July 28 is the day of the baptism of Russia symbols of the holiday. Day of the baptism of Russia

The holiday, approved at the state level, is celebrated annually on July 28 without a day off. In Russia, the date is officially enshrined in legislation as a memorable one since 2010, in Ukraine it has been recognized as a public holiday since 2008. In both states, the holiday is timed to the baptism of Rus in 988 and at the same time to the Day of Remembrance of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, the Baptist of Rus.

history of the holiday

More than a hundred years before universal baptism, the Christian religion was already known in Russia. At first, Prince Askold tried to spread it, but failed. Then Igor, and later Olga, underwent the rite of initiation into Orthodoxy in Constantinople. But before the reign of Vladimir, paganism prevailed among the population. And Vladimir Svyatoslavich himself for a long time was a pagan worshiping Perun.

After becoming on the throne, the prince realized that for the rally of the Slavic tribes and the creation of a single state, something common was needed for everyone. The solution was found in the general religion. The Prince's envoys visited many countries to study religions. As a result, the choice was made between the most popular beliefs: Islam, Catholicism and Orthodoxy. The chronicles say that representatives of these religions were invited to conversations with the prince, during which each of the adepts tried to win the ruler over to his side. The choice fell on Orthodoxy, since the churches of Constantinople made the greatest impression on the boyars, and the features of this religion were recognized as close in spirit.

But the future Baptist of Rus was in no hurry to implement such a grandiose idea. The decisive factor was the marriage to Anna, sister of the emperors of Byzantium. The latter set a condition: marriage must be concluded with a fellow believer. As a result, Vladimir and his army converted to Orthodoxy, married Anna and returned to Kiev. Here, on his order, pagan temples were destroyed and a rite of mass baptism of people was held in the waters of the Dnieper. Following this, similar rituals were carried out throughout Russia.

The day of the Baptism of Russia is celebrated today by millions of people around the world. There is no exact date for the Baptism of Rus, but since 2010 this holiday has been celebrated at the state level in Russia on the day of memory of the holy Prince Vladimir, who baptized Rus in 988.

This happened in Chersonesos, in the Crimea.

Under the centuries-old prayer vaults of St. Vladimir's Cathedral in Chersonesos, there are the historical ruins of an ancient church, in which, according to legend, Prince Vladimir was baptized.

Baptism of Rus as a historical event

988 - everyone knows this date from school. It says a lot: in Russia pagan polytheism, imbued with mystical rites and sacrifices, ended its existence, and a new era began in the history of the country's spiritual development.

The moment when the Slavic people were baptized was recorded in the famous chronicle that has survived to this day: "Tale of Bygone Years." According to an ancient historical source, the Sacrament took place in the waters of the Dnieper River.

Many are tormented by the question: why did Prince Vladimir opt for Orthodox Christianity?

Vladimir Yasnoe Solnyshko

The Kiev prince, St. Vladimir Equal to the Apostles is a figure in history, frankly speaking, a colorful one. Historians claim that the prince of Kiev was distinguished by an irrepressible love of fornication. In addition, Vladimir worshiped pagan gods. By order of the prince, at the very beginning of his reign, a temple was erected in Kiev, in which there were statues of the six main gods revered by future Christians, including Veles, Mokosh and Perun.

The prince was a conqueror by nature. His main management of the country was reduced to strengthening and expanding borders. Vladimir could have earned the title of Bloodthirsty or Cruelty for his unseemly deeds and addictions, if Orthodoxy had not appeared so in time in the life of the Slavic people. The new religion radically changed the vicious soul, as if a person was born anew.

And today we know the prince as Vladimir the Great, Vladimir the Baptist. But the most beautiful title was given to the saint by folk epics: Vladimir Yasnoe Solnyshko.

Saint grandson equal to the Apostles Princess Olga, in his youth, Prince Vladimir was a fierce pagan, a cruel warrior, a lover of women and wine. His miraculous transformation into the holy ruler of Russia is even more amazing.

The beginning of the miraculous change was the tragic episode of the death of the first Slavic martyrs for Christ. The pagan custom demanded from the ruler a bloody sacrifice to the Slavic deity Perun after the victorious campaign against the Yatvingians. A lot was cast, falling on a boy named John. His father Theodore refused to give up his son, declaring his Christianity. The enraged crowd brutally killed the father and son, who became the first martyrs of Russia.

Dying, the martyr Theodore said: "You have not gods, but trees, now there are, and tomorrow they will rot ... God alone, who created heaven and earth, stars and the moon, and the sun, and man"

The bloody sacrifice made a deep impression on the prince, becoming one of the reasons for the search for a new faith.

As a wise politician, the prince understood that the savagery of paganism had outlived its time. Rampant behavior, lack of unity of people, each tribe, each clan of which revered their deities, could not bring the Slavs the necessary power. The prince had already tried to unite the people, having carried out a reform of paganism, urging people to believe in the idols set on the Kiev hill. It didn't work. Human blood did not provide a solid foundation for the Kiev state. In the interests of the Fatherland and the state, it was required to accept one faith, one that would unite the scattered tribes into one people, and this would help to oppose enemies together and earn the respect of allies. The clever prince understood this, but how, while still a pagan, was it possible to figure out which faith was true?

The rumor that the prince was dissatisfied with the pagan faith and was thinking about changing it quickly spread. Neighboring countries were interested in Russia accepting their faith. In 986, ambassadors began to come to the prince with a proposal to accept their religion.

The first came the Volga Bulgars who professed Islam.

“Prince,” they said, “you seem wise and strong, but you do not know the true law; believe in Mohammed and worship him. " After asking about their law and hearing about the circumcision of infants, the prohibition to eat pork and drink wine, the prince renounced Islam.

Then the German Catholics came and said:

“We were sent to you from the Pope, who told me to tell you:“ Our faith is the true light ”...” But Vladimir replied: “Go back, for our fathers did not accept this”. Indeed, back in 962, the German emperor sent a bishop and priests to Kiev, but they were not accepted in Russia and “barely escaped”.

After that, the Khazar Jews came.

They believed that since the two previous missions failed, it means that not only Islam, but also Christianity in Russia was rejected, therefore, Judaism remains. "Know that Christians believe in Him whom our fathers once crucified, but we believe in one God Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." After hearing the Jews about their law and rules of life, Vladimir asked: "Tell me, where is your homeland?" To this the Jews answered honestly: "Our homeland is in Jerusalem, but God, angry with our fathers, scattered us to different countries, and gave our land to the power of Christians."

Vladimir drew the correct conclusion: “If so, then how do you teach others when you yourself are rejected by God? If your law were pleasing to God, He would not scatter you in foreign lands. Or do you want us to suffer the same fate? " So the Jews left.

After that, a Greek philosopher appeared in Kiev. History has not preserved his name, but it was he who, with his speech about Orthodoxy, was able to make the strongest impression on Prince Vladimir. The philosopher told the prince about the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, about heaven and hell, about the mistakes and delusions of other faiths. In conclusion, he showed a picture of the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment. Struck by this picture, the Grand Duke said: "Blessed are those who stand to the right, and woe to those who stand to the left." The philosopher replied to this: "If you want to stand on the right side, then be baptized."

And although Prince Vladimir did not take the final decision, he seriously thought about it. He knew that there were more and more Christians both in the squadron and in the city, he remembered the fearlessness of Saints Theodore and John, who went to their deaths with the confession of Jesus Christ, and he remembered his grandmother Olga, who, in spite of everyone, accepted Christian Baptism. Something in the prince's soul began to lean towards Orthodoxy, but Vladimir still did not dare to do anything and gathered boyars and city elders for a council. It was they who advised the prince to send "kind and meaningful men" to different countries, so that they actually compare how different nations worship God.

Having visited the religious services of Muslims and Latins, the ambassadors of Prince Vladimir arrived in Constantinople, where they were present at the service in the Hagia Sophia. They were literally enchanted by the everlasting beauty of the worship there. Orthodox sacred service had an unforgettable effect on them.

Upon returning to Kiev, the ambassadors told Prince Vladimir: “During the service we did not understand where we were: whether there, in heaven, or here on earth. We cannot even speak of the holiness and solemnity of the rites of Greek worship; but we are quite sure that in Greek temples God Himself is present along with the worshipers, and that Greek worship is better than all others. We will never forget this holy celebration, and we can no longer serve our gods. "

The boyars remarked to this: "If the Greek law was not the best, then your grandmother, Princess Olga, the wisest of all people, would not have accepted it." "Where are we to be baptized?" - asked the prince. “And this is where you wish, we will accept it there,” they replied.

It was only necessary to wait for the right moment for the adoption of Christianity. Such a case soon presented itself.

The Byzantine Empire is a powerful ally, a state with a great culture, advanced science and technology. In 987, a rebellion arose in Byzantium against the legitimate emperors. In view of the deadly threat, Emperor Vasily II urgently turned to Prince Vladimir for help. The case for the unexpected rise of Russia in the international arena turned out to be the most suitable!

Prince Vladimir provides military assistance to Byzantium in suppressing a military rebellion in exchange for the promise of baptism and marriage to the Emperor's daughter Anna. The cunning Greeks decided to deceive the prince and hesitated to get married. In response, he captures Chersonesos - an ancient Black Sea port - the basis of Greek influence in the Black Sea region. Then the emperor Basil, desiring a peaceful outcome of the conflict, sends Anna to Chersonesos, reminding that she should marry a Christian, not a pagan.

Princess Anna arrived in Korsun accompanied by priests. Everything went to the baptism of the Grand Duke. Of course, his intelligence and military strength decided a lot. However, for a clear, obvious conviction, God Himself intervened directly in the events: Prince Vladimir went blind.

Upon learning of this, Princess Anna sent a message to him: "If you wish to recover, then be baptized as soon as possible." It was then that Vladimir ordered to prepare everything necessary for holy Baptism.

The Sacrament of Baptism was performed by the Bishop of Korsun with the clergy, and as soon as Vladimir plunged into the baptismal font, he miraculously regained his sight. The chronicle preserved the words that the prince symbolically uttered after the Baptism: “Now I have beheld the true God.” It really was an epiphany, not only bodily, but also spiritual. A personal meeting with the Lord took place in the recesses of the heart of Saint Vladimir. From this moment, the path of Prince Vladimir as a saint and completely devoted to Christ begins.

Many of the prince's retinue, seeing the miracle of healing performed on him, accepted holy baptism here, in Chersonesos. The wedding of the Grand Duke Vladimir with Princess Anna was also accomplished.

The prince returned the city of Chersonesos to Byzantium as a gift for the royal bride, while in the city he built a temple in the name of St. John the Baptist in memory of his baptism. As for the rest of the wives acquired in paganism, the prince freed them from marital duties.

Thus, after Baptism, the prince began a new life in the truest sense of the word.

Upon arrival in Kiev, Saint Vladimir immediately baptized his sons. His entire house and many boyars were baptized.

Then the Equal-to-the-Apostles prince proceeded to eradicate paganism, ordered to overthrow the idols, the very ones that he himself had installed a few years before. There was a decisive change in the heart, mind, and the entire inner world of the prince. The idols who darkened the souls of people and accepted human sacrifices were ordered to be treated in the most harsh way. Some were burned, others were hacked with a sword, and the main "god" Perun was tied to the tail of a horse, dragged down the mountain down the street, beating them with clubs, and then thrown into the waters of the Dnieper. Vigilantes stood along the river and pushed the idol away from the bank: there is no return to the old lie. So Russia said goodbye to the pagan gods.

In 988, the most massive baptism of the Slavs in the history of Russia took place on the banks of the Dnieper. The prince announced: "If someone does not come to the river tomorrow - be it rich, or poor, or beggar, or slave - he will be my enemy." This meant that those who disagreed with the princely will could collect their things and look for a new home in another state. However, the chronicler notes that the common people gladly accept the prince's will: "Having heard this, people went with joy, rejoicing and saying: If it had not been good, our prince and boyars would not have accepted this."

After a short time, Kievan Rus was baptized.

These events - the Baptism of Rus and the overthrow of paganism - became the beginning of the renewed Russian statehood. In the history of the state there will be many more dark pages, misfortunes, evil, but Russia will no longer be pagan.

Having become a Christian, the holy prince Vladimir remained in the people's memory as Vladimir "Red Sun" - the best ruler of Russia. By his example, he showed the people how to live.

Mercy to the subjects, constant alms to the poor, rich contributions to the welfare of the Holy Church, the construction of temples, reliable protection of the state, the expansion of its borders - all this attracted the people to it.

The prince became so gracious that he banned the death penalty for criminals. The crime rate has gone up. Then the church authorities began to ask the ruler to return the capital punishment in order to suppress evil.

At the age of about 60, which by the standards of those times was considered a ripe old age, the holy prince Vladimir peacefully departed to the Lord.

His sacred remains were laid in the tomb of the Tithe Church, built in honor of the Assumption Holy Mother of God on the Kiev hill - the place of the murder of the first martyrs Theodore and his son John.

A slab of dark gray marble with a white cross was installed in the place of the font, and next to it there is a lectern with the inscription: "Part of the relics of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Vladimir, transferred to the Chersonesos monastery in July, by order of the reposed Emperor Alexander II in Bose." This most valuable relic was transferred to the cathedral from the Small Home Church of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg in 1859. The baptismal font and lectern are fenced by an openwork lattice of white marble.

Among the shrines of St. Vladimir's Cathedral, particles of the relics of 115 saints glorified in Orthodox Church... In the altar of the Upper Church there is the Korsun miraculous icon of the Mother of God.

According to legend, Prince Vladimir himself brought this icon to Chersonesos.

July 28th orthodox churches Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and other countries will be united by a wave of bell ringing, which at noon local time will begin in Kamchatka, reach Kiev, Moscow and go further in the direction of Europe ………

Our ancestors adopted the Christian faith, and with it a system of values, the moral strength of which is such that no historical vicissitudes are capable of destroying it. A powerful foundation was laid on the basis of which the body of united Russia grew. And although today we live in different countries, that spiritual foundation remains common and it unites all fraternal Slavic peoples.

The spiritual heritage is also common, in particular, monasteries and temples, which are visited by pilgrims, regardless of borders.

Orthodoxy is what most of all unites White, Small and Great Russia.

It happened in 988 and is associated with the name of Prince Vladimir, whom historians called great, the church - the saint Equal to the Apostles, and the people called Vladimir the Red Sun.

Prince Vladimir was the grandson of Grand Duchess Olga and the son of Prince Svyatoslav and the "things of the virgin" Malusha, who became a Christian along with Princess Olga in Constantinople. He began to rule independently at the age of 17 and spent the first six years on campaigns. According to legend, during these years the prince was a pagan, a lover of military campaigns and noisy feasts.

As the chronicles tell, in 986, embassies from different nations came to the prince in Kiev, calling to convert to their faith. First, the Volga Bulgarians of the Muslim faith came and praised Mohammed, then foreigners from Rome from the Pope preached the Latin faith, and the Khazar Jews preached Judaism. The last, according to the chronicles, arrived a preacher sent from Byzantium, who told Vladimir about Orthodoxy. To understand whose faith is better, Prince Vladimir sent nine envoys to visit the countries from which the preachers came. Returning, the ambassadors talked about the religious customs and rituals of these countries. They also visited the Muslim mosque of the Bulgarians and the Catholics-Germans, but the greatest impression on them was made by the Patriarchal service in Constantinople (Constantinople).

However, Vladimir did not immediately accept Christianity. In 988, he captured Korsun (now the territory of the city of Sevastopol) and demanded to marry the sister of the Byzantine emperors - co-rulers of Vasily II and Constantine VIII Anna, threatening otherwise to go to Constantinople. The emperors agreed, demanding, in turn, the baptism of the prince so that the sister marry a fellow believer. Having received Vladimir's consent, the brothers sent Anna to Korsun. In the same place, in Korsun, Vladimir and his warriors were baptized by the Bishop of Korsun, after which he performed the wedding ceremony. In baptism, Vladimir took the name Vasily, in honor of the ruling Byzantine emperor Vasily II.

There is a legend that in Korsun the prince went blind, but immediately after baptism he was healed and exclaimed: "Now I have known the true God!" After marrying Princess Anna, Vladimir released all his wives and concubines.

Returning to Kiev, accompanied by Korsun and Greek priests, Vladimir baptized his sons from previous wives in a source known in Kiev as Khreshchatyk. Many boyars were baptized after them.

He ordered the destruction of the temple he had once set up in Kiev. The idols were chopped to pieces and burned. Then he ordered to collect all the inhabitants of Kiev on the banks of the Dnieper. The day before, the prince announced in the city: "If someone does not come to the river tomorrow - rich or poor, beggar or slave - there will be my enemy."

The mass baptism of the Kievites took place at the confluence of the Pochayna River into the Dnieper. The chronicles read: "The very next day Vladimir went out with the priests of Tsaritsyn and Korsuinsky to the Dnieper, and there were no number of people. They entered the water and stood there alone up to their necks, others up to their breasts, small children at the shore up to their breasts, some held babies , and already the adults wandered, the priests were making prayers, standing still ... "This most important event took place, according to the chronicle chronology, in 988.

Following Kiev, Christianity gradually came to other cities of Kievan Rus: Chernigov, Volynsky, 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 opposed Prince Gleb), Rostov was baptized only at the end of the 11th century, and in Murom, the resistance of the pagans to the new faith continued until the 12th century.

The Vyatichi tribe remained in paganism longer than all the Slavic tribes. Their enlightener in the 12th century was the Monk Kuksha, the Caves monk, who was martyred with them.

The adoption of a new, united, faith became a serious impetus for the unification of the Russian lands.

The baptism of Rus also determined the civilizational choice of Russia, which found its place between Europe and Asia and subsequently became the most powerful Eurasian power.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

Orthodox celebrations were revered and loved on Russian soil. Before the revolution, they were celebrated at the state level. On such days, production and agricultural work was suspended, and a huge crowd of people poured into the church. Each of the holidays was overgrown with centuries-old rituals and traditions that were carefully passed on from wise fathers and gray-haired grandfathers to their children and growing grandchildren. The Day of the Baptism of Rus, celebrated recently on July 28, is not one of the famous and famous religious celebrations. That is why the time has come to talk in more detail about this holiday.

Federal date

People do not remember historical milestones as much as they are interested in Christmas fortune-telling and Easter feasts. But it is necessary to know the significant stages of the formation of the Russian nation. In 2010, at the request of representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, the then acting President Dmitry A. Medvedev launched a new era. Day of the Baptism of Rus - July 28: the history of the holiday, which received state status, began its countdown. With the consent of representatives of other religious confessions, this celebration was classified as one of the most significant memorable dates of federal significance. The impetus for such an event was the desire to pay tribute to the spiritual and cultural heritage of our ancestors.

Vladimir Svyatoslavich

The baptism of Russia, as a significant and vivid historical event, took place in the X century. It is not possible to compile an exact chronology of those distant years, but the date of the celebration was not chosen by chance. And it is connected with the memory of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. It should be told about what this extraordinary personality was so famous for, and why they proclaimed exactly July 28 the Day of the Baptism of Rus.

This figure in history is considered extremely controversial, but unique. On the one hand, nicknamed the Red Sun by the people, Prince Vladimir is a highly respected leader, and on the other, his character and actions are far from always capable of arousing the sympathy and pride of descendants. He could well have remained in history a bloodthirsty, ferocious and unbridled politician, but for a number of reasons he became the one whom distant descendants remember on July 28 - on the Day of the Baptism of Rus - with a kind word.

Characteristics of a historical person

If you believe the chronicles, Vladimir's mother was a simple housekeeper Malusha, who was honored with the attention of the Grand Duke of Kiev. Therefore, being the heir to the powerful Svyatoslav Igorevich, the boy was taken to the capital at an early age. There, Voivode Dobrynya, better known to modern people not from history textbooks, but from folk tales and epics, took up his education.

Possessing great ambitions, remarkable intelligence and innate cunning, in order to clear his way to the throne, Vladimir stepped over his brother. Not disdaining the means, he conquered and received new lands by cunning, striving for sole power in the state. was an ardent pagan in education and persuasion. However, the Day of the Baptism of Rus, held in history on July 28, is associated with the will of this very colorful personality. After a trip to Byzantium, which took place in 988, Vladimir changed his faith himself, ordered his sons and squad, and then his people to do the same.

About the reasons for cardinal changes

Many historians believe that this event happened for political reasons. One God was more suitable for a ruler whose goal was to unite the state from disparate principalities. And the worship of numerous idols only contributed to the disunity between various groups on religious grounds.

But, perhaps, the prince of Kiev really sincerely repented of his pagan past. Be that as it may, since then his people have been considered an Orthodox nation. Although the echoes of idolatry have not been forgotten for a long time, making themselves felt right up to the present time, despite the fact that the Day of the Baptism of Russia, celebrated on July 28, marked more than a thousand years of Christian history.

Events of annals and traditions

The baptism of our ancestors was carried out en masse in the waters of the Dnieper and some other rivers, and not always by their voluntary consent. However, after centuries, summing up, it is possible to conclude that this measure was a huge step forward in promoting Russia on the world stage in political and cultural terms, it turned out to be an impetus for the development of sciences, arts, writing and architecture. Christianity sanctified family ties, and somewhat later strongly strengthened the ties of the state with enlightened Europe.

Strictly speaking, July 28 - the baptism of Rus - falls on the 15th day of the specified month according to the Julian calendar. At this time from time immemorial it was customary to honor the memory of St. Vladimir. And so it remained until 1918, but the post-revolutionary government canceled the old foundations, introducing a new Gregorian counting of numbers and months. This religious holiday was forgotten. And the epochal date of the change of the ancient Slavic pagan faith was obscured by other historical events, which at that time seemed more important. But the ministers of the church continued to honor the old traditions. And in the 21st century, the events described were again remembered and talked about.

Epoch-making historical milestone and modernity

The transition of the ancient Slavic peoples from pagan customs to the precepts of Christ is now noted not only in Russia, but also on the territory of Belarus and Ukraine. The solemn date on the Day of the Baptism of Russia - July 28 - events mark the most different: church, educational and cultural. Among them are now memorable: a procession of the cross, mass baptisms, Divine Liturgy and bell ringing. The young holiday is gaining more and more popularity, strengthening in the public consciousness the idea of \u200b\u200bthe origins of our religious culture and the traditions of our ancestors. It is also possible that soon this date will become a warm family celebration and acquire its own traditions.