Christianity first arrived in Russia towards the end of the 10th century, brought by Greek missionaries providing missionary work to the Rus’. Byzantine Christianity, or Eastern Orthodoxy, is the predominant form of Christianity in Russia to this day. It was during the reign of Vladimir the Great that Russia adopted Christianity as its official religion.
At the time of Princess Olga’s Volga in the mid-10th century, the Russian people embraced polytheism, declaring pagan gods gods of the fields, birds and trees. Through her conversion to Christianity, she became the first Christian ruler of Kievan Rus. Yet, it was her grandson- Vladimir the Great who officially brought Christianity to the Kievan Rus at the end of the 10th century.
In 988, Anastasius the Patriarch of Constantinople sent priests to baptize the inhabitants of Vladimir’s realm. Vladimir brilliantly attended the baptism ceremony with his entourage at the waters of the Dnieper River on the banks of its modern-day capital Kiev. This Conversion to Christianity was not only a religious transition, rather- it involved an immense cultural and social transformation.
Following the baptismal event, the churches of Kievan Rus saw a period of construction which brought about an unprecedented spread of Christianity across numerous parts of Russia. Notable amongst these projects was the building of the Cathedral of Saint Sofia in Kiev. The cathedral acted as the focus of the Ukrainian Orthodoxy and served its religious education, interpretation and practice. Vladimr’s keen interest in religious knowledge also entailed that school of illiterate priests was established, who with the aid of the prince were well-versed with the matters of the church.
At age 40, Vladimir’s ardent Christian mission took on a renewed mission when he was kidnapped by the local Kipchak tribe in the early 11th century AD. Following his release, Vladimir intensified his efforts in the spread of Christianity. One of the methods Vladimir adopted to further spread Christianity was through unifying the Rus’ by changing his old pagan gods for a single, supreme God.
Political Dilemmas of Christianity
In addition to spiritual and cultural transformation, the adoption of Christianity and its uprising in Russia was also heavily connected the struggle of power. To the Byzantine Empire, The Kievan Rus’ acted as their gateway to Europe. As a result, the Emperor sought to gain control of the region by looking for ways to intervene and exert influence over the Slavs. This intervention in the religious practices of the Kievan Rus’ thus entailed a form of political control.
Characterized by political tension, this period was full of political unrest in the Kievan Rus’ state. At the same time, the Byzantines found a leadership void to exploit, this opening allowed the empire to strengthen their spiritual mission in the region. Upon its acceptance of Christianity, the Kievan Rus was formally allied with the Eastern Roman Empire.
This alliance between the two states entailed grants of land, trading rights and subsidies for Russia’s defense and was formalized through the marriage of Vladimir’s son to Empress Zoe of Byzantium. This marked the beginning of the spiritual unification of all the principalities of the Rus’ people, ultimately leading to various social changes in the area and propogating the acceptance of Christianity in Russia.
Impact of Adopting Christianity
The transition from paganism to Christianity signified social, cultural and religious revolutions. The adoption of Christianity by the Rus people brought about the rise of literacy in the form of devout literature and opened spiritual worlds to the people of Rus. Reading and interpreting of scriptures was initiated under the rule of Vladimir.
Moreover, the transition to Christianity helped transition of the Kievan Rus’s in terms of its governing system as well. This shift saw the changes in land reforms and judicial proceeding which re-organized their government system. With the establishment of new provinces and diocese within the area, local rulers were granted considerable autonomy in the governing of their region.
The transition to Christianity brought the idea of celebration with it- festivals of the ‘old faith’ were replaced by celebrating Christian holy days, such as Christmas, Easter and the Epiphany. This adaptation of Christianity further opened cultural possibilities for the Russian people. The transition saw the introduction of a number of new customs- clothes, foods and cultural events- such as folk songs and dancing.
Discrimination against those who Refused to Convert
The wide acceptance of Christianity by the Russian people brought about a new faith, however, it was not embraced by all amongst them. The Jewish people and pagans of Russia who refused to accept Christianity were discriminated against, to an extent persecuted and excluded from the powerful administrative posts and were also taxed excessively.
This serves to reflect the favoritism of Christianity, thereby illustrating the issue of religious suppression at the hands of the monarchy. This prejudice extended to non-Christians of all religions, with the Church of Rome punishing the Jews and those who only shared religious beliefs with Rome. Additionally, the Church of Moscow intimidated non-Christians by threatening them with non-existence.
The Decline of Christianity
The spread and growth of Christianity in Russia saw many successes, however, the religion started to decline as early as the 18th century as people started to revert back to the Religion of their ancestors- paganism. This increasingly caused social problems signifying the plight of Orthodox Christianity and the Church in Russia.
The adoption of Christianity in Russia started to inevitably decline as a result of the reforms undertaken by Peter the Great, as he severed the ties between the state and the Church and furthermore, the attempts to eradicate the monopolistic state of the church and reformation of the state schools resulted in less emphasis of religious education.
Moreover, a resurgence in the 19th century was short-lived, as the Communist Regime of Russia, who regarded the church as an enemy to their power, executed many priests and took over the churches. This signified a dark period for Christianity in the country, which led to increased levels of discrimination and poverty as the Communists attempted to suppress religious rights in the entirety of Russia.
Russia in the Modern Day
Today, the adherence of religion in Russia remains relatively high- a majority of people today consider themselves to be Orthodox Christians and churches have been reopened and the life of the church improved considerably. In addition to spiritual reformation, Religious studies were reintroduced in the 1990s, although more in the academic context than spiritual.
Though Orthodoxy no longer lingers as a direct form of governmental and legislative control, Christianity practices still influences the daily lives of most Russians and carries a strong historical presence in the land.
Examining the Impact of Christianity
Though the impact of Christianity within Russia remains to be discussed and widely debated,it is clear that its adoption in Russia widened cultural possibilities for the spread of the faith.
From the introduction of new customs to changes in the realm’s judicial and administrative institutions, spiritual knowledge to religious practice, Christianity has established immense development in the culture of Russia and has heavily impacted the nation’s development over the centuries.
Modern Challenges for the Church
Though the contemporary church works on a different footing than that of the Medieval period, its modern struggles remain. Russian Orthodox Christianity remains challenged by the slowly diminishing importance of religious observances and practices while its legacy of discrimination, coupled with its past ties to the state continue to hold it under suspicion and reduce public trust in the Church.
In response to the growing concerns of religious illiteracy, the church in Russia has worked on updating its scripture and religion materials in order to gain renewed interest and relevance amongst young revolutionaries and bring the power of rites and rituals to the creation of a more unified and conscious society.
Citing the Importance of Unity
Though adopted by Vladimir the Great, the acceptance of Christianity remains widely debated to this day and its effectiveness as a unifying factor is still observed.
The idea of ‘one God’ acted as a bond between the disparate principalities of the Kievan Rus’ and this unified approach to the new religion helped propel the spread of Christianity and empowered the rule of Vladimir the Great.
By bringing peace amongst a region of men seeking power, Vladimir thus aided the spread of a unified faith and ideology providing legitimacy to his rule and cementing the foundation of Christianity in Russia.
Exploring Modern Relevance
Today, Christianity holds a significant influence in society with the Orthodox Church at its head. Christianity’s contemporary practice involves an accepted integration into the daily life of a great majority of Russians and is associated with thoughts of national pride and identity.
Its customs, rituals, feasts and traditions are also celebrated and this, combined with the re-opened churches, has helped bring a new wave of spiritual hope and revitalization, helping to restore faith in the Church and its religious observances, once again.
