Grandson
of Saint Olga. Christianity had made some progress in Kiev, but Vladimir
remained pagan, had seven wives, established temples, and participated
in idolatrous rites, possibly involving human sacrifice. Around 987,
Byzantine Emperor Basil II (976-1025) sought military aid from Vladimir.
The two reached a pact for aid that involved Basil's sister Anne in
marriage, and Vladimir becoming a Christian. He was baptized and then
ordered the Christian conversion of Kiev and Novgorod.
Idols
were thrown into the Dnieper River, and the new Rus Christians adopted
the Byzantine rite in the Old Church Slavonic language. Legend says
Vladimir chose the Byzantine rite over the liturgies of German Christendom,
Judaism, and Islam because of its transcendent beauty. Vladimir expanded
education, judicial institutions, and aid to the poor. He and Anne
had the martyr sons Saint Boris and Saint Gleb. Following the death
of Anne in 1011, another marriage affiliated him with the German Holy
Roman emperors.
Saint
Vladimir
Grandson
of Saint Olga. Christianity had made some progress in Kiev, but Vladimir
remained pagan, had seven wives, established temples, and participated
in idolatrous rites, possibly involving human sacrifice. Around 987,
Byzantine Emperor Basil II (976-1025) sought military aid from Vladimir.
The two reached a pact for aid that involved Basil's sister Anne in
marriage, and Vladimir becoming a Christian. He was baptized and then
ordered the Christian conversion of Kiev and Novgorod.
Idols
were thrown into the Dnieper River, and the new Rus Christians adopted
the Byzantine rite in the Old Church Slavonic language. Legend says
Vladimir chose the Byzantine rite over the liturgies of German Christendom,
Judaism, and Islam because of its transcendent beauty. Vladimir expanded
education, judicial institutions, and aid to the poor. He and Anne
had the martyr sons Saint Boris and Saint Gleb. Following the death
of Anne in 1011, another marriage affiliated him with the German Holy
Roman emperors.