A. N. Mouravieff
Introduction of Christianity into Russia (A.D. 988-1015)
Conversion of Vladimir the Great

Part of Constantinoupolis on the web section of Elpenor's history resources

HE RUSSIAN Church, like the other Orthodox churches of the East, had an apostle for its founder. St. Andrew, the first called of the Twelve, hailed with his blessing long beforehand the destined introduction of Christianity into our country; ascending up and penetrating by the Dnieper into the deserts of Scythia, he planted the first cross on the hills of Kieff. "See you," said he to his disciples, "these hills? On these hills shall shine the light of divine grace. There shall be here a great city, and God shall have in it many churches to his name."

    Such are the words of the holy Nestor, the monk and annalist of the Pechersky monastery, that point from whence Christian Russia has sprung.

    But it was only after an interval of nine centuries that the rays of divine light beamed upon Russia from the walls of Byzantium, in which city the same apostle, St. Andrew, had appointed Stachys to be the first bishop, and so committed, as it were, to him and to his successors, in the spirit of prescience, the charge of that wide region in which he had himself preached Christ. Hence the indissoluble connection of the Russian with the Greek Church, and the dependence of her metropolitans during six centuries upon the patriarchal throne of Constantinople, until, with its consent, she obtained her own equality and independence in that which was accorded to her native primates.

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     Cf. Al. Vasilief, A History of the Byzantine Empire * Pavle of Serbia, 550 years since the Fall of Constantinople * Constantelos, Greek Orthodoxy - From Apostolic Times to the Present Day * Dostoyefsky, Constantinople can not but belong to Russia! * Meyendorff, Christ as Word Gospel and Culture * George Majeska, Russian Pilgrims in Constantinople (pdf) * Pan. Christou, The Missionary Task of the Byzantine Emperor  * Toynbee, Christianity and Civilization * Gogol, We recognise in them the divine origin of man * Saint Silouan the Athonite * Papacy : The Plague of Christianity  * The Orthodox Church

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