Christianity in Ukraine

Orthodox Christianity

of Ukraine

The seed of Orthodox Christianity in Ukraine was sown as long ago as the ancient apostolic times. As we know it from the Holy Scripture the apostles dispersed all over the world for missionary work to preach the Gospel of Christ the Savior after the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them.

Saint Andrew the first called Apostle of Bethsaida (Palestine), the brother of Saint Apostle Peter, preached among pagan nations on the East at numerous cities of the Asia Minor, Greece, Georgia, Abkhasia, Macedonia, by the shores

"While Andrew was teaching in Dnipro he arrived in Korsun and learned that there was a mouth of the Dnipro River not far from the city. He wished to go to Rome and therefore he arrived at the mouth of Dnipro and traveled from there along the river. It happened that Andrew arrived at one place and stopped there to spend the night below some mountains at the shore. In the morning he got up and said to his disciples: "Do you see those mountains; the great city will rise here and God will build many churches". And Andrew ascended these mountains, blessed them, took the cross and having prayed to God he descended from these mountains. (Later Kyiv, the actual capital of Ukraine, arose here.)

of the Black Sea and beside the Danube River.

The Nestor’s Cronicle (1112A.D.) tells about Ap. Andrew’s mode of life on the Ukrainian lands so:

After Andrew’s stay in Ukraine the Christian flame did not cease to blaze, yet it did not make great progress.

One of the first sparks contributing to the conversion of Slavo-Ukrainian people to Christianity was Princess Olha, wife of Prince Ihor, who ruled the country after the death of her husband. Because of a very positive disposition of Princess Olha to Christianity she traveled to Constantinople to accept the Faith and was Baptized by the Patriarch of Constantinopol. The Byzantine Emperor Constantine was her godfather. Princess Olha received the name Helen at her Baptism. Both before and after her Baptism Olha was very pious and she raised her son Sviatoslav (father of Prince Volodymyr) in the Christian spirit until she died 969A.D. .

In 980A.D. Volodymyr, son of Prince Sviatoslav took over the government of all the Kyjivan-Rus states. According to the chronicles, paganism (idolatry) was widespread in the country during Volodymyr’s reign. Following tradition, Volodymyr had a custom to thank idols for victory after combat in war. As early as in the eighth year of his reign Volodymyr began to think about replacing his state religion .

In 987A.D. foreign missionaries came to Volodymyr to introduce him to faiths such as: Islam, Judaism and Christianity in both traditions (Western from Germany and Eastern from Byzantium). Having consulted with his statesmen Volodymyr was advised the following:

"If you want to know the truth, send your envoys to those places so that they see how those people live and how they serve their gods".

Listening to their advice Grand Prince Volodymyr sent a delegation of ten legates who followed his order and finally came to the Byzantine capital. There they witnessed the Divine Liturgy in the magnificent Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sophia. The liturgical-religious performance so deeply touched the envoys that they were convinced that this was the faith they looked for.

Having returned to Kyiv they told Volodymyr:

"When we came to the Orthodox Greeks and entered the place where they serve their God we did not know whether we were in heaven or on earth. Certainly even heaven does not have such beauty and indeed God dwells with them".

The legates were very persistent to receive their new faith from the Greeks saying to Volodymyr ; "if Greek laws were bad, your grandmother (Princes Olha) would not have accepted them".

Volodymyr decided to take orthodoxy from the Greeks by power. He went on a crusade to the Greek city of Korsun (Khersones) and succeeded there. His motives to capture Korsun were these: to force Byzantine Emperors Constantine and Basil to give their sister Anna in marriage and to get from them superior Church Hierarchy for the nation of Kyivan-Rus.

Having agreed with all of that, Byzantine Emperors gave their sister Anna in marriage, following Volodymyr’s Baptism in Korsun. His Christian name was Basil. Grand Prince Volodymyr returned to Kyiv with Anna the same year (988A.D.). Several priests were taken there with him. They brought with them relics of Saints Clement and Thebes, icons, and books from Korsun.

Having reached Kyiv, Volodymyr promptly commanded the destruction of all the idols (Perun, Dazboh, Yarylo, etc.) and pronounced Orthodox Christianity as the state religion. He ordered all Kyivans to gather by the shores of Dnipro and to be baptized. People did not oppose much, knowing that their prince would not choose a bad faith. The act of Baptism took place in Kyiv on September 1st, 988A.D.. Inasmuch as chronicles of that time described, "heaven and earth were glad that day".

Volodymyr, observing priests baptizing people, started to pray so:

"O Great God, who created heaven and earth, look down upon these new people and let them know You as the true God as other Christians know You. Strengthen their true and pure faith, and help me o Lord, against the adversary; so that believing in You and Your mightiness I would overcome the devil’s intents".

After the considerable baptizing among Ukrainian-Slavic tribes, orthodox christianity expanded greatly both in towns and in villages. The great ruler, Volodymyr, entrusted his twelve sons with this great mission (spreading Christianity). At the same time he put churches in cities and villages, and sent priests there.

He ordered a large stone Temple dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God to be built in Kyiv. Construction of the church lasted eight years (988-996A.D.). It was named "Desiatynna"(the Tithe) because Volodymyr gave ten percent of his income for the construction of the Cathedral.

Prince Volodymyr died on July 15th, 1015A.D., when he was merely 55 years old. Anna died in 1011 A.D.. They both were buried in Desiatynna (Dormition) church.

As for the canonization of Prince Volodymyr it only is known that he was canonized, by the Orthodox Church but is not known when. The first time Volodymyr’s canonization (recognition as a saint) was mentioned in chronicle was in 1254 and this could be the year of his canonization itself.

Owing to the great achievements of Saint Volodymyr before God and the Ukrainian Nation we prayerfully bear his name in our hearts. He is not only our personal patron saint but a patron of our churches bearing his holy name .

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