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Baptism of Prince Vladimir
Around 988 CE, Kievan Rus' Grand Prince Vladimir I accepted Orthodox baptism in Cherson (or Kiev) with Byzantine support and pushed Rus' to convert, …
Timeline
- c. 987–988Kiev · UkraineAfter examining Islam, Catholicism, and Orthodoxy, Vladimir chose to ally with Byzantium and marry Princess Anna, exchanging marriage for military aid and his choice of faith.
- c. 988Cherson · CrimeaGrand Prince Vladimir formally accepted Orthodox baptism, completing the religious-political alliance with Byzantium and establishing the Orthodox faith as the foundation of the Rus' state.
- c. 988–989Kiev · UkraineVladimir ordered pagan idols destroyed, churches built, and subjects forcibly baptized; Orthodoxy became the state religion of Kievan Rus', beginning Church Slavonic missionary work and Byzantine cultural import.
Sources
- Primary Chronicle (Tale of Bygone Years)
- The Emergence of Rus 750-1200 — Simon Franklin and Jonathan Shepard (1996)