The first religion in Russia. Russia Vedic. The history of Russia before baptism
Russian faith
paganism is ancient religion on the ground. It absorbed thousands of years of wisdom, knowledge, history and culture. In our time, pagans are called those who profess the old faith that existed before the rise of Christianity.
And, for example, among the ancient Jews, all beliefs that did not recognize Yahweh or refused to follow his law were considered pagan religions. Ancient Roman legions conquered the peoples of the Middle East, Europe and North Africa. At the same time, these were also victories over local beliefs.
These religions of other peoples, "languages" were called pagan. They were given the right to exist in accordance with the interests of the Roman state. But with the advent of Christianity, the very religion of Ancient Rome with the cult of Jupiter was recognized as pagan ...
As for the ancient Russian polytheism, the attitude towards it after the adoption of Christianity was militant. The new religion was opposed to the old one as true versus untrue, as useful versus harmful. Such an attitude ruled out tolerance and assumed the eradication of pre-Christian traditions, customs, and rituals. Christians did not want their descendants to be left with signs of "delusion", which they had hitherto indulged in. Everything that was somehow connected with Russian beliefs was persecuted: "demonic games", " devilry", sorcery. There was even an image of an ascetic, a "discordant", who devoted his life not to feats of arms on the battlefield, but to the persecution and destruction of "dark forces". Such zeal was characteristic of new Christians in all countries. But if in Greece or Italy time saved at least a small number of ancient marble sculptures, then Ancient Russia stood among the forests. And the king-fire, raging, did not spare anything: neither human dwellings, nor temples, nor wooden images of the gods, nor information about them, written in Slavic cuts on wooden planks.
And only quiet echoes have reached our days from the depths of the pagan world. And he is beautiful, this world! Among the amazing deities worshiped by our ancestors, there are no repulsive, ugly, disgusting ones. There are evil, terrible, incomprehensible, but much more beautiful, mysterious, kind. Slavic gods were formidable, but fair, kind. Perun struck the villains with lightning. Lada patronized lovers. Chur guarded the borders of possessions. Veles was the personification of the master's wisdom, and was also the patron of hunting prey.The religion of the ancient Slavs was the deification of the forces of nature. The pantheon of gods was associated with the performance of economic functions by the clan: agriculture, cattle breeding, beekeeping, crafts, trade, hunting, etc.
And it should not be considered that paganism is just the worship of idols. After all, even Muslims continue to bow to the black stone of the Kaaba - the shrine of Islam. Christians in this capacity are countless crosses, icons and relics of saints. And who considered how much blood was shed and lives were given for the liberation of the Holy Sepulcher in the Crusades? Here is a real Christian idol, along with bloody sacrifices. And to burn incense, put a candle - this is the same sacrifice, only it has taken on a fine appearance.
The conventional wisdom about the extremely low level of cultural development of the "barbarians" is not confirmed historical facts. Products of ancient Russian stone and wood carvers, tools, jewelry, epics and songs could only appear on the basis of a highly developed cultural tradition. The beliefs of the ancient Slavs were not a "delusion" of our ancestors, reflecting the "primitivism" of their thinking. Polytheism is the religious beliefs not only of the Slavs, but also of most peoples. It was typical for ancient egypt, Greece, Rome, whose culture cannot be called barbaric. The beliefs of the ancient Slavs differed little from the beliefs of other peoples, and these differences were determined by the specifics of the way of life and economic activity.
In the late 1980s, the surviving last days The Soviet government decided to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the baptism of Russia. How many shouts of welcome were heard: “1000th anniversary of Russian writing!”, “1000th anniversary of Russian culture!”, “1000th anniversary of Russian statehood!” But Russian state existed even before the adoption of Christianity! No wonder the Scandinavian name of Russia sounds like Gardarika - the country of cities. Arab historians also write about the same, numbering hundreds of Russian cities. At the same time, he claims that in Byzantium itself there are only five cities, while the rest are “fortified fortresses”. And the Arabic chronicles called the Russian princes Khakans, “Khakan-Rus”. Khakan is an imperial title! “Ar-Rus is the name of the state, not the people and not the city,” writes the Arabic author. Western chroniclers called the Russian princes "kings of the Ros people." Only arrogant Byzantium did not recognize the royal dignity of the rulers of Russia, but it did not recognize it for the Orthodox kings of Bulgaria, and for the Christian emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation Otto, and for the emir of Muslim Egypt. The inhabitants of Eastern Rome knew only one king - their emperor. But even on the gates of Constantinople, Russian squads nailed a shield. And, by the way, Persian and Arabic chronicles testify that the Rus make "excellent swords" and import them into the lands of the caliphs.
That is, the Rus sold not only furs, honey, wax, but also the products of their artisans. And they found demand even in the land of damask blades. Chain mail was another item of export. They were called "beautiful" and "excellent". Technology is thus pagan Russia were below the world level. Some blades of that era have survived to this day. They bear the names of Russian blacksmiths - "Lyudota" and "Slavimir". And this is worth paying attention to. So, the pagan blacksmiths were literate! This is the level of culture.
Next moment. The calculation of the formula of world circulation (Kolo) allowed the pagans to build ring-shaped metal sanctuaries, where they created the oldest astronomical calendars. The Slavs determined the length of the year as 365, 242, 197 days. Accuracy is unique! And in the commentary to the Vedas, the location of the constellations is mentioned, attributed by modern astronomy to 10,000 years BC. According to biblical chronology, even Adam was not created at this time. The cosmic knowledge of the pagans has stepped quite far. Evidence of this is the myth of the cosmic vortex Stribog. And this is consistent with the theory of the origin of life on Earth - the panspermia hypothesis. Its essence boils down to the fact that life did not originate on Earth by itself, but was brought in by a purposeful stream with spores, from which the diversity of the living world later developed.
It is these facts that are the indicators by which one should judge the level of culture and education of the pagan Slavs. And no matter what the adherents of Orthodoxy claim, but Christianity is an alien, foreign religion that paved its way in Russia with fire and sword. A lot has been written about the violent nature of the baptism of Russia, and not by militant atheists, but by church historians.
And do not assume that the population of the Russian lands meekly accepted the command of Vladimir the apostate. People refused to come to the river bank, left the cities, raised uprisings. And the pagans were by no means hiding in remote forests - a century after the baptism, the Magi showed up in major cities. And the population did not feel any hostility towards them, and either listened to them with interest (Kyiv), or even willingly followed them (Novgorod and the Upper Volga region).
So Christianity could not completely eradicate paganism. People did not accept an alien faith and performed pagan rites. They made sacrifices to the waterman - they drowned a horse, or a beehive, or a black rooster; goblin - they left a horse in the forest, or at least an oiled pancake or an egg; Domovoy - they put a bowl of milk, swept the corners with a broom soaked in rooster's blood. And they believed that if the sign of the cross or prayer does not help from the annoying evil spirits, then the swearing coming from pagan spells will help. By the way, two birch bark letters were found in Novgorod. They contain, at the very least, a single obscene verb and an “affectionate” definition addressed to a certain Novgorod woman who owed money to the compiler of the letter, and was designated for this by female nature.
There is no doubt - for ten centuries, Orthodoxy has had a huge impact on the history, culture, art of Russia, on the very existence of the Russian state. But Vladimir the Baptist would have accepted the Catholic faith or Islam, and the current apostles of the “Russian primordial faith” would have shouted about “the revival of Russian Catholicism ...”, or “... Russia is the stronghold of world Islam! ..” It’s good that they didn’t send ambassadors to the priests voodoo cult.
And the old faith of the ancient Russians will still remain the Russian faith.
Before the adoption of Christianity by the Russian peoples paganism was the main religion of the Eastern Slavs. Pagan religious ideas were an essential part of the life of the ancient Slavs; they permeated the entire life of a common man from birth to death. They worshiped the earth, water, wind, sun, as well as fire, etc. The main gods in the pantheon of the Eastern Slavs were: Yarilo is a solar deity, Dazhdbog and Svarog (the deity of fire), Stribog is the god of wind and air, Mokosh is the patroness of women and the god of lightning and war Perun. Veles, the god of land and fertility, also played a very important role. It was necessary for the gods to offer prayers and make sacrifices, sometimes even human ones. Of course, the earth was the subject of the first worship among the Eastern Slavs, they swore by it, proving their case in disputes, and at the end of life, the human body was supposed to be burned at the stake and an earthen mound (small hill) was poured on top. Eastern Slavs considered birch and oak trees to be sacred plants.
Many pagan traditions (for example, folk signs) have been preserved and entrenched in modern society.
Religious reform of Prince Vladimir
Prince Vladimir, having come to power, made an attempt to strengthen paganism. To do this, he updated the pantheon of the main deities worshiped by his people. It was on his orders that the idols of Stribog, Makosh, Dazhdbog and Perun were placed on the hill near the princely palace. At the same time, only the greatness of Perun was indicated by a mustache of gold and a head of silver. Idols of the same gods were installed in addition to Kyiv and in Novgorod.
In addition to the gods, the Eastern Slavs also believed in other creatures living in the world, many of which were associated with ideas about the afterlife. The funeral rites of the Eastern Slavs were called "trizna" and were accompanied by feasts, sacrifices to the gods, dances and songs. It was from the underworld that ghouls came to people - evil spirits, in contrast to which there were good spirits - beregini. To call on the latter and ward off evil spirits, various conspiracies, amulets and rituals were used. In addition, the Eastern Slavic ethnic group believed in goblin living in the forest, as well as in mermaids (usually they are associated with water bodies, but there are references that they went out for a walk in forests and fields), which, in fact, were restless the souls of people who said goodbye to life ahead of schedule (usually suicide or murder).
The inclusion in the sphere of international relations of the ancient Russian state, as well as the strengthening of the authority of Vladimir, forced him to accept as the main religion of the Eastern Slavs one of the most influential beliefs in the world - Christianity.
Video lecture on the topic: beliefs of the Eastern Slavs
I. Introduction ________________________________________________ 4
II. Main part ___________________________________________6
1. Russia before the adoption of Christianity _______________________________6
2. The first Christians in Russia ___________________________________ 8
3. Reasons for the adoption of Christianity in Russia _____________________9
4. Baptism of Russia Prince Vladimir ________________________________115. The consequences of the adoption of Christianity in Russia __________________15III. Conclusion______________________________________________22
References ____________________________________________24
I. INTRODUCTION
The most important internal political event of the Kievan state was the baptism of Russia in 988, associated with the strengthening of the unity of the country, the need to establish strong ties with the outside world.
The expression “baptism of Russia” seems to imply the existence of a one-time events: rapid and widespread introduction to Christianity of the whole people, the whole country - Ancient Russia. Meanwhile, domestic history does not know such an event. It was long, stretching for several centuries process the introduction of Christianity as the state religion of the centralized Kievan state. The official beginning of this process, which was gradually prepared by all the previous development of ancient Russian society, was laid by Prince Vladimir, who in 988 baptized only the inhabitants of his capital, and in subsequent years - the population of a number of other cities. Kievan Rus.
The conversion of Russians to Christianity began earlier. Evidence of the baptism of a part of the Russians in 860 has been preserved. Russian Christians are also mentioned in the agreement between Russia and the Greeks of 944. Princess Olga converted to Christianity during her visit to Constantinople in 957.
In an effort to replace the Slavic pagan pantheon with an authoritative monotheistic (monotheism) religion, Prince Vladimir chose between four faiths. The question of the choice of faith was the question of the choice of political and cultural orientation and, more broadly, the very nature of the people and their psychology.
More than a thousand years have passed since Christianity was established in Russia, on the basis of which Russian civilization grew.
Subject this abstract relevant. At present, politicians and the media in Russia pay close attention to religious and interfaith issues. Centuries-old religious barriers and interfaith conflicts are gradually being overcome, and aspirations to educate the younger generation in the spirit of tolerance have been outlined.
The purpose of this work is to form an idea of the adoption of Christianity in Russia and its historical significance.
To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks:
Give a description of pagan Russia,
Get acquainted with the baptism of Russia by Prince Vladimir,
Mark historical meaning adoption of Christianity in Russia.
II. Main part
Russia before the adoption of Christianity
Long time there was an idea of pre-Christian Russia as a period backward in civilizational terms, and only the adoption of Christianity illuminated this dark culture and allowed Russia to fully enter the family of European peoples. This rather corresponds to the church thesis “paganism is darkness, Christianity is light”, but it does not correspond to historical realities at all. In fact, long before the adoption of faith in Jesus Christ, Kievan Rus had a high, original culture.
As the Tale of Bygone Years testifies, the year 862 should be considered the date of foundation of Kyiv and the beginning of the countdown of Kievan Rus, although in reality a large settlement on the site of Kyiv already existed in the 5th century. But, nevertheless, as a state formation, Kievan Rus really dates back to the 9th century, and for more than a hundred years Kyiv existed as a pagan power. The cities that emerged (by the end of the 9th century there were at least 25 of them), the courts of princes of various ranks, and even more so of the Grand Duke of Kyiv himself, had already reached a level of culture compatible with that of Western Europe. The Russian military nobility laid the main routes both south to Byzantium and west to the German lands. Kievan Rus was located on the so-called route “from the Varangians to the Greeks”.
Paganism was the state religion, which was reflected in the creation of the priestly class: sorcerers, sorcerers, blasphemers, who developed an accurate calendar and were good at predicting the weather. It was the priests who took an important part in the development of mythology. Many who have come down to us fairy tales created by them. And the tales of Koshchei the Immortal and Anastasia the Beautiful go back to even earlier Indo-European myths and are close to the ancient Greek myth of Hades and Persephone. It was in that era that the epic epic took shape.
Pagan mythology and religious rites are an important part of the idea of the spiritual life of our ancestors, the Slavic tribes who lived on the territory of present-day Russia. The ancient Slavs had strong remnants of animism, i.e. faith in spirits, and through this spiritualization of nature and natural forces. They worshiped lakes, rivers, groves; believed that forests were inhabited by various creatures other than humans. In ancient times, there was a belief in "ghouls", the spirits of Evil, and "shores", the spirits of Good. All nature seemed to the Slavs spiritualized and alive. They entered into communication with her, wanted to participate in those changes that took place in nature, and accompanied these changes with various rites. Thus, a circle of pagan holidays was created, associated with the veneration of nature and with the cult of ancestors.
Later, the Proto-Slavs began to worship Rod (his assistants were Yarilo and Kupala) and Rozhanitsy Lada and Lele, whose cult was directly connected with agriculture and everything on which the fertility of the earth depends. In the era of the formation of state formations on the lands of the Slavs, the actual pagan pantheon begins to take shape, where in different time included such deities as Svarog (the god of heaven), he is also Stribog, Veles (the patron of cattle and cattle breeders, as well as wealth, trade), Perun (the god of thunder and lightning, later the patron of warriors and military affairs), Dazhdbog (the god of light) , the goddess of fertility and the patroness of women Mokosh, etc. “Naturality” Slavic paganism manifested itself especially in the fact that among the priestly, military and economic-natural deities, the latter especially predominated.
But all these images of the gods did not receive from the Slavs that clarity and certainty, as, for example, in the more developed Greek mythology. The external cult among the Slavs was also not developed: there were no temples, no special class of priests. In some places, crude images of the gods, "idols" were placed in open places. They were sacrificed, sometimes even human; this was the limit of idolatry.
Gradually, relations with Byzantium and the Arab East had an educational impact on the Russian Slavs. “Christianity came to them from Byzantium. In the middle of the 9th century, the Russians, after an unsuccessful campaign against Byzantium, were baptized, but after that paganism again took over in the country ... "
In the future, Christian traditions began to take shape in Russia. Princely power also comes to Christianity. But Christianity did not spread among the people for quite a long time.
The first Christians in Russia
The slow spread of Christianity among the Varangian and Slavic warriors began already in the 9th century. Initially, a few soldiers who participated in raids on Byzantium, merchants who traded with Christian Greeks, accepted baptism. The change of faith of the combatants was a completely natural thing: they spent a lot of time on campaigns, in foreign lands, including Byzantium, where they saw beautiful churches, solemn services, compared their cults with the Christian faith.
Tribal, pagan beliefs were, as a rule, based on a misunderstanding of the impact on a person of some unpleasant, unknown forces. The ideas about these forces correlated with tribal life, with the peculiarities of the area, with the specific occupations of the population. Therefore, serious changes in everyday life called into question various elements of belief, gave rise to a religious crisis (thus, the tribes worshiping the spirits of the mountains could not maintain their ideas about them, having moved to plain). It is not surprising that the most active part of society showed the greatest susceptibility to a change in religion: warriors and merchants.
It is considered a well-established fact that the princes Askold and Dir, with a certain number of people, were baptized in Kyiv by a bishop sent by the Patriarch Photius I of Constantinople in the early or middle of the 860s, shortly after the Russian campaign against Constantinople in 866. These events are sometimes called the first (Fotiev, or Askold's) baptism of Russia. This fact is not very popular in historiography, which is accustomed to attribute the Christianization of our country to 988. True, the authenticity of the event itself was not in doubt and was not denied in the literature. But its significance for the development of Russia was too underestimated and obscured. In Soviet historiography, the point of view, which can be called "estate", has become popular. Its meaning lies in the fact that in the 60s of the IX century. not all Kievan Rus was baptized, not the people, not the state and not the country, but only a certain part of the social elite, headed by the Kyiv kagan. The state as a whole continued to remain pagan, which determined its ideological status.
Around 912, during the reign of Igor, Kyiv was already Christian church Elijah the Prophet. There were many Christians in the squad of Prince Igor himself. The prince's wife, Princess Olga, was also a Christian. Although there are different opinions about the exact time and place of her baptism, it is generally accepted that she was baptized in Constantinople in 957. In a word, the Christian faith became well known to the people of Kiev even under the first Varangian princes. 3. Reasons for the adoption of Christianity in Russia The famous "baptism of Russia", which marked the beginning of the formation of the Russian Orthodox civilization, was caused by a whole range of factors. Among them is Vladimir's desire to strengthen the state and its territorial unity. An attempt to achieve these goals by creating a single pantheon of pagan gods led by Perun did not lead to overcoming tribal separatism and strengthening princely power. Only monotheism could unite the country and illuminate the authority of the sole princely power. One should also take into account the fact that the adoption of Christianity introduced Russia into the family of European peoples, and paganism doomed to isolation and hostility from Christianized neighbors who treated pagans as "non-humans". At the same time, it must be borne in mind that the final split of Christianity into Catholic and Orthodox branches occurred only in 1054. Probably, some personal considerations of Vladimir and some episodes of his life also affected. He probably took into account the baptism of his grandmother Olga, who left a good memory of herself. It is possible that his sinful pagan past, for example, fratricide during the struggle for power, violence, polygamy, eventually made him think about spiritual purification, which could leave a good memory of him. But, most likely, he acted on the basis of pragmatic considerations. The fact is that his adoption of Christianity was due to his marriage to the sister of the Byzantine emperor Anna. This unusually raised his authority, and, consequently, strengthened the princely power. The so-called problem of “choosing a faith” is also important, on the solution of which the entire course of Russian history largely depended. According to the chronicle legend, representatives of three monotheistic religions came to Vladimir in Kyiv: Islam, Judaism and Christianity. The prince rejected Islam under the pretext that it forbids the use of wine. “The joy of Russia is drinking, without drinking there is no Russia,” he supposedly answered the temptations of Muslims. He did not accept Judaism because the Jews did not have their own state, as a result of which they were scattered throughout the earth. He did not accept the proposal made by the envoys of the Pope, citing the fact that his grandmother also rejected Catholicism. Only the preaching of a representative of the Orthodox Byzantine Church made a favorable impression on him. But Vladimir was in no hurry with the decision and sent his ambassadors to different countries. When they returned, they called the Greek faith the best, and the Greek temples and church services the most beautiful. How to treat this legend? What are the true reasons for choosing a faith? It is obvious that behind this legend are hidden real facts who stopped the choice of Russia on the Orthodox form of Christianity. These are, first of all, strong cultural and economic ties with Byzantium, the presence of their own influential Orthodox community, which had developed long before the reign of Vladimir. In addition, the prince probably took into account international environment, the relationship of church and state, as well as some dogmatic differences. For example, the claims of the pope to secular power, unwillingness catholic church take into account local peculiarities and its militancy could not help pushing the head of the young state away from this form of Christianity. The Orthodox Church was subject to secular power. This was in line with the East Slavic tradition, according to which the prince was also the head of a religious cult. Among other things, Orthodoxy was more tolerant of local traditions, and Byzantium at that time was the center of civilization, the heir to the great Rome, the most developed and cultured country in Europe. 4. Baptism of Russia by Prince Vladimir
Byzantium legitimately called itself the successor of the Roman Empire, but it was a special world of the Eastern Roman Empire, which absorbed the cultural influences of both East and West. After the fall of Christian Rome, Byzantium became, as it were, the earthly embodiment of the idea of a new world Christian kingdom, the “second Rome”. The splendor and unheard of luxury of the Constantinople court was a kind of reflection of the harmony and order created by the Creator in the Universe. The earthly bearer of the idea of Byzantium being chosen by God was considered the emperor. The anointing to the kingdom was a sacrament supposedly annihilating all sins committed before the coronation.
For Russia Byzantine Empire was not only a rich and powerful neighbor and rival, but also the ideal of a centralized state system. Vladimir showed himself to be a mature and far-sighted politician, deciding to accept Orthodoxy of the Byzantine model. The decisive role in this choice was played, of course, not by considerations of an aesthetic nature, but by deliberate political motives. Neither the Khazar Khaganate nor the Volga Bulgaria could interest Vladimir as allies, since at the end of the 10th century. these countries have gone or have already left the stage of history. As for the Catholics, according to their theological postulates, the Pope of Rome is the vicar of God on earth, and the choice of the Western branch of Christianity would mean for the Russian ruler the obligatory recognition of the superiority of the Pope's power over his own. Such dependence contradicted the desire of the ancient Russian princes for state independence. The Catholic countries themselves, weak and fragmented at that moment, did not arouse political interest in Russia.
Byzantium, which inherited many features of oriental despotisms, was characterized by the sacralization (deification) of royal power. The Byzantine emperor was considered the vicar of God on earth, the owner of all power. Choosing Orthodoxy, Vladimir got the opportunity to unite in his hands the highest religious and secular power and thereby immeasurably elevate the power of the Grand Duke in comparison with his former status. In addition, an alliance with Byzantium, the most powerful power of that time, the heir to the Roman Empire, opened up tempting prospects in the international arena. Christian self-consciousness strengthened the faith of the princes, who compared themselves with the Byzantine emperors, in their high purpose. Byzantium and the Eastern Christian Church showed Ancient Russia the ideal way for that time to overcome paganism, and with the maximum preservation of traditions. With the decision of Vladimir to go to Christian faith closely connected in the annals is the story of his marriage to the Byzantine princess Anna, the sister of the co-emperors Basil and Constantine. The chronicle reports that in 988 Vladimir laid siege to Korsun and, having taken the city, sent messengers to the emperors to say: “I heard that you have a maiden sister. If you do not give it to me, then I will do to your capital the same thing that I did to this city. The Byzantine rulers, who found themselves in a hopeless situation, demanded that Vladimir be baptized, since Christians should not marry pagans. Vladimir, who had already decided to be baptized, demanded, however, that Anna come to him in Korsun, accompanied by priests who would baptize him in the captured city. Seeing no other way out, the Byzantines agreed, and Vladimir was baptized in Chersonese.
Returning to Kyiv from Chersonesus, Vladimir ordered the destruction of pagan idols. Downtrodden, they were burned or chopped to pieces. The statue of Perun was tied to a horse's tail and dragged from the mountain to the river, and then thrown into the water. Specially assigned people had to push the idol floating down the Dnieper from the shore until it was beyond the rapids. The prince sought to demonstrate to his subjects the impotence of the pagan gods, their inability to stand up for themselves. After the defeat of the pagan temples, Vladimir began to convert the people of Kiev to Christianity. Just as John the Baptist once baptized the ancient Jews, plunging them into the waters of the Jordan, so now the priests who came from Constantinople and Korsun baptized the inhabitants of Kiev in the Dnieper (or, according to other sources, in its tributary, the Pochaina River).
The Greek priests who had come with Anna from Constantinople and brought as captives from Korsun faced a difficult task. They had to preach in an ethnically heterogeneous, multilingual country. The missionaries achieved their goal by following simple principles. They proceeded from the fact that religion should be the same for the whole country and the whole people, and preached in the Slavic language. Byzantium had experience in educational activities in Bulgaria and other Slavic countries. The Bulgarians helped to introduce Russia to the spiritual values of Christianity.
The very date of the baptism of the people of Kiev remains controversial. Historians name different years. But still, traditionally, the adoption of Christianity by Russia dates back to 988 (this is the date of the baptism of Vladimir himself). For a long time, overcoming serious resistance, the Christianization of the vast Kievan state took place. So, when Dobrynya and another voivode of Vladimir, Putyata, came to Novgorod, about to baptize its inhabitants, they met them with weapons in their hands, declaring: “It’s better for us to die, rather than our gods give to reproach.” It was possible to force the stubborn pagans to submit only when the Kyiv army set fire to several houses, threatening to turn the entire wooden city into a huge fire. Novgorodians asked for peace. After that, Dobrynya crushed the pagan idols and forced their adherents to be baptized in Volkhov. Those who resisted were dragged to the river by force. The memory of the forced baptism of the Novgorodians was preserved in the proverb: "Christen the baptized with a sword, and Dobrynya with fire."
Most of the inhabitants of Kievan Rus were baptized during the reign of Vladimir, but there were still many pagans. Some of the converts returned to pagan rites immediately after the departure of the prince's army from their area. Paganism held out for a particularly long time in the wilds of the Northeast. The Rostov-Suzdal and Murom lands were converted to Christianity only in the middle of the 11th century, and the new faith was finally established there by the end of the century.
In an effort to facilitate the adoption of Christianity by the Slavs, the church consecrated some pagan holidays. So, the Maslenitsa holiday is pagan in origin. The Kupala holiday, which marked the arrival of summer, merged with the day of St. John the Baptist. Worship of the Thunderer Perun was replaced by the veneration of Elijah the Prophet, St. Blaise became the patron of cattle instead of Veles.
These beliefs have firmly entered Russian Christianity. Faith in goblin, brownies, mermaids has also been preserved. However, the survivals of pagan ideas did not make a believing Christian a pagan. 5. The consequences of the adoption of Christianity in Russia
The significance of the transition to Christianity was enormous and manifested itself in everything - from the daily diet and farming practices to international position countries.
The establishment of Christianity in Russia as the state religion big influence on various spheres of social and spiritual life of the country.
Requiring many days of fasting, Christianity forced to eat more vegetables, and, consequently, to improve gardening. Many vegetables became known in Russia thanks to the Byzantines. It is no coincidence that the monks were the best gardeners.
The adoption of Christianity was a significant step in the development of the East Slavic civilization, it contributed to the creation of a single statehood and a single church organization. The teaching of Christianity about the one God, sanctifying the power of one sovereign, helped Vladimir overcome the division of the Eastern Slavs along tribal lines, although some foundations of separatism were preserved, supported by the local nobility. Nevertheless, the central authority was strengthened, as evidenced by the extraordinary growth of international prestige, diplomatic, commercial, political and cultural ties Kyiv. Already in the reign of Vladimir, dynastic marriages of the Kyiv grand-ducal house of Rurikovich with the ruling houses of Europe become common.
From now on, the ancient Russian nobility could rely on church canons (laws), ideas and institutions that came from Byzantium. The adoption of Orthodoxy contributed to the emergence and strengthening of feudal land ownership, both secular and ecclesiastical.
After the emergence of church land ownership, private (boyar) land ownership also appeared on a larger scale. The spread in Russia of the norms of Byzantine law also stimulated the formation of feudal relations, the formation of separate social groups, layers, which contributed to the development of feudalism.
With the adoption of Christianity came an understanding of the common fate of Russia and the whole world. Old Russian writers were aware of themselves as an integral part of the contemporary world. Unlike national religions, Christianity has an international character and promotes awareness of the unity of human history. Russia joined the world cultural heritage through Byzantium, which experienced in the IX-XI centuries. peak of its heyday.
With the adoption of Orthodoxy, a church hierarchy began to take shape, which occupied an important place in ancient Russian society. The Russian Church initially, following the Greek model, depended on the Grand Duke, and church hierarchs were independent only in church matters. The sources are silent when the metropolis appeared in Russia and who was the first metropolitan, how many bishops there were initially. It is known, however, that the church was headed by the Metropolitan of Kyiv, appointed from Constantinople or by the Kyiv prince himself, with the subsequent election of bishops by the cathedral.
The Church in Ancient Russia was not only the dominant force in the spiritual life of the people, but also an influential social and political force. The Church had extensive land holdings, its own villages and cities, its own serfs and even its regiments, as well as its own court and legislation. The princes paid a tenth of the taxes for the upkeep of the church (tithe). The monasteries created in Russia became the strongest church organizations. The first of them was the Kiev-Pechersky ("pechera" - a cave in which the monks settled) monastery, founded in the second half of the 11th century. The total number of monasteries in pre-Mongol times reached 70.
Orthodox Church had to wage a stubborn struggle with pre-Christian beliefs. The strength and vitality of paganism for many centuries allow us to speak of a kind of dual faith as a historical and cultural phenomenon. folk life in Russia. In some areas, pagan rites and customs remained almost unchanged until the beginning of the 20th century.
Before the adoption of Christianity, Kievan Rus was a state with a significantly developed pagan culture, pagan annals. Eastern Slavs in the middle of the 1st millennium BC had a primitive pictographic writing - "features and cuts", - consisting of the simplest signs in the form of dashes and notches and, apparently, has come down to us thanks to archaeological finds. Gradually, the Slavs began to use Greek letters for writing, but without any system, "without dispensation", i.e. without adapting them to the peculiarities of their language.
The creation of the Slavic alphabet is associated with the names of Cyril and Methodius - "equal to the apostles" enlighteners, Greeks by origin, who baptized Bulgaria, and in the second half of the 9th century. who created the Old Slavonic alphabets based on the Old Bulgarian language - Cyrillic and Glagolitic. First, the “Thessalonica” brothers, from Thessalonica (present-day Thessaloniki), created the Glagolitic alphabet, with the help of which they rewrote the first church books for the southern Slavs, and baptized Bulgaria. Later, from the mixing of the Glagolitic alphabet with elements of Greek writing, an easier and more convenient Cyrillic alphabet arose. The Cyrillic alphabet in Russia underwent serious changes twice - under Peter the Great and after October 1917. At present, the ancient Cyrillic alphabet has been preserved as the language of Orthodox worship - Church Slavonic.
After the baptism of Russia, East Slavic writing received an unprecedented impetus for the development. According to Academician D.S. Likhachev, “with Christianity came the writing of another, the highest class. It was writing with a dispensation, with punctuation marks, with a division into words, with a certain grammar. The real bearers of ancient Russian enlightenment are the monasteries, where Russian chronicles were kept and the richest libraries of handwritten books were collected. Kiev Caves Monastery became major center ancient Russian education, which brought up respect for literacy as a Christian virtue. School monastic education was based on the principles of "enkiklios pedia" (Greek "all-encompassing education", hence the word "encyclopedia"), which included dialectics, rhetoric, grammar and theology.
handwritten books were written on parchment - the thinnest calfskin of a special dressing. The oldest of the books that have come down to us is the Ostromir Gospel, named after its owner, the Novgorod posadnik Ostromir. It dates from the middle of the 11th century. In pre-Mongol Russia, there was mainly translated literature of Byzantine, ancient and other foreign authors. However, gradually in the XI-XII centuries. original works of ancient Russian authors began to appear: “The Word on Law and Grace” by Metropolitan Hilarion of Kyiv, “Instruction” by Vladimir Monomakh, “Word” and “Prayer” by Daniil Zatochnik. The main genres of ancient Russian literature were hagiography (lives of saints) and other literature of religious content. But outstanding secular works were also created, among which was the famous Tale of Igor's Campaign.
After the adoption of Christianity, Vladimir organized the first schools in Russia. The adoption of a new religion and the assimilation of Church Slavonic writing was accompanied by the transfer to Russia of the main monuments of early Christian and Byzantine literature: biblical books, writings of the church fathers, historical writings. Although the bulk of the books were translated, there is an assumption that under Vladimir the first Russian chronicle was also compiled, covering events from the time of Rurik to the beginning of the 11th century.
Books were expensive, they did not reach the people, and he found a way to reflect his aspirations and ideas about the politics of Russia in oral folk art, in epics, the appearance of which many scientists attribute to the reign of Vladimir. These are epics about the struggle of Dobrynya with a snake, about Alyosha Popovich and Tugaryn Zmeevich, about Nightingale the Robber, a whole cycle of epics about Ilya Muromets, etc. In Prince Vladimir, the people saw an outstanding political figure, a symbol of the state unity of Russia. But having a positive attitude towards him, the epics do not idealize him: the difference between him and the heroes is emphasized. The prince is only the center around which the heroes are grouped. It is they, with their exploits, strength, kindness, justice, who are the true spokesmen for the ideals of the masses.
With the adoption of Christianity in Russia, monumental stone architecture became widespread. The first stone building was the Church of the Tithes in Kyiv, erected by Greek masters, following the example of Constantinople in the 11th-12th centuries. churches of St. Sophia were built in Kyiv, Novgorod and Polotsk, connecting the Byzantine canon with local conditions and the requirements of the Kyiv prince. The Golden Gate in Kyiv is considered to be a masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture. In Vladimir, Suzdal, Smolensk, Rostov, Assumption Cathedrals were erected, distinguished by their majesty and elegance of form. It is no coincidence that later, during the construction of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral was taken as a model.
The foundations of church architecture were borrowed from Byzantium, the very type of cross-domed church, which was universally established in Russia. The temple reproduced the picture of the world in accordance with a strict hierarchy as an expression of the divine order. Ancient Russia adopted the Byzantine system of vaulted and domed ceilings, the construction of buildings of exquisite spatial configuration and high altitude. However, a purely Russian phenomenon that transformed the appearance of the Byzantine cross-domed church was the many-domed domes.
Three main types of fine art came to Russia from Byzantium: mosaic (a colorful pattern of pieces of smalt), fresco (painting on a wall made with special paints on wet plaster) and an icon (from the Greek “eikon” - an image). The first painters were Greek masters who created the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, the most revered in Russia (now kept in the Tretyakov Gallery), the mosaic Our Lady Oranta (from the Greek "oranta" - praying), the frescoes of the Kiev Hagia Sophia and other unsurpassed masterpieces.
The adoption of Christianity influenced the development of the craft. The methods of laying walls and erecting domes, stone-cutting, as well as mosaics, which were used in the construction and decoration of churches, were transferred by the Greeks to Russian masters.
The adoption of Christianity led to a significant softening of the morals that reigned in Russia. The Church categorically forbade human sacrifices, ritual murders of wives and slaves, and stubbornly fought against the slave trade.
Christianity contributed to the strengthening of princely power. The clergy inspired the population and the princes themselves that God himself puts them on the throne. The divine origin of princely power, according to the teachings of the church, demanded unquestioning obedience from the subjects, and from the prince an awareness of his high responsibility.
Formally, Russia became Christian. The funeral pyres went out, the fires of Perun, who demanded sacrifices for himself, went out, but for a long time pagan burial mounds were poured, secretly praying to Perun and celebrating the violent holidays of their native antiquity.
The new Russian Church became a new and plentiful source of income for its spiritual mother, the Church of Constantinople, and a new instrument of exploitation in the hands of the leaders of Kievan society. These material benefits could be paid for by adapting the Christian ideology to the paganism of the Slavs. The Russian Church played a complex and multifaceted role in the history of Russia. Undoubtedly, its usefulness as an organization that helped the young Russian statehood in the era rapid development feudalism. Its role in the development of Russian culture, in familiarization with the cultural wealth of Byzantium, in the spread of education and the creation of major literary and artistic values is also undoubted.
III. Conclusion
ü familiarization of Kievan Rus with the values of Christianity;
ü creating conditions for cooperation between the tribes of the East European Plain and other Christian tribes and nationalities;
ü Russia was recognized as a Christian state, which determined a higher level of relations with European countries and peoples.
The Russian Church, which developed in cooperation with the state, became a force uniting the inhabitants of different lands into a cultural and political community.
The transfer to Russian soil of the traditions of monastic life gave the originality of the Slavic colonization of the northern and eastern Slavs of the Kievan state. Missionary activity in the lands inhabited by Finnish-speaking and Turkic tribes not only drew these tribes into the orbit of Christian civilization, but also somewhat softened the painful processes of the formation of a multinational state (this state developed on the basis of a national and religious idea. It was not so much Russian as Orthodox. ).
Initiation to the thousand-year-old Christian history posed new cultural and spiritual tasks for Russian society and pointed to the means of solving them (the development of the centuries-old heritage of the Greco-Roman civilization, the development of original forms of literature, art, and religious life).
Borrowing became the basis for cooperation, from the mastered achievements of Byzantium gradually grew stone architecture, iconography, frescoes, previously unknown to the Slavs, hagiographic literature and annals, school and correspondence books.
The baptism of Russia, understood not as a short-term action, not as a mass rite, but as a process of gradual Christianization of the East Slavic and neighboring tribes - the baptism of Russia created new forms of the inner life of these ethnic groups approaching each other and new forms of their interaction with the outside world.
List of used literature 1. Grabar I.I. "Christianity and Russia". Moscow, 20002. Zakharevich A.V. Textbook "History of the Fatherland". Moscow.: "Dashkov and K", 2006
3. "History of Russia from ancient times to the end of 1861" / Ed. N.I. Pavlenko. Moscow.: "Higher School", 2001
4. Karamzin N. M. “History of the Russian State”, vol. 1, ch. IX-X.
5. Kostomarov N.I. "Russian history in the biography of its main figures". Kaluga: "Golden Alley", 2005.6. Sukhov A.D. Introduction of Christianity in Russia. Social prerequisites and consequences of the baptism of Russia. Moscow: "Thought", 2000
Kostomarov N.I. "Russian history in the biography of its main figures". Kaluga. "Golden Alley", 2005.
The topic of Russian paganism has been incredibly popular in recent years. The ranks of "Rodnovers", "Slavic-Aryans", "relatives" and other neopagan movements are expanding. Meanwhile, even before the middle of the last century, the dispute about Russian paganism was conducted only in scientific circles.
What is paganism
The word "paganism" comes from the Slavic word "languages", that is, "peoples" who did not accept Christianity. It also means in historical chronicles "worshiping many gods (idols)", "idolater".
The very word "paganism" is a tracing paper from the Greek "ethnikos" ("pagan"), from "ethnos" ("people").
From the same Greek root, the people are called "ethnos", and the name of the science of "ethnography" "studying the material and spiritual culture of peoples" is formed.
When translating the Bible, translators translated the Hebrew terms “goy” (non-Jew) and similar terms with the word “Gentile”. Then the word "pagan" the first Christians began to designate representatives of all non-Abrahamic religions.
The fact that these religions were generally polytheistic influenced the fact that "paganism" in broad sense began to call "polytheism" as such.
Difficulties
There were very few scientific studies on Russian paganism until the last third of the 20th century.
In 1902-1934, the Czech philologist Lubor Niederle published his famous work "Slavic Antiquities". In 1914, the book of the historian-Mason Yevgeny Anichkov "Paganism and Ancient Russia" was published. At the beginning of the 20th century, research Russian paganism and Finnish-born philologist Viljo Petrovich Mansikka ("The Religion of the Eastern Slavs").
After the First World War, interest in Slavic paganism subsided and awoke again in the second half of the 20th century.
In 1974, the work of Vladimir Toporov and Vyacheslav Ivanov "Research in the field of Slavic antiquities" was published. In 1981 - the book of the archaeologist Boris Rybakov "Paganism of the ancient Slavs". In 1982 - the sensational work of the philologist Boris Uspensky about the ancient cult of Nicholas of Myra.
If we go to any bookstore now, we will see hundreds of books on Russian paganism on the shelves. Everyone who is not lazy writes about it (even satirists) - the topic is very popular, but today it is extremely difficult to “catch” anything scientific in this ocean of waste paper.
Ideas about Russian paganism are still fragmentary. What do we know about him?
Gods
Russian paganism was a polytheistic religion. It's proven. supreme god was Perun, which immediately puts the paganism of the Slavs in a number of religions with the god of thunder at the head of the pantheon (remember Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Hinduism).
The idea of the main pagan gods gives us the so-called "Vladimir pantheon", compiled in 980.
In the “Laurentian Chronicle” we read: “And the beginning of the prince Volodya, measure in Kyiv alone and put idols on a hill outside the yard of the castle. Perun is drevyan and his head is silver, and otss gold and Kharsa Dazhba and Striba and Simargla and Mokosh [and] ryahu the name of the calling b[og]s ... and zhryahu demon "...
There is a direct enumeration of the gods: Perun, Khors, Dazhdbog, Stribog, Simargl and Mokosh.
Horse
Khors and Dazhdbog were considered gods of the sun. If Dazhdbog was recognized as the Slavic god of the sun, then Khors was considered the god of the sun of the southern tribes, in particular Torks, where Scythian-Alanian influence was strong back in the 10th century.
The name Khorsa is derived from the Persian language, where korsh (korshid) means "sun".
However, the personification of Khors with the sun has been disputed by some scholars. So, Evgeny Anichkov wrote that Khors is not the god of the sun, but the god of the month, the moon.
He drew this conclusion on the basis of the text “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, which mentions the majestic pagan deity to whom Vseslav of Polotsk crossed the path: “Vseslav the prince ruled the people, dressed the princes of the city, and he himself prowled like a wolf at night: from Kyiv he roamed to the roosters of Tmutarakan , to the great Khors, he roamed the path like a wolf.
It is clear that Vseslav crossed the path of Khors at night. The Great Horse, according to Anichkov, was not the sun, but the month, which was also worshiped by the Eastern Slavs.
Dazhdbog
There are no disputes regarding the solar nature of Dazhdbog. His name comes from "dazhd" - to give, that is, God forbid, the giving god, literally: giving life.
According to ancient Russian monuments, the sun and Dazhdbog are synonyms. The Ipatiev Chronicle calls Dazhdbog the sun in 1114: "The sun is the king, the son of Svarog, he is also Dazhdbog." In the already mentioned "Word of Igor's Campaign" the Russian people are called Dazhdbozh's grandchildren.
Stribog
Another god from the Vladimir pantheon is Stribog. He is usually considered the god of the winds, but in the "Word of Igor's Campaign" we read: "Here are the winds, Stribog's grandchildren, blow arrows from the sea on the brave regiments of Igor."
This allows us to speak of Stribog as a god of war. The first part of the name of this deity "stree" comes from the ancient "street" - to destroy. Hence Stribog - the destroyer of good, the god of destruction, or the god of war. Thus, Stribog is a destructive principle, as opposed to the good Dazhdbog. Another name for Stribog among the Slavs is Pozvizd.
Simargl
Among the gods listed in the annals, whose idols stood on Starokievsky Hill, the essence of Simargl is not entirely clear.
Some researchers compare Simargl with the Iranian deity Simurgh (Senmurv), sacred winged dog, plant keeper. According to Boris Rybakov, Simargl in Russia in the XII-XIII centuries was replaced by the god Pereplut, who had the same meaning as Simargl. Obviously, Simargl was the deity of some tribe, subject to the great Kyiv prince Vladimir.
Mokosh
The only woman in the Vladimir pantheon is Mokosh. She by different sources revered as the goddess of water (the name "Mokosh" is associated with the common Slavic word "get wet"), as the goddess of fertility, fertility.
In a more everyday sense, Mokosh was also the goddess of sheep breeding, weaving and women's household.
Mokosh was revered for a long time after 988. This is indicated by at least one of the questionnaires of the XVI century; the clergyman at confession was obliged to ask the woman: “Have you gone to Mokosha?” Sheaves of flax and embroidered towels were sacrificed to the goddess Mokosha (later Paraskeva Pyatnitsa).
Veles
In the book of Ivanov and Toporov, the relationship between Perun and Veles goes back to the most ancient Indo-European myth about the duel between the Thunder God and the Serpent; in the East Slavic implementation of this myth, "the duel of the God-Thunderer with his opponent occurs because of the possession of lambing."
Volos, or Veles, appears in Russian chronicles usually as a "cattle god", as a god of wealth and trade. "Cattle" - money, file; "Cowgirl" - treasury, "cattleman" - tribute collector.
In Ancient Russia, especially in the North, the cult of Volos was very significant. In Novgorod, the memory of the pagan Volos was preserved in the stable name of Volosova Street.
The cult of Volos was also in Vladimir on the Klyazma. The suburban Nikolsky - Volosov Monastery is famous here, built according to legend on the site of the temple of Volos. There was also a pagan temple of Volos in Kyiv, down on Podil, near the trading piers of Pochaina.
Scientists Anichkov and Lavrov believed that the temple of Volos in Kyiv was located where the boats of the Novgorodians and Krivichi stopped. Therefore, Veles can be considered either the god of the "wider part of the population", or the "god of the Novgorod Slovenes."
Veles book
When talking about Russian paganism, one must always understand that this system of ideas is reconstructed according to the language, folklore, rituals and customs of the ancient Slavs. Keyword here - "reconstructed".
Unfortunately, since the middle of the last century heightened interest to the topic of Slavic paganism began to give rise to both unprovable near-scientific studies and outright fakes.
The most famous hoax is the so-called Veles book.
According to the memoirs of the scientist's son, Academician Boris Rybakov said in his last speech at the bureau of the department: “Historical science faces two dangers. Veles book. And - Fomenko. And sat down in his seat.
A lot of people still believe in the authenticity of the Book of Veles. This is not surprising: according to it, the history of the Russians begins in the 9th century. BC e. from the forefather Bohumir. In Ukraine, the study of the Book of Veles is even included in the school curriculum. This is, to put it mildly, striking, since the authenticity of this text is not recognized by the academic community even more than completely.
Firstly, there are many errors and inaccuracies in the chronology, and secondly, the discrepancy between the language and graphics of the declared era. Finally, the primary source (wooden tablets) is simply missing.
According to serious scientists, the Book of Veles is a hoax, allegedly created by the Russian emigrant Yuri Mirolyubov, who in 1950 in San Francisco published its text from the tablets that he had not shown.
The well-known philologist Anatoly Alekseev expressed the general point of view of science when he wrote: “The question of the authenticity of the Book of Veles is solved simply and unambiguously: it is a primitive fake. There is not a single argument in defense of its authenticity, many arguments are given against its authenticity.
Although, of course, it would be nice to have "Slavic Vedas", but only authentic ones, and not written by falsifiers.
What faith was in Ancient Russia before the adoption of Christianity. True Orthodoxy is the oldest faith on earth. It absorbed thousands of years of wisdom, knowledge, history and culture. In our time, pagans are called those who profess the old faith that existed before the rise of Christianity. And, for example, among the ancient Jews, all beliefs that did not recognize Yahweh or refused to follow his law were considered pagan religions. As for the ancient Russian polytheism, the attitude towards it after the adoption of Christianity was militant. The new religion was opposed to the old one as true - not true, as useful - harmful. Such an attitude ruled out tolerance and assumed the eradication of pre-Christian traditions, customs, and rituals. Christians did not want their descendants to be left with signs of the “delusion” to which they had hitherto indulged. Everything that was somehow connected with Russian beliefs was subjected to persecution: “demonic games”, “evil spirits”, sorcery. There was even an image of an ascetic, a "discordant", who devoted his life not to feats of arms on the battlefield, but to the persecution and destruction of "dark forces". Such zeal was characteristic of new Christians in all countries. But if in Greece or Italy time saved at least a small number of ancient marble sculptures, then Ancient Russia stood among the forests. And the king-fire, raging, did not spare anything: neither human dwellings, nor temples, nor wooden images of the gods, nor information about them, written in Slavic cuts on wooden planks. And only quiet echoes have reached our days from the depths of the Vedic world. And he is beautiful, this world! Among the amazing deities worshiped by our ancestors, there are no repulsive, ugly, disgusting ones. There are evil, terrible, incomprehensible, but much more beautiful, mysterious, kind. Slavic gods were formidable, but fair, kind. Perun struck the villains with lightning. Lada patronized lovers. Chur guarded the borders of possessions. Veles was the personification of the master's wisdom, and was also the patron of hunting prey. The faith of the ancient Slavs was the deification of the forces of nature. The pantheon of gods was associated with the performance of household functions by the clan: agriculture, cattle breeding, beekeeping, crafts, trade, hunting, etc. And one should not assume that Vedism is just worship of idols. After all, even Muslims continue to bow to the black stone of the Kaaba - the shrine of Islam. Christians in this capacity are countless crosses, icons and relics of saints. And who considered how much blood was shed and lives were given for the liberation of the Holy Sepulcher in the Crusades? Here is a real Christian idol, along with bloody sacrifices. And to burn incense, put a candle - this is the same sacrifice, only it has taken on a fine appearance. It is these facts that are indicators by which one should judge the level of culture and education of the Slavs. And no matter what the adherents of Christianity say, it is an alien, foreign religion that made its way in Russia with fire and sword. A lot has been written about the violent nature of the baptism of Russia, and not by militant atheists, but by church historians. No doubt - for ten centuries, Christianity has had a huge impact on the history, culture, art of Russia, on the very existence Russian state. But Vladimir the Baptist would have accepted the Catholic faith or Islam, and the current apostles of the “Russian primordial faith” would have shouted about “the revival of Russian Catholicism ...”, or “... Russia is the stronghold of world Islam! ..” It’s good that they didn’t send ambassadors to the priests voodoo cult. And the old faith of the ancient Rus will still remain the Russian faith.