christ, baptized them. His entire household and many boyars were baptized. Then Prince Vladimir began to eradicate paganism in Rus' and began to zealously destroy pagan idols: some were burned, others were chopped up, and the main idol, Perun, was thrown from a hill into the Dnieper. Immediately after the destruction of the idols, the people of Kiev were announced with the gospel sermon. The clergy, as well as previously baptized princes and boyars, walked around the squares and houses of the people of Kiev and instructed them in the truths of the Gospel, denouncing the vanity and futility of idolatry.

Some Kyivians then accepted holy Baptism, others hesitated. Grand Duke Vladimir appointed a certain day for national Epiphany (according to some sources, August 1, 988) and announced throughout the city: “If anyone does not appear on the river in the morning, whether rich, or poor, or poor, or a laborer, let him be disgusting to me!” . Only the most inveterate pagans opposed this command of the Grand Duke and fled from Kyiv. The majority of Kiev residents came to the place where the tributary of the Dnieper (Pochayna) merges with the Dnieper. "If new faith was not the best, the prince and the boyars would not have accepted her,” this is what the people said. Many people, old and young, mothers with children, entered the waters of the Dnieper and Pochayna; The clergy, led by the first Metropolitan of Kyiv, Michael, read prayers. When the Sacrament of Holy Baptism was performed, Prince Vladimir, looking up at heaven, thanked God and offered up the prayer: “Great God, who created heaven and earth! Look at this new people, and grant them, Lord, to lead You, the true God, as you led the Christian countries. Confirm in them the faith that is right and incorruptible, and help me, Lord, against the enemy of human salvation, so that, trusting in You and in Your power, I defeat his machinations!”

The construction of temples was a consequence of the adoption of Christianity by Prince Vladimir and its spread in Rus'. Prince Vladimir ordered the erection of Christian churches and place them in the places where idols had previously stood. In the same year 988, a temple was built in Kyiv in the name of St. Basil the Great, on the hill where the idol of Perun stood; the following year, skilled architects invited from Byzantium founded a temple in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos on the spot where the Varangians Theodore and John suffered martyrdom (the temple was completed in 996 and was named Tithes). Russian chronicles report that Prince Vladimir was especially concerned about the spiritual enlightenment of the people: “And he ordered the priests in cities and villages to bring people to baptism and teach children to read and write, book learning...”.

In the churches, built at the behest of Prince Vladimir, services were performed according to the Orthodox rites in the native Slavic language understandable to the people, according to those books that a century earlier had been translated from Greek into Slavic by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius, the first teachers of Slovenia. Thanks to this, the churches of God became nationwide schools of faith, and the faith of Christ spread peacefully and relatively quickly throughout Rus'. After Kyiv, residents of Novgorod and Smolensk, Polotsk and Turov, Pskov, Lutsk, Vladimir Volynsky, Chernigov, Kursk, Rostov the Great and other Russian cities received Holy Baptism.

The apostolic zeal of Grand Duke Vladimir, the enlightener of Rus', extended so far that he sent Christian preachers to the banks of the Dvina and Kama, to the steppes of the licentious Pechenegs and Polovtsians.

The labors of Grand Duke Vladimir and the first Kyiv metropolitans Michael and Leonty, as well as his faithful associates, bore remarkable fruit. Several years passed, and by the end of the 10th century, Rus' already had its own bishops, priests and deacons, and the number of literate people of all ages and ranks increased significantly.

Rus' joined the more advanced Christian culture and civilization and entered the family of Christian peoples of Europe.

After receiving baptism, the holy Grand Duke Vladimir was internally transformed, he became a new man, blessed by the Holy Spirit, and became an example of meek and compassionate love for his neighbors. Fulfilling the commandments of Christ, fulfilling the instructions of the Holy Church, following its strict regulations - all this became the measure of the life and behavior of the Grand Duke.

The words of the Gospel “blessed are the merciful” penetrated deeply into the soul of Saint Prince Vladimir. He generously distributed favors to his subjects. In days church holidays, which the prince spent in Christian joy and love, he had three meals ready: the first - for the clergy, the second - for the poor and wretched, the third - for himself, the boyars and service people.

Caring for the poor, doing good to the needy, giving peace to wanderers, mitigating punishments for criminals, Prince Vladimir soon won the love of the people and deservedly received the affectionate nickname “Vladimir - the Red Sun” among the people (this nickname remained for him a century later in folk songs and epics).

Following the Christian duty of peacemaking, Saint Vladimir stopped military warfare and devoted himself entirely to concerns about the peaceful improvement of the state. To prevent raids by nomads and protect the borders of Rus', Saint Prince Vladimir built fortified fortresses on the outskirts of the state.

Under the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, Kievan Rus flourished and its influence spread far beyond its borders.

Taking care of the improvement of the Russian state, Holy Prince Vladimir distributed inheritances, that is, cities and regions, for the management of his sons: the eldest Vysheslav - Novgorod, Izyaslav - Polotsk, Svyatopolk - Turov, Yaroslav - Rostov the Great, Vsevolod - Vladimir - Volynsky, Svyatoslav - land Drevlyanskaya, Mstislav - Tmutorakan, Stanislav - Smolensk, Sudislav - Suzdal, Pozvizd - Lutsk. Living in their appanages, the sons, appanage princes, had to obey their father - the Grand Duke of Kyiv, on whom they were dependent. Unfortunately, after the death of Saint Prince Vladimir, internecine strife arose and deepened between the brothers.

The blessed death of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir occurred on July 15, 1015 in the village of Berestovo, near Kyiv. He was buried in the Tithe Church, bitterly mourned by the entire Russian people.

Under the Grand Duke of Kiev Yaroslav the Wise, the Russian Church already revered the memory of Saint Prince Vladimir, the enlightener of Rus'. Metropolitan Hilarion of Kiev, in his eulogy to Prince Vladimir (1050), calls him the second Constantine, the apostle of the Russian land, and, turning to him, says: “For good deeds, now having received reward in Heaven, the blessings that God has prepared for those who love Him, and enjoying seeing Him, pray to the Lord for your land and people...”

During the Mongol-Tatar invasion, the honorable remains of Saint Prince Vladimir were buried under the ruins of the Tithe Church. In 1635 they were found, the venerable head of Saint Prince Vladimir rested in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, small particles of holy relics - in different places. In the second half of the 19th century, a temple was built in Kyiv in the name of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, which is currently a cathedral. In 1888, on the banks of the Dnieper, not far from the site of the Baptism of the Russian people, a monument to the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir (sculptor Mikeshin) was erected - one of many monuments dedicated to the enlightener of the Russian people.

On July 28, Orthodox Christians remember the great deeds of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and honor his blessed memory. The name of Vladimir is associated with an epoch-making event that 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 officially been given the status of the Day of the Baptism of Rus'. The Day of Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, whom the people called Vladimir the Red Sun, harmoniously combines a holiday of Orthodoxy, culture and state.

On Saint Vladimir's Day,
I want to congratulate you.
May the heavenly patron
He won't leave you for an hour.

Gives peace, health, joy,
Protects from troubles and insults.
And the flow of light energies,
Let it be open for you.

Happy great day of Vladimir,
We sincerely congratulate you,
And joy, prosperity,
We sincerely wish.

Let sorrows, bad weather, -
They go away
Success and only happiness,
Yours protects peace.

We wish you health,
Love and warmth,
And the most cherished ones -
Let your dreams come true!

Happy Vladimir Day. I wish that your guardian angel will be with you always and everywhere, that you, Volodya, will 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 in life.

I love you, Volodya, today
Congratulations from the bottom of my heart.
Celebrating name days
Let the days be good.

May your heavenly intercessor
It will help in difficult times.
May you be sad and sad
It never gnaws.

At St. Vladimir's
Ask for health.
Life is full, let there be peace,
Affection and love.

Happy Prince Vladimir Day! Let this date
Add fun to a good life.
And the soul will become rich in kindness.
To do this, just smile now!

May the angel protect you from misfortunes and grief,
The Lord helps, giving hope.
So that happiness is carefree and mischievous
Always shone like a star for you!

Happy Vladimir Day
All Slavic people
After all, once upon a time Prince Vladimir
Gave us Christianity.

Still standing with a cross
On the Dnieper it’s steeper,
Protects his people
Mighty faith.

I wish everyone on this day
I am kind and strong
So that faith in Christ
She saved our world.

Saint Vladimir is your protector
Let him show you the way.
To the world, casting aside all doubts,
Let's look at it with joy.

May this day give you hope,
Joy, dream come true.
Life will be better than before.
Let everything be as you want.

Pride in the name Vladimir,
Power over the world and fate.
You will be joyful, loved,
Angel next to you!

May he give you success
Quiet wisdom comfort!
And your health will be good,
Let all sorrows go away.

You own the world, Vladimir.
And so, the Day of the Angel has come.
Through life on your own
May you acquire all the blessings!

I wish 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!