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Equal-to-the-Apostles · 10th century

Vladimir Enlightener of Rus'

Commemorated as

The Holy, Right-believing and Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Prince Vladimir, Enlightener of Rus'

c. 958–1015

Also known as Volodymyr · Prince Vladimir

Grand Prince of Kyiv who embraced Orthodoxy and baptized Rus'.

Life

St. Vladimir (Basil in baptism), Grand Prince of Kyiv, was the ruler who brought Orthodox Christianity to Kievan Rus' and is venerated as Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Rus'. Born around 958 (some sources give 963), he was a son of Prince Sviatoslav I of Kyiv; his mother, Malusha, is described as Sviatoslav's housekeeper and a Christian, and his grandmother was the Holy Princess Olga.

Designated Prince of Novgorod as a child, Vladimir was caught up in the succession struggle that followed his father's death in 972. He fled abroad, gathered a Varangian army, and returned to depose his brother Yaropolk and become Grand Prince of Kyiv. As a pagan ruler he was a formidable military conqueror who consolidated a vast realm and erected pagan idols in Kyiv.

In 988 Vladimir accepted baptism, took the Christian name Basil, and married Anna Porphyrogenita, sister of the Byzantine emperors. He then directed the Christianization of his people, destroying pagan monuments, building churches, founding schools, and reforming his rule along Christian and humanitarian lines. He died on 15 July 1015 and is commemorated on July 15.

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Timeline

  1. c. 958 Birth Born around 958 (some sources give 963), a son of Prince Sviatoslav I of Kyiv and Malusha, a Christian described as Sviatoslav's housekeeper. According to one account his grandmother, the Holy Princess Olga, raised him until her death.
  2. 970 Prince of Novgorod Designated Prince of Novgorod as a youth, with his uncle Dobrynya serving as his tutor and chief advisor.
  3. 972–978 Succession struggle and exile After Sviatoslav's death in 972, the brothers warred: Yaropolk killed Oleg in 977, and Vladimir fled abroad. He assembled a Varangian army and returned in 978 to depose Yaropolk and become Grand Prince of Kyiv.
  4. 980–985 Consolidation of Rus' By 980 Vladimir had unified the realm from Belarus and Ukraine to the Baltic Sea. He seized the Cherven towns from Poland (981), suppressed the Vyatichi (981–982), subdued the Yatvingians (983), conquered the Radimichs (984), and campaigned against the Volga Bulgars (985). As a pagan he erected in Kyiv a temple to six deities: Perun, Stribog, Dazhd'bog, Mokosh, Khors, and Simargl.
  5. 988 Baptism and marriage After taking Chersonesus (Korsun) in Crimea, Vladimir negotiated for the hand of Anna Porphyrogenita, sister of Emperor Basil II. He was baptized at Chersonesos, taking the name Basil, and married Anna. By tradition he was struck blind before his baptism and recovered his sight upon coming out of the water.
  6. 989 Church of the Tithes Returning to Kyiv, Vladimir destroyed pagan monuments and built churches, including the Church of St. Basil and the Church of the Tithes, dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos, to which he donated a tenth of his income.
  7. 991 Mission and city-building He baptized the Pecheneg princes Metiga (988) and Kuchug (991), founded Belgorod (991), and established cities including Volodymyr-Volynsky and Vladimir in Suzdal.
  8. 15 July 1015 Repose Vladimir died at Berestove, near Kyiv, aged about 57, while gathering troops against his son Yaroslav. He was buried in the Church of the Tithes.

Contributions & Legacy

Conversion to Orthodoxy

By tradition, Vladimir sent envoys to various countries to determine which religion would best suit his people. The envoys who attended the Divine Liturgy at Hagia Sophia in Constantinople returned amazed, reporting, in the words preserved by the chronicles, that they no longer knew whether they were in heaven or on earth.

Several influences are credited with shaping his conversion: the example of his grandmother, the Holy Princess Olga; the Christian faith of his mother, Malusha; and, by one account, his witnessing the martyrdom of Saints Theodore and John in 983.

Vladimir captured Korsun (Chersonesos) to compel the Byzantine emperors to honor their promise to send Princess Anna and clergy. He was baptized there, taking the name Basil, and married Anna. Priests then baptized the people of Kyiv at the confluence of the Khreshchatyk River with the Dnieper. Christianization spread rapidly in Kyiv but advanced more slowly in northern regions such as Novgorod, Rostov, and Murom.

Reforms and Contributions

After his baptism Vladimir destroyed the pagan idols he had earlier erected and replaced them with churches. He introduced Byzantine law with humanitarian modifications, abolished capital punishment — reportedly saying, 'I am afraid of sin' — and abolished judicial torture and mutilation.

He founded churches and schools, established ecclesiastical courts, distributed charity to the poor, and ordered that the children of nobles be educated. Sources describe him as actively serving the poor, the sick, and the disadvantaged, and as setting aside his former life of many wives to live with one wife. His spiritual transformation has been likened to that of the Apostle Paul.

Family

Vladimir was a grandson of the Holy Princess Olga and a son of Prince Sviatoslav I and Malusha. Before his conversion he had many wives and concubines, including Allogia, Rogneda of Polotsk (later the nun Anastasia), Irina (widow of Yaropolk I), Adela, Malfrida, and a granddaughter of Otto the Great; after his baptism he married Anna Porphyrogenita.

His sons included Sviatopolk I, Yaroslav the Wise, Boris, Gleb, and Mstislav of Chernigov. His sons Boris and Gleb became the first Russian saints to be canonized.

Relics & Shrines

Vladimir was buried in the Church of the Tithes in Kyiv. His body was distributed among his sacred foundations and venerated as relics, and a portion was kept in the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia of Kyiv), established by his son Yaroslav.

Veneration

Vladimir is venerated as Equal-to-the-Apostles, and is commemorated by both the Eastern Orthodox and the Catholic Church on July 15 (15/28 July); he is also commemorated on the second Sunday of Great Lent.

By tradition, Saint Alexander Nevsky instituted Vladimir's feast after his victory at the Neva River in 1240, attributing his success to Vladimir's intercession.

Related Saints

Notes

Father of the Slavic Christian world.

Sources: Synaxarion