Wokół chrztu Rusi Kijowskiej Do czasów Włodzimierza I Wielkiego
On the baptism of Kievan Rus’ up to the reign of Vladimir I the Great

Summary/Abstract: The evangelization of Kievan Rus’ had already begun under the reign of Princess Olga, who was baptized, according to popular belief, in Constantinople. However, it was her grandson, Prince Vladimir I the Great, who was the true baptizer of Rus’. He was the one who brought his principality to baptism, but failing to eradicate paganism. However, this prince’s decision to receive baptism appeared to be motivated more by political than religious considerations. Rus’s reputation as a Christian country was boosted by crediting its evangelization to the apostle Andrew personally. Apart from this apostle, Prince Vladimir was also likened to Moses, Kings David and Solomon, as well as St. Paul and St. George, while Princess Olga was linked to St. Mary Magdalene and St. Helena, all of whom were regarded as baptizers of Rus. The granting of this sacrament to Princess Olga, Prince Vladimir’s prior awareness of Christianity, and the presence of Christians in his troop were the circumstances most conducive to the Ruthenian ruler’s embrace of baptism. This is the subject of the article.

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