Baptism of Rus' where religion was accepted. Baptism of Rus' by Prince Vladimir

BAPTISM OF Rus', the introduction of Christianity in the Greek Orthodox form as the state religion (late 10th century) and its spread (11th-12th centuries) in Ancient Rus'. The first Christian among the Kyiv princes was Princess Olga. The adoption of Christianity in Rus' ... Russian history

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Baptism of Rus'- BAPTISM OF Rus', the introduction of Christianity in the Greek Orthodox form as the state religion. Started by Vladimir I Svyatoslavich (988 989), who was baptized along with his family and squad, and then began the baptism of Kievites, Novgorodians and others.… … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Introduction in Ancient Rus' at the end of the 10th century of Christianity in the Greek Orthodox form as the state religion. The decomposition of the primitive system and the formation of the Old Russian state became preparatory conditions for the change of pagan religion... ... Political science. Dictionary.

Introduction of Christianity in the Greek Orthodox form as the state religion. Started by Vladimir Svyatoslavich in 988-89. Contributed to the development of culture, the creation of monuments of writing, art, and architecture. The 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' was celebrated... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Fresco "Baptism of Saint Prince Vladimir". V. M. Vasnetsov Vladimir Cathedral (Kyiv) (late 1880s) Baptism of Rus', the introduction of Christianity as the state religion in Kievan Rus, carried out at the end of the 10th century by Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich.... ... Wikipedia

BAPTISM OF Rus'- The traditional name for the introduction of Christianity in Rus'* in the Greek Orthodox (see Orthodoxy*) form as the official state religion. The first in Rus', in order to strengthen trade and political ties with Byzantium, adopted Christianity... ... Linguistic and regional dictionary

Introduction to Ancient Rus' at the end of the 10th century. Christianity as a state religion. Started by Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich (988 89). Contributed to the strengthening of the Old Russian state, contributed to the development of culture, the creation of monuments... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Acceptance of Dr. Russia in the end 10th century Christianity as state religion. Some researchers (V.A. Parkhomenko, B.A. Rybakov) connect the baptism of Rus' with the Kyiv prince. Askold (9th century). The decomposition of the primitive communal system, the emergence of social... ... Soviet historical encyclopedia

Baptism of Rus'- events associated with recognition in the con. 10th century Dr. Russian state (Kievan Rus) Christ. religions in quality of official and dominant. Elements of Christianity penetrated into the East. Slavs society starting from the 3rd 4th centuries. All R. 9th century Christianity already existed... Ancient world. encyclopedic Dictionary

Books

The Baptism of Rus', Gleb Nosovsky. The new book by A. T. Fomenko and G. V. Nosovsky consists entirely of material published for the first time and is devoted to the reconstruction of the era of the second half of the 14th century. In Russian history this era... eBook
The Baptism of Rus', Andrey Vorontsov. From what time should the history of the Baptism of Rus' be counted? From the day when the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, according to legend, erected a cross on the Kyiv mountains? Or from Askold’s Baptism of Rus'?...

The seemingly simple question of what year the baptism of Rus' took place has a rather complex answer. The reason is that the process of Christianization of the ancient Russian state was long and controversial. Therefore, we propose to understand this issue step by step.

Reasons for accepting baptism in Russia

Before answering the question of what year the baptism of Rus' took place, let us find out the reasons for such a drastic change in the cultural orientation of ancient Russian society. The state of Kievan Rus was created from several large tribal unions of Eastern Slavs who professed pagan cults. Each tribe had its own gods, and the rituals of worship also varied. When the question arose about the need to consolidate society, the idea naturally arose of creating a unified ideology based on a successful monotheistic religion. The last fact associated with monotheism was also very important, since it formed the idea of a single strong power of one prince over everyone, including over the intra-tribal elite. Among Rus''s neighbors, Byzantium stood out for its special power and wealth, with which Rus' had close economic, cultural, and political ties. Therefore, Orthodox ideology was more suitable than any other for state building.

Prince Vladimir

The main work of the life of Vladimir the First, which also influenced his nickname - the Saint - was the baptism of Rus'. The date and year of this event are controversial due to the fact that the conversion occurred gradually. First the prince and his squad were baptized, then the people of Kiev, and then the residents of other regions of the huge state. The prince himself did not immediately come to the idea of adopting a new religion. In the first years of his reign, the ardent pagan Vladimir tried to create a pantheon of gods common to all tribes. But it did not take root, and did not solve all government problems. Having thought about adopting the Byzantine religious cult, the prince still hesitated. The Russian ruler did not want to bow his head to the Emperor of Constantinople. The baptism of Rus' took a long time to prepare. It is not clear exactly how many years the negotiations took place. But during the period from 980 to 988, Byzantine ambassadors visited Kiev (by the way, not alone: Catholics, representatives of the Khazar Kaganate, and Muslims also came), and Russian ambassadors visited several countries, choosing a liturgical cult, and negotiations were held about the marriage of the Byzantine princess Anna with the Kyiv ruler. Finally, the Russian prince ran out of patience, and he took decisive measures to speed up the process.

Capture of Chersonesos

Both Kievan Rus and Byzantium invested a political component in the fact of adopting Christianity according to the Orthodox model. The Byzantine emperors needed the strong army of the Kyiv prince as an ally, and Vladimir wanted to maintain independence and independence. The receipt of assistance by the emperor against the uprising of Bardas Phocas from the Russian prince was provided for under the condition of the latter's dynastic marriage with a representative of the imperial family. The Byzantine princess was supposed to marry Vladimir. But making a promise is easier than keeping it. Therefore, Vasily the Second, the Byzantine emperor, was in no hurry to send Anna to the Slavic lands. Vladimir, having gathered an army, went to the Byzantine colony in Crimea - Chersonese. After a long siege, he managed to capture the city. Threatening the continuation of hostilities, he demanded that the Byzantine ruler fulfill his promises. Anna was sent to Crimea, but on the condition that Vladimir was baptized. The Tale of Bygone Years indicates the time of these events - 988. The baptism of Rus' had not yet been carried out in the full sense of the word. Only the prince and a small part of his squad accepted the ritual.

Baptism of Kievites

Returning to the capital as a Christian, with a new wife, Vladimir continued to make efforts to introduce a new Christian ideology. First of all, the pagan pantheon of gods was destroyed. The statue of Perun was thrown into the waters of the Dnieper, having previously suffered abuse and ridicule. The chronicler testifies that the townspeople cried and sobbed for Perun, but could not do anything. Having baptized his closest assistants from the boyars, his many children, ex-wives and concubines, Vladimir took on the citizens. All Kyivians, young and old, were herded to the river bank and literally driven into its waters. Addressing his subjects, Vladimir declared that everyone who opposes baptism also opposes the will of the prince. And from now on they will be his personal enemies. In fear, sobs and lamentations, under the blessings of Byzantine priests from the shore, this grandiose baptismal ceremony was performed. Researchers argue about what year the baptism of Rus' took place in general and the people of Kiev in particular. Most historians are inclined to believe that these are events of 988-990.

Methods of converting the Slavs

It is difficult to imagine that anyone can sincerely believe that, having emerged from the waters of the Pochayna (a tributary of the Dnieper, where mass baptism took place), the people immediately became Christian. The process of daring away from old, familiar norms of behavior and pagan rituals was quite difficult. Temples were built, sermons were read in them, and conversations were held. The missionaries made considerable efforts to change the pagan worldview. How successful this was is also a controversial issue. Many still argue that Russian Orthodoxy represents dual faith, a kind of synthesis of Christian and pagan ideas about the world. The further from Kyiv, the stronger the pagan foundations were. And in those places we had to act even tougher. Those sent to conduct the baptism ceremony in Novgorod encountered resistance from local residents, including armed ones. The prince's army suppressed discontent by baptizing Novgorod with "fire and sword." It is possible to perform the ritual by force, but how to put new ideas into the minds of people? This is not a matter of one, or even a decade. For several centuries, the Magi called on the people to resist the new religion and raised uprisings against the princes. And they resonated with the population.

Official date of the baptism of Rus'

Recognizing the fact that it is impossible to accurately name the year of the baptism of Rus', the Orthodox Church and the state nevertheless sought to establish the official date of this important event. For the first time, the celebration of the baptism of Rus' was held at the proposal of the head of the Synod, K. Pobedonostsev. In 1888, the 900th anniversary of the Christianization of Rus' was solemnly celebrated in Kyiv. And although it is historically correct to consider the year 988 as the time of baptism of only the prince and his associates, it was this date that marked the beginning of the whole process. In all history textbooks, a clear answer is given to the question of what year the baptism of Rus' took place - in 988 AD. Contemporaries went further, establishing the exact date of baptism. July 28 was previously celebrated as the day of remembrance of St. Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles. Now on this day, ceremonial events dedicated to baptism are officially held.

In 2018, Ukraine will celebrate 1030 years since the Baptism of Rus. Although the adoption of Orthodoxy on the territory of the Principality of Kyiv occurred in several stages, it was 988 that is considered the beginning of a new era of the ancient Russian state. Since 2008, this event has been celebrated annually at the state level on July 28 - the day of remembrance of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.

Why Christianity was adopted in Rus' and how the fate of this religion developed after baptism in the modern territories of Ukraine - read in our material.

Prince Vladimir and Christianity

It is believed that Rus' was baptized by Vladimir the Great, although there is only one confirmation of this - “The Tale of Bygone Years” by Nestor the Chronicler. True, the prince could have chosen a completely different religion for his state. According to the chronicles of the “choice of faiths” (“test of faith”), he experienced a deep spiritual crisis, because he realized the fallacy of paganism, and then began to learn about what faiths exist among other peoples.

As a result, embassies from different nations came to Kyiv in 986 with calls to choose their religion. Volga Bulgarians of the Muslim faith, and envoys from Rome from the Pope who preached the Latin faith, as well as Khazar Jews with Judaism, arrived on such a visit. In addition, a preacher sent from Byzantium visited the capital of Rus' and began to talk about Orthodoxy. Vladimir, for his part, also decided to send ambassadors to those countries from which the preachers came to find out which religion was better. Returning, the ambassadors told the prince everything they had seen, and most of all praised the Orthodox Greek faith. However, Vladimir did not immediately lean towards Eastern Christianity.

In particular, in 988 he captured Korsun (now the territory of Sevastopol) and demanded Anna, the sister of the Byzantine emperors Basil II and Constantine VIII, as his wife, threatening otherwise to go to Constantinople. The emperors agreed to such a proposal, but emphasized that their sister should marry a fellow believer, and Vladimir agreed to this.

The baptism of the prince just happened in Korsun, where Anna arrived. He was baptized by the Bishop of Korsun, and Vladimir accepted Christianity along with his warriors. He also received a new name - Vasily, in honor of the ruling Byzantine emperor Vasily II. Then the wedding ceremony took place.

Baptism of Vladimir in Korsun

Having already returned to Kyiv, accompanied by Korsun and Greek priests, Vladimir orders the destruction of all stone temples and baptizes his sons from previous marriages in a source known in the current capital of Ukraine under the name Khreshchatyk. And after them, many boyars were baptized. According to legend, the mass baptism of the city's residents - "there were countless people there" - took place at the place where the Pochayna River flows into the Dnieper.

After this event, Christian churches began to be actively built in Rus', and the Church of St. Basil and later the Church of the Tithes were built on the ancient temple in Kyiv. Subsequently, Orthodoxy came to other cities of Kievan Rus: Chernigov, Polotsk, Turov, where dioceses were created. However, this process was not always fast and smooth, and overall dragged on for several centuries. So, for example, only in 1024 Yaroslav the Wise suppressed the uprising of the Magi in the Vladimir-Suzdal land, and in 1071 a similar uprising was repeated. Rostov, in turn, remained pagan until the end of the 11th century, and Murom and the Vyatichi adopted the new faith another century later... This is exactly what the well-known chronicle scheme is.

In general, Christianity was accepted not only by the ruling elite, but also by the so-called “lower classes.” By the way, archaeologists have periodically found body crosses in burials since the mid-10th century, so we can assume that there were Christians among ordinary peasants and townspeople.

Why Vladimir baptized Rus': other versions

True, there are other memos, according to which there is no mention of the fact that, on the orders of Vladimir, preachers of different religions came to Kyiv. For example, Metropolitan Hilarion claims that Vladimir understood the advantage of Christianity over paganism with his own mind, although no one preached this to him. And in the 11th century memo “Memory and Praise to Prince Vladimir,” the monk Jacob writes that the prince converted to Christ following the example of his grandmother, Princess Olga, because he knew about her Christian faith and therefore he himself became a Christian. According to Yakov, Vladimir made a conscious decision and was baptized in Kyiv in 986, and went to Korsun the third year after that, in 988, when he was already a Christian.

Some historians also see the political component of the relationship with Byzantium in Vladimir’s step towards Christianity, but Nestor the Chronicler makes it clear that baptism was not a political step, but the result of an internal spiritual revolution that changed both the prince himself and his entire people.

As we see, there is no single version regarding the reasons for the Baptism of Rus'. And mentions of that thousand-year-old event have been preserved in both Arab and Western European chronicles. Therefore, it is quite understandable that scientists will continue to discuss for a long time and put forward different interpretations of why Vladimir baptized the Kyiv state.

It is generally accepted that the Baptism of Rus' began in Kyiv at the hand of Vladimir

Was there Christianity in Rus' before Vladimir?

According to various sources, it can be assumed that Christianity appeared in Rus' long before Vladimir. Thus, there is mention that in the 1st century Kyiv was visited by the Apostle Andrew the First-Called. You can read in legends about the first Christian martyrs in Crimea, including the death of Pope Clement I, who was one of the first Roman bishops.

Also one of the most famous is the story of the Kyiv princes Askold and Dir, who in 860 made a bold military campaign against Constantinople, and, having robbed Byzantium, returned home. After this same incident, Emperor Photius I, for logical reasons, decided to baptize his aggressive pagan neighbors, who lived partly according to Scandinavian traditions, and for this purpose immediately sent ambassadors to Kyiv. As a result, as Metropolitan Macarius wrote, Askold, Dir and part of the Kyiv nobility accepted Christianity. But there is very little information about those events, so many questions remain regarding their reliability.

Meanwhile, one can assert with much greater confidence about the rise of Christianity in Rus', which began with Princess Olga. The fact that she was a Christian is confirmed by her visit with her son Svyatoslav to Constantinople in 957. Then Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus even called Olga an archontess (ruler), and her slaves received a very warm welcome, unlike Svyatoslav, who did not receive any titles from the prince, as well as the Varangians from his squad.

Some letters convince us that the brother of Vladimir the Baptist, Yaropolk Svyatoslavich, was also favorable to Christianity. Moreover, one can come across a version that he even managed to be baptized before his brother.

How the Baptism of Rus' is honored today

The first official celebration of the date of the Baptism of Rus on the territory of modern Ukraine took place in Kyiv in 1888. Then, on the eve of the anniversary, the foundation stone of the Vladimir Cathedral was laid, and a monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky was unveiled. This date is also marked by numerous services, religious processions and festive festivities.

This day was remembered even 100 years later, despite the fact that at that time there was an atheistic Soviet Union. Of course, there were no big celebrations, but the then elite still allowed scientific conferences and various public events to commemorate the Day of the Baptism of Rus'. It is also interesting that some monasteries also returned to the church on the occasion of such a date.

Already in modern Ukraine, the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' in 2013 was massively celebrated. Then-president Viktor Yanukovych also took part in the events, and the so-called Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill arrived at the Lavra. In addition to Kyiv, celebrations with the participation of top officials also took place in Moscow and St. Petersburg. A traditional religious procession also took place in Russia.

There are several events in Russian history that subsequently determined the future fate of the country. These include the baptism of Rus' that took place at the end of the 10th century, the causes and consequences of which largely determined the character of Russian civilization.

Reasons for the Baptism of Rus'

Rus' is a state that arose from a conglomerate of Slavic, Baltic, Turkic, Finnish and other tribes. From the early period it inherited a complex of pagan beliefs, the essence of which did not fully correspond to the needs of the emerging monarchy. If there is one ruler in a country, then his powers must be sanctified by the authority of one God.

Thus, the reasons for the baptism of Rus' stemmed, first of all, from the internal needs of the state’s development:

the need to strengthen the power of a single monarch - the Grand Duke of Kyiv;
the need to provide a unified ideological basis that would contribute to the consolidation of different ethnic groups that became part of Rus' both on a voluntary and forced basis.

Obviously, only a monotheistic religion was suitable for this. By the end of the 1st millennium AD. There were already several major world religions of this kind. But why was the Russian choice made in favor of Eastern Christianity, behind which the name Orthodoxy was established in the 11th century? There are several reasons:

This branch of Christianity was quite well known in Rus': these views were held by some warriors and merchants, i.e. those who, as we would now say, were focused on international activities, and for them the Church of St. Elias was erected in Kyiv. It is equally important that this multi-confessional situation did not give rise to religious conflicts between pagans and Christians.
Unlike the Catholic branch of Christianity, Orthodoxy is characterized by the idea of a symphony or harmonious unity of authorities - secular and spiritual, which means there is no basis for a possible conflict between them, which could potentially unbalance the internal situation in the country.
From the point of view of princely power, an important point was that the center of Eastern Christianity was Byzantium - a powerful empire with which Rus' was neighbors, at times fought and constantly traded.
The adoption of Christianity brought Rus' out of isolation and made it related to other European peoples.

Under which prince did the baptism of Rus' take place?

The question of under which prince the baptism of Rus' took place has a clear answer: under Vladimir Svyatoslavovich. However, he found himself only at the end of the chain of decisions made by his predecessors.

Watch the video: The Baptism of Rus', truth and fiction

Thanks to ancient sources, it is known that the first to be baptized were the Varangian princes Askold and Dir, who ruled in Kyiv, then the center of the land of the glades. Their fate turned out to be unenviable. They were killed by Oleg, the founder of the Old Russian state. But a start had been made.

The first ruler to officially convert to Christianity was Princess Olga, who ruled Russia during the early childhood of her son, Prince Svyatoslav. In 957, she made an official visit to Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium, and was baptized there. Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus became her godfather, which symbolized the conclusion of an important dynastic and state union. According to the chronicles, Olga was distinguished by great steadfastness and consistency in her faith and was aimed at the baptism of Kievan Rus. According to her, this should have been done by the ruling prince Svyatoslav.

However, the son did not want to obey his mother in this matter, arguing his refusal by saying that he could not go against his pagan squad. After his murder by the Pechenegs in 972, the next prince Yaropolk turned out to be more inclined to the new faith. Chronicles write that he showed sympathy for Christianity. But the outbreak of strife between him and his brother Vladimir for the Kiev throne did not give Yaropolk the opportunity to solve this problem. And only Prince Vladimir, who came to power, set a course for religious reform.

In what year was the baptism of Rus'?

Vladimir became the Great Prince of Kyiv in 980, and the day of the baptism of Rus' falls on 988. What explains this 8-year gap between intention and action? The fact that Vladimir initially did not expect to accept a new one, but to reform traditional paganism, turning it into a kind of local monotheism.

For this purpose, a new cult was built, headed by the god Perun, the patron saint of princes and warriors, and new sanctuaries were erected - temples in Kyiv and Novgorod. However, the planned result could not be achieved; the ideological revolution did not occur.

This prompted the prince to decide on the need to adopt a new authoritative faith, borrowed from outside. In what year was the baptism of Rus', and the chronology of these events is described in the Tale of Bygone Years. The sequence of events was as follows:

Vladimir sends ambassadors to different countries so that they see the advantages and disadvantages of different religions: Judaism, which was professed by the Khazars, Islam, widespread in the Middle East, and Christianity.
He consults “with the bolyars and the elders of the city,” i.e. tries to support his choice with democratic expression of will.
And finally, in 987, he entered into a military alliance with the Byzantine emperor to jointly suppress the rebellion of the commander Bardas Phocas.

Vladimir, a well-known admirer of female beauty, demanded the hand of the royal sister, Princess Anna, as compensation. He was not embarrassed by the fact that he was already married. However, the emperor, who received military assistance in suppressing the rebellion, was not inclined to fulfill his compensation obligations. But standing in Korsun and thereby creating a military threat to Constantinople, Vladimir did not intend to concede. Then the emperor demanded that the prince and his squad be baptized into Orthodoxy. This happened in 988 and marked the beginning of a process called the baptism of ancient Rus'.

Consequences of the baptism of Rus'

Arriving with his young wife in Rus', Vladimir baptized the people of Kiev, and his uncle Dobrynya baptized the people of Novgorod. This did not cause much resistance; everything went quite calmly. Paganism was outlawed and one could seriously pay for its practice. But, despite all the prohibitions, persecution and punishments, paganism did not disappear from the spiritual life of the people.

The consequences of the baptism of Rus' manifested themselves in the economic, state and cultural spheres:

The first monasteries appeared: Kiev-Pechersk in the then capital and Yuriev Monastery in Novgorod. They were large economic entities.
Church tithes were imposed on the population, which became one of the economic foundations of their economy.
The monasteries not only produced, but also traded and engaged in usury. In their strength they were often not inferior to the princes.
From a state point of view, the government received serious support in the person of the powerful Orthodox Church and the alliance with Byzantium. The Russian Orthodox Church entered the Patriarchate of Constantinople with the rights of a metropolitanate. Its first leaders were Greeks appointed from Constantinople. However, already in the 11th century, the first Russian metropolitan appeared - St. Hilarion of Kiev, who even then proclaimed a course towards the separation of the Russian Church from the Patriarchate of Constantinople. However, this process turned out to be slow. The metropolis became the Moscow Patriarchate only in 1589.
Rus', through Orthodoxy, adopted a higher Greek culture, which had roots in the ancient heritage, which was immediately reflected in Russian architecture, writing, books, and icon painting.

The meaning of the baptism of Rus'

The Baptism of Rus' and its historical significance are inseparable from its consequences:

The development of trade relations with Byzantium gave impetus to more intensive development of its own economy.
Gradual consolidation of a multinational society based on a single religion.
The adoption of Christianity in Rus' prompted the strengthening of the position of secular power, since an alliance with such a powerful organization as the Orthodox Church made the position of the monarchy more stable.
Foreign policy: Rus' was recognized as a Christian state, which predetermined a different, higher level of relations with European countries.

Soon Byzantium began to weaken and in 1453 finally disappeared from the world map. Russia, having freed itself from the Horde yoke, began to rise from the ruins of fragmentation and national humiliation. The Baptism of Rus' and its significance also lies in the fact that it made it possible to proclaim the theory of “Moscow is the third Rome,” which became the ideological basis for our country’s claim to join the club of the most influential world powers.

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In the Orthodox church calendar, this date (according to the old style - July 15) is the day of remembrance of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir (960-1015). On June 1, 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the Federal Law “On Amendments to Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Days of Military Glory and Memorable Dates in Russia.”
The Russian Orthodox Church came up with a proposal to give state status to the Day of the Baptism of Rus'.

In June 2008, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to perform divine services on the day of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir on July 28, according to the charter of the great holiday, and also addressed the leadership of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus with a proposal to include the day of St. Prince Vladimir among the state memorial dates.
In Ukraine, a similar date is a public holiday called the Day of the Baptism of Kievan Rus - Ukraine, which is celebrated annually on July 28 - the day of remembrance of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. The holiday was established in July 2008 by decree of the President of Ukraine.

The first official celebration of the baptism of Rus' took place in 1888 on the initiative of the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod, Pobedonostsev. Anniversary events took place in Kyiv: on the eve of the anniversary, the foundation stone was laid for the Vladimir Cathedral; A monument to Bohdan Khmelnytsky was unveiled, and solemn services were held.

Following Kiev, Christianity gradually came to other cities of Kievan Rus: Chernigov, Volyn, Polotsk, Turov, where dioceses were created. The baptism of Rus' as a whole dragged on for several centuries - in 1024 Yaroslav the Wise suppressed the uprising of the Magi in the Vladimir-Suzdal land (a similar uprising was repeated in 1071; at the same time in Novgorod the Magi confronted Prince Gleb), Rostov was baptized only at the end of the 11th century, and in Murom, pagan resistance to the new faith continued until the 12th century.
The Vyatichi tribe remained in paganism the longest of all the Slavic tribes. Their enlightener in the 12th century was the Monk Kuksha, a Pechersk monk who suffered martyrdom among them.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources