The historian spoke about the reasons for Prince Vladimir's adoption of Christianity.

Historian Ilyashenko: different beliefs prevented the unification of Russia

Tue, 07/28/2026 - 04:30

Photo: RIA Novosti/Vladimir Vyatkin

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Prince Vladimir's decision to convert to Christianity was due to a combination of domestic and foreign policy reasons, from the need to unite disparate East Slavic tribes to the desire to strengthen Russia's international position. Philip Ilyashenko, vice-rector of St. Tikhon's Orthodox University for the Humanities and Candidate of Historical Sciences, told Izvestia about this.

"By the end of the 10th century, Vladimir faced the task of not only choosing a new religion, but also strengthening the young state. The pagan reform of 980, when Perun was declared the supreme deity, could not solve the problem of uniting the East Slavic tribes, as local cults continued to persist," Ilyashenko said.

According to the historian, the new religion could become a unifying principle for the people and at the same time strengthen the princely power, since in this tradition the ruler's power was perceived as having a special meaning established by God.

He noted that Vladimir's choice was influenced by the international situation. In the 10th century, most of the influential European states were already Christian, so the adoption of the new faith allowed Russia to become one of the Christian countries, expand diplomatic ties and increase its authority in the international arena.

"Vladimir was influenced by the example of his grandmother, Princess Olga, who became the first ruler in Russia to convert to Christianity," Ilyashenko added.

At the same time, according to the historian, the prince's decision cannot be considered only as a political step.

"It was also his personal spiritual choice. However, unlike Olga, he was making decisions not only for himself, but for the whole nation," he said.

Ilyashenko also recalled that Russia's acquaintance with Christianity began long before the Baptism of 988. This happened against the background of active contacts with Byzantium, which were initially often associated with military campaigns. However, it was through these connections that the Slavs began to become familiar with the Christian faith.