Christianity in Russia

Christianity in Russia among the Slavic population appeared no earlier than the ninth century. However, within Russian borders Christianity can be traced all the way back to the third century. Legend connects the name of the Apostle Andrew with the preaching of the Gospel in this area. As far back as the third century, one can find references to some Greek populated eparchies in the southern regions of today’s Russia.

The spreading of Christianity throughout the country is hard to trace. Only in the ninth century did Christians start a slow penetration into what was at that time Kievan Rus. It was during this time period that the first campaign of Ascold and Deer against the Greeks occurred. Ascold was the first Russian prince to get baptized. Many Christians filled the ranks of Prince Igor’s army. The Christians were viewed differently from pagans in Igor’s treaty with the Greeks of 944.

One of the major Christian churches was the church of St. Elijah. It is said that the Grand Duchess Olga, who was baptized in 957, was among those who helped spread Christianity among the people. However, the spreading of Christianity met obstacles, as is seen in the persecution of Princes Svyatoslav and Vladimir. One legend states that in 988, after the capture of the city of Korsun, Vladimir doubted the pagan beliefs and decided to accept Christianity.

The Kievites were another group that were glad to be baptized. This shows how many Christians were already inhabitants of the area. The spread of Christianity appeared in other areas near Kiev as well. One of these areas extended from the great water of Kiev to the city of Novgorod. Christianity met great resistance in Novgorod. In 990, Metropolitan Mikhail was seized by Vladimir’s uncle Dobrynya and was forcibly baptized “by the fire and the sword.” Some historians tend to disprove the fact of Novgorod being forced to be baptized. Later events, such as stirring up of the people by sorcerers in the ninth century, can be used as proof against such thinking.

Christianity migrated from Novgorod to Rostov and Suzdal. The new faith penetrated into Murom, Polotsk, Vladimir-Volynski, Lutsk, Smolensk, Pskov, and other neighbouring areas. Farther away from the great water Christianity became increasingly weaker; believers needed much more strength to endure torture for the victory of the Cross.

The division of Rus into lots brought greater success to the spread of Christianity. Russian Princes spread the new faith throughout their lots, and every capital city became the local center of Christianity. The battle between paganism and Christianity continued into the twelfth century and was marked by the martyr of the bishop Leontiy. Christianity was prevented in the wild lands of Murom-Ryazan but in the latter part of the eleventh, the beginning of the twelfth century, it became successful due to the works of Prince Yaroslav Svyatoslavich.

Paganism was popular for quite a while among the Slavic Vyatichi tribe, but Kuksha came in the twelfth century as an enlightener and preached to them until the day of his death during preaching. The number of Russian missionaries increased with the spreading of Christianity. There were not many in the south, but in the north they found a great work. In the time of St. Vladimir, groups of people from the Finnish Izhora and Korela tribe were baptized. However, their Christianity was not strong.

Many were converted to Christianity in the Vologodsk region during the twelfth century due to the work of the teacher Gerasim. His work was also felt in Zavolotsk Chud on the North Dvina, in Ustyugh, on the river Viatka after the city of Khlynov was founded, and among the Otyaks and Cheremiss. Third century Christians could be found from the river Volga to the city of Nizhniy. Virtually no Christians existed past Nizhniy.

In the west, Christianity was carried by the Catholic missionaries. Christianity in this part of Russia spread rather quickly and peacefully. This happened mainly because Christianity did not have to compete with an established pagan religion and the related class of priests. Sorcerers from the north would sometimes cause a disturbance among the people. Fortunately, they did not act in the strength of a group, but on their own and without much effect.

In the beginning, the new faith had more pagan features than Christian ones, but the victory of principles was more important. The Tatar Yoke had failed to stop the spreading of Christianity. Tatars did have a sort of faith tolerance, but some were converted to Christianity. Thus the Saraiskaya eparchy was founded in 1261.

During the end of thirteenth century, Christianity was preached mainly in the north and northeast. Monasteries, such as the ones found at Chelmogorski near Kargopolya in the land of Chud, Valamski on lake Ladoga, Murmanskiy among the Lapp tribes, Solovetski, and many others played an important role in Christianity’s spread. St. Stephen with his followers baptized Zyryan in the fourteenth century, and in the fifteenth century, Christianity was spread among Voguls by the works of bishop Jonah. In the north and the east, Christianity was spread with the expansion of the Moscow State boundaries, and was closely connected with its colonization.

After Perm was subdued and Stroganoff settled along with other manufacturers, the Puskorski and Solikamski monasteries were founded. These monasteries were well-known for their educational work. Trifon Vyatski, who taught the Voguls and the Ostyak from Perm, came out of the Puskorski monastery. The Solovetski monastery in the north continued its work among the Lapps.

After Kazan was subdued, a new eparchy was founded there and some people converted to Christianity. This was where St. Ghuriy and his followers (St. Varsonofi, German, and the student of the late St. Germogen) became famous. Then the missionary work stopped.

From Kazan, Christianity moved on to Astrakhan when it was subdued. Siberia was subdued in the seventeenth century and missionaries appeared there as well, but there were no great results from the preaching due to the poor education of the clergymen. The preaching of the Gospel, which was started in Kazan by St. Ghuriy, was extremely weak in spite of the number of measures, often mean and unfair, taken against the non-baptized in favor of the baptized. In 1654, for example, instructions were issued that estates of non-baptized owners would be inherited only by those who were baptized, even if they were distant relatives. These measures caused a murmuring among the population, who took part in Rasin’s riot, which promised freedom of religion.

The preaching of Archbishop Misail was more successful among the Mordovians of Ryazan. The Archbishop died in 1654 by Mordovian hand, causing his blood to became a new symbol of seed of the Christianity. The investigation into his death frightened foreigners a great deal. This caused great numbers to come to be baptized.

Peter the Great supported a tolerance towards the Christian faith. However, he left the benefits for the baptized. Elizabeth increased those benefits, while Katherine II, faithful to the principle of faith tolerance, promoted the organization of Muslim and Lamaist clergy and granted them some basic benefits, such as freedom from taxes.

Before Katherine II came to power, missionaries in the eighteenth century evangelized in Kazan and neighboring eparchies. A commission on newly baptized cases was founded in Sviyazhsk in 1431 for Kazan and Nizhegorodsk eparchies. The work of the enlighteners reached the best results since the time the commission was founded in Sviyazhsk, which was headed by Dmitriy Sechenov, and later Silvestr Glovatski; they did not stop in their zeal to use force in taking foreign children to Christian schools and destroying Muslim sacred places; the government supported their zeal. Hundreds of thousands were converted into Christianity being frightened of threatening pastors, but were ready to end Christianity or start the riot. The government had to refuse to support missionaries because it saw the signs of coming indignation; Sviyazhsk Commission was closed. Special ‘preachers’ were ordered to be appointed for the preaching of Christianity in the east eparchy and in Siberia. After Pugachev riot the government completely refused to support the missionaries. Only under emperor Nicholas I there were some new police measures taken and position of missionary was restored, although without results.

Preaching of Christianity had a new beginning starting in 60s of the nineteenth century; holy books were being translated, Tatar children were being taught in their native language without police. In the eighteenth century Kalmyks were baptized, first with the government support, then solely through the sermon and teaching at school. In the beginning of nineteenth century the baptism of Samoyeds took place in Arkhangelsk eparchy through the works of the priest F. Istomin. Spreading of Christianity continued in Siberia in eighteenth century as well. Philophei Leshchinski and especially S. Glovatski were very active. The disturbance was going to take place, and the government hurried to move zealous preachers to Suzdal.

Innokenti Kulchitski and his follower Innokenti Nerinovich were two great teachers for the foreigners in the East Siberia. Missionary work in the second half of eighteenth century got weak there, too. It started again when the emperor Nicholas I came to power.

After the joining of Georgia missionary work was started in the Caucasus, and it became stronger when the Caucasus was subdued. The spiritual committee was founded in 1865. All missions were united in 1865 in the missionary society founded in Petersburg, which was reorganized in 1869 with subordination to the Synod.