The Conversion of St. Vladimir/A Short Historical Sketch of the life of St. Vladimir
A Short Historical Sketch
of the life of
St. Vladimir
St. Vladimir
Although the author of the original poem has omitted to write any preface or make any historical reference in his epic, the translator does not find it amiss to add a short biography of its principal character.
Vladimir was born in 956 A. D. and was the youngest son of Sviatoslav, Grand Duke of Kiev, and one of his bondwomen. Upon the death of his father he received as an endowment one of the provinces. Not content with his share of the heritage he plotted against his two elder brothers, the legitimate sons and heirs of the Grand Duke. Oleg and Yaropolk were slain treacherously; Vladimir took over all their estates and possessions and started out to conquer other provinces.
On one of his marauding expeditions he encountered Regwald, Prince of Polotsk, and demanded his daughter as wife. The proud princess refusing to give her hand in betrothal to the son of a mistress, Vladimir killed her father and took his domains—as well as the princess, by force. He thus warred against all the minor principalities, leaving a trail of plunder, pillage, murder and rape behind, stopping at nothing to achieve his ends. In this manner he became the absolute ruler of nearly the entire vast territory of Russia. He had wives in many cities and kept hundreds of concubines in all parts of his possessions. When not engaged in warfare he passed his time in feasting, debauchery and the chase. To these recreations he added that of slaughtering missionaries as offerings and sacrifices upon the altars of his pagan gods.
In the course of his empire’s expansion he discovered some unrest among his subjects and found a great deal of dissatisfaction with paganism. The efforts of the missionaries were taking seed. Cults and creeds were making inroads upon the religious life of the serfs.
Upon consultation with his boyars (counselors and ministers) he decided to adopt a new national religion which would be acceptable to the majority of his subjects. To this end he invited emissaries of various creeds from the neighboring countries to present their claims of superiority of their respective faiths. As each one paraded before him the excellence of his particular religion, he questioned them as to the benefits to be derived from it for his people.
The German and other Roman Catholics—with their fasts, confession, celibacy of priesthood and their restraint from jollity—these he dismissed as too cold and solemn. Had he not many wives? Was not feasting and mirth conducive to happiness?
The Mohammedans’ inducements were total abstinence, circumcision and the belief in Allah and his Prophet—which would lead them to Paradise where beautiful houris were awaiting them. Did not grapes grow for the delight of man? Why undergo voluntary pain? And why wait for the houris of Paradise when one could have them on this earth?
The Synedrium of Jews offered him Jehova, the only true god, without saints, bishops or other dignitaries. Upon asking where their country was located, they had to admit they had none, having been driven from it for their sins. What assurance could they give him that their god would not drive him, too, from his lands?
Thus he dismissed one deputation after another, without making any decision. After their departure he selected a delegation of his boyars as envoys to visit the different countries and to study the condition of their peoples under their various creeds.
Having investigated all the different religions and practices in all the adjacent countries, and having rejected them as unsuitable to their needs, the envoys arrived at Constantinople, seat of the Eastern Catholic See. They were expected, and the stage was set for their reception. Basil II, Roman Emperor of the East and head of the Orthodox Church, displayed for their benefit such magnificence and splendor as their eyes never beheld. Great religious ceremonials, with pomp and ostentatious pageants and processions, feasts and revels were prepared for them. Nothing was left undone to impress them with the grandeur and virtue of their religion.
They returned, a little worse for wear after their debauch but well agreed that this was the only creed for their ruler to adopt—both for himself and his subjects. As they pictured to Vladimir the pomp and display, the glory and splendor, he was much impressed. But when they reported that the Emperor offered to give him his kind and beautiful sister Anna for wife, as proof of his confidence[1] he was quickly decided. Just about this time Vladimir was engaged in his usual occupation of plunder and was sacking the City of Kherson in the Crimea. He at once sent delegates to Basil with his acceptance, requesting that the ceremonies be performed at Kherson. The Emperor dispatched his sister, accompanied by many magnificently robed dignitaries of the Church, to the Crimean city, where the nuptial rites were performed with all the pomp and grandeur befitting such an important occasion, but preceded by the ceremony of conversion and baptism of Tsar Valdimir (988 A. D.).
From here the triumphant procession wended its way to Kiev, where the announcement of the Tsar’s conversion preceded it. The priests at once proceeded with a mass conversion of the populace without any difficulty. Vladimir ordered that all the pagan idols and their temples be demolished and sacked. On a mound overlooking the city stood the tremendous, gigantic figure of their chief god, Perun—god of thunder—with a solid silver head and a golden beard. This he commanded to be pulled from its pedestal, tied to the tail of a monstrous horse and dragged through the streets of Kiev at the head of a great procession consisting of the entire population, on to the River Dnieper. There it was “drowned” while all the people were being immersed in the waters during the baptismal ceremonies.
From then on, through the influence of his good wife Anne, Vladimir became a changed man. In place of the pagan temples he erected churches, monasteries and convents. He replaced the statues of the pagan gods with those of Christian saints and established ecclesiastic courts and schools.
After his death (1015 A. D.) he was cannonized. His sainted body was dismembered and the parts of it were distributed among the churches and other ecclesiastic institutions of the land. They are venerated by the devout up to this day. The Cathedral of Kiev, erected upon the mound where stood the thunder-god Perun, is one of the remaining monuments of this great and versatile ruler.
This is the abbreviated history of St. Vladimir, translated in part from the most authentic works of the Russian historians of his day.
- ↑ Some historians differ with the above version, claiming that while Vladimir was engaged in marauding in the Crimea he dispatched envoys to Emperor Basil, demanding the latter’s sister as wife as the price of conversion—but also threatening with the sacking and occupation of Constantinople should his demands be refused.