The priest spoke about the preparation of pagan Russia for the adoption of Christianity

The first Christians in Russia appeared in the 9th century. This happened against the background of active contacts with Byzantium, which at first were in the nature of military raids. However, it was these clashes that became one of the first channels of acquaintance of the Slavs with the new faith. This was stated in an interview with Izvestia by Priest Philip Ilyashenko, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Deputy Dean of the Historical Faculty of St. Tikhon's Orthodox University for the Humanities.

"During one of the campaigns against Constantinople, a significant episode occurred. When the city was under threat, its inhabitants, led by the emperor, prayed to God and lowered the robe of the Mother of God into the sea. Suddenly, a strong storm arose, which scattered the ships of the attackers. Only a few were able to escape. It came as a great shock to them," Father Philip said.

According to him, this particular event is considered to be the first evidence of the power of the Christian God for pagans. After witnessing a miracle, some Russians were baptized. In Kiev, a wooden church was built in the name of the holy Prophet Elijah, which is considered one of the first famous Christian churches in Russia.

Over time, military clashes gave way to trade and diplomatic ties. Christians, merchants, mercenaries, and missionaries came to Russia with them. Gradually, the first Christian communities were formed in ancient Russian cities. However, the key stage, as the priest notes, was the appearance of writing among the Slavs thanks to the enlightenment brothers Cyril and Methodius— the creators of the Slavic alphabet.

"The emergence of writing has played a key role. Without it, the existence and formation of the people is impossible. Many peoples who had no written language disappeared. The Slavs received their language, culture, and identity. And thanks to the translation of liturgical texts, Christianity has become accessible and understandable to the Slavic population," Ilyashenko emphasizes.

The priest added that personal examples of faith were also important. For example, in the "Tale of Bygone Years" there is a case when one of the Christians refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods. We are talking about human sacrifices, which was typical for the Slavs during the pagan period. The Christian himself was killed by an angry mob. Such actions, according to the priest, made a strong impression, including forcing Prince Vladimir to think about the failure of paganism.

"One of the first steps in this direction was the baptism of Princess Olga (grandmother of Saint Prince Vladimir and the first ruler of Russia to convert to Christianity. — Ed.), which in many ways prepared Russia for the adoption of the new faith," adds Ilyashenko.

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The embassies of Prince Vladimir became the decisive stage. He sent representatives to different countries to study religious traditions. They were particularly impressed by the divine service at St. Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople. When the ambassadors returned, they said, "We did not know whether we were in heaven or on earth, for there is no such sight and beauty on earth," according to The Tale of Bygone Years.

At the same time, the priest emphasizes that the choice of Prince Vladimir cannot be reduced solely to pragmatic considerations and the desire to strengthen ties with Byzantium.

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

Thus, the adoption of Christianity was not sudden. It was preceded by a long process in which international contacts, the development of culture and writing, as well as the political interests of the rulers played an important role.

Speaking about the significance of the Baptism of Rus, the priest noted that this event was a turning point in the history of the country, strengthened statehood and contributed to the unification of the people on the basis of a common spiritual and cultural tradition.

"With the adoption of Christianity, the Slavs entered the Christian world and began to realize themselves as a single people. They have formed common values, culture and a kind of national idea based on traditional spiritual guidelines. And even in spite of the godless 20th century, this foundation is largely preserved today," concluded Ilyashenko.

Earlier, Daniil Krapchunov, Head of the Department of Cultural Studies at the Moscow State University named after Razumovsky, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, listed the main myths about the Baptism of Rus.