The constant desire of Byzantium in the 9th century was to convert all Slavs to Christianity and thus secure their northern borders. However, one should not think that Christianity was something new and unknown for the Slavs, only its Byzantine variety was new.
The first few Christian communities among the Russes of the Don region began to appear even during the reign of the apostles Andrew and Bartholomew in the 1st century AD. e. All that is known about Bartholomew is that he preached in the Bosporus. Much more is known about the preaching of the Apostle Andrew.
Legends tell about this. In addition to what is known from the "Tale of Bygone Years" there is also: "The Life and Works of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called", (Odessa 1894), Muravyevskoe 1854 edition of the "Lives of the Holy Apostles" Also "Commendable Word of St. ap. Andrew "(Novgorod. Hand. XVI century), later copies of" Life of St. ap. Andrew XII - XIII centuries, the life of the Apostle in the "Minea" of various editions, there is also a manuscript from the State Historical Museum about the ap. Andrew Dionysius Fabricius of the 16th century (see his Chronicle). Further, "Travels of Pavel Alepsky" with another version of this legend and, finally, the Artynovsky legend about the apostle and the Sulakadze runic "Sermon" (copies and retellings of ancient sources made in the 19th century).
According to these legends, the Apostle Andrew, a disciple of Christ, according to the lot went to the countries previously unknown to the Jews, to Scythia, to the North Caucasus, to the country of the Alans (Roksalania, or in Russian Ruskolan, where the Rus-Cossacks and Alans lived), then to the countries Abasks (Abkhazians) and Zig (Circassians). According to the "Lives", the apostle's preaching was successful among all the peoples of these countries, and only one of the local tribes (in the "Lives" it is called "horsemen") did not listen to this sermon. Therefore, the apostle left their country with a bitter heart.
He was also in Dioskuriad (Sukhumi), Tanais and Bospor (Kerch), where they later excavated the remains of the first Christian temples founded in his time and, presumably, by himself. Archpriest Fr. Stefan (Lyashevsky) in the books "History of Christianity in the Russian Land" (Baltimore, 1968) and "Prehistory of Russia" (Valrico, 1971).
According to legend, included in the "Tale of Bygone Years", the Apostle Andrew reached the Kiev hill and put up a cross there, and then reached Novgorod. However, it is known that Kiev-on-Dnepr and Novgorod-on-Ilmen in the 1st century A. D. did not exist yet. According to the "Book of Veles" and "Boyan's Hymn", the predecessor of Kiev-on-Dnepr - Kiev Ruskolansky (otherwise it was called Kiyar, and also Tsar-Gorod, Cap-grad) in those years was in Ruskolani in the Elbrus region. And Novgorod, or Scythian Naples, was in the Crimea. Only in these cities could the Apostle Andrew then preach.
His preaching was not forgotten, since then the Russian Orthodox Church has been called apostolic. Christian communities began to appear and grow, which included the princes of the Don Rus. Thus, it is known that in the 300s, among the princes who met St. Gregory (the baptist of the Armenians), there was also a “king of the Rus”, according to the Arabic version of the historian Agafangel, written in the 5th century AD. e.
After the victory of Christianity in the Roman Empire and the transfer of the capital of the empire to Constantinople, in the IV century, among the Don Rus (Cossacks) Christianity was adopted according to the Constantinople (Greco-Byzantine) rite. The Don lands were then part of the Bosporus bishopric. It is known that the Bosporan bishop the Greek Cadmus took part in the Council of Nicea in 325 and signed the Nicene Creed. Today, on the ancient border of Bosporus and Scythia (in Ilurat), several Greek and Scythian tombstones of that time with Christian symbols have been found in pagan necropolises. There are also legends about the first bishops, Kapiton and the 7 martyrs of Chersonesos of that time.
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On the monument to the prince of the Antes (Rus-Cossacks and Circassians) Bus, on the gate of the statue, an equilateral cross is depicted, such as was customary among early Christians. There is also an inscription on the monument, at the end of which there is a date (5875 from the Creation of the World). The date is given according to the Greco-Byzantine tradition (it is 368 AD). This suggests that the Antes prince Bus was familiar with the Byzantine Christian chronology.
In 550, on Taman, Don and the North Caucasus (in the lands bordering the Roman colonies), the emperor Justinian suppressed protests against the spread of Byzantine Christianity, which was characterized by intolerance to local traditions. Obviously, these speeches were not anti-Christian, but anti-Byzantine, for local apostolic Christians also took part in them.
In the Caucasus, Christian churches of that and later times are known among all peoples who listened to the preaching of the Apostle. And, presumably, often under the name of Christians, Alans, Cumans-Polovtsians, their neighbors, roaming Cossacks, also appear (they were mixed by foreigners, for these peoples led a similar way of life). Brodnik Cossacks never left these places and kept their Christian and Vedic traditions. However, most of the Slavic world remained unfamiliar with Christianity at that time and considered the Romans (Christians) only as infidels and enemies on the battlefield.
At the end of 860, Patriarch Photius of Constantinople sent a mission to the Slavs and Khazars led by the “Solunski brothers” Cyril (Constantine) and Methodius, whose task was to spread Christianity among the pagans. According to the Life of Cyril, in Khorsun he met with a certain Ruthenian who had the Psalter and the Gospel, which were written in Russian.
In the "Life" it is directly stated that Cyril borrowed the Slavic alphabet from a certain Rusich, a Christian from Chersonesos. He was not at all the inventor of the Slavic writing. Apparently, he only supplemented the Slavic alphabet with some purely Greek letters (fita, izhytsa, psi, etc.), which were needed to convey Greek words in liturgical texts. All these letters have now died out as unnecessary, the alphabet has acquired a modern look, similar to the ancient "Velesovitsa".
Only in later times was the dogma adopted that the first enlighteners who brought Christian books to the Slavs were Cyril and Methodius. Both Christianity, and even more so writing in Russia, were known long before their arrival.
The activities of the "enlighteners" took place first in Tavria, and then, since 863, in Moravia. And already in 863, the Moravian prince Rostislav was baptized.
The Byzantine influence in Russia increased significantly during these years. Obviously, even in Kiev, a coup took place, and after the Vikings, the Greeks came to power. Presumably, this happened with the participation of the Greek Christians oriented towards Byzantium, they were opposed by the Russian Christians of the tradition coming from the Apostle Andrew.
And it was at the same time when “Russia was trampled by the Greeks-Romans, who were aphids along the sea shores to Surozh” (Lut III, 6). Obviously, then there was a retaliatory campaign of Byzantium, punishing the Russian raid on Constantinople, which took place shortly before that in 860.
The campaign had been preparing for four years and began in 864, when there was famine in Bulgaria and the Dnieper region due to drought. "The Tale of Bygone Years" and "The Book of Veles" (Lut III, 4) tell about this hunger: "And we were sires and beggars." Then there was a "harsh dry", which led to crop failure.
The Byzantines occupied Bulgaria. The Bulgarian prince Boris and all the people began to convince (more by force of arms than by word) that the famine was sent for the sins of Manichaeism and paganism. And then all the Bulgarians were baptized according to the Byzantine rite.
At the same time, the Byzantines (Greek-Romans), according to the "Book of Veles" (Lut III, 6), took away the Surozh region from Kievan Rus, Byzantine Christianity was re-established in Taurica. At the same time, the Russians of Tavria were baptized by the Byzantine patriarch Photius.
This event is mentioned in the “District Epistle” of Patriarch Photius for the year 866: “Not only this people (Bulgarians) changed the ancient ungodliness to faith in Christ, but also the people, often mentioned and glorified by many, surpassing all other nations in bloodthirstiness, I am talking about Rus, who, having conquered the neighboring peoples, became proud and, having a high opinion of themselves, raised arms against the Roman state (in 860 - approx. A. A.). Now they themselves have changed their wicked pagan superstition for a pure and immaculate Christian faith and behave towards us respectfully and amicably, whereas not long before they disturbed us with their raids."
Obviously, the Photian baptism affected only Sourozh Rus (formerly Scythia). Then missionaries from Byzantium were sent to Scythia, who began to preach among the Rus. Christian churches began to be built on the site of the ancient "treasures", where the gods of the Rus "were thrown into the dust", as in the time of Pericles (the Rus did not see the difference between the Greeks, Christians and pagans). The "Book of Veles" (Lut III, 6) also says about this: "And the Greeks want to baptize us so that we forget our gods and turn to them in such a way to cut off our tribute, like shepherds who rob Scythia."
Presumably, at the same time in Kiev the power of the Varangians (Khakan Rus) was replaced by the Byzantine power.
The "Book of Veles" calls the next prince of Kiev Diros Elinsky (this is the chronicle Dir). He was not a Varangian, "a boyar of Rurikov", as some Russian chronicles say.
Perhaps he was a descendant of Prince Kyi, as the Polish historian Jan Dlugosh (died in 1480) believed, who based on unknown Russian chronicles: “After the death of Kyi, Schek and Khoriv, inheriting in a straight line, their sons and nephews many for years they dominated the Russians, until the inheritance passed to two brothers Askold and Dir. " Much is confused in this news. But if we accept the message that Dir was a descendant of Kiy, then this Kiy could only be Kiy Gotsky: only in this way Dir Elinsky could turn out to be both a descendant of Kiy and a “Grekolan”. That is, Dir could be one of the wicked inhabitants of Tavricheskaya Gretskolani. Apparently, from the Gothic kingdom, or even the Gothic city of Doras. Dir's full name is Diros Elinsky. The "Book of Veles" even gives the form Dor (Doras), which exactly repeats the name of this city. And thinking,that one should not look for similar names among the Celts and Illyrians, as is done by modern historians, they lived too far from these places in those years, and besides, their families were weakened and faded away.
And this Dir, earlier in 864, appeared in Kiev "and beat us because of our division and strife" (II 8; Lut III, 4). He was, I believe, supported by the Byzantines. However, having come to power and seized Kiev, Dir did not baptize the Kievites, fearing popular indignation. Was he a Christian anyway? At least the people of Kiev preferred him to the baptized Askold.
It is easy to calculate that Deer ruled in Kiev from 850-860s to 876 (in recent years together with Askold). In 876, Askold, who was baptized, killed Dir.
This king was also known by contemporary Arab writers. So al-Masudi wrote about Prince Dir: “The first of the Slavic princes is the king of Dir; it has vast cities and many inhabited countries. Muslim merchants arrive in the capital of his state with all sorts of goods."
At the same time, according to the "Book of Veles" (III 29; Lut III, 5), Askold and Rurik came to Kiev, and more than once, at the head of the Varangian squad, which guarded the Hellenic merchants.
In 870, Rurik was called up to reign in Novgorod. We will tell you about this event in more detail, because later Russian monarchs and many Russian noble families led their family from Rurik.
A huge number of conflicting studies are devoted to the founder of the Rurik dynasty. I will state my point of view on this issue. It is known that the adherents of the "Norman theory" considered Rurik a Norwegian or Swedish king and called the names of Eirik the Bloody Ax and Rorik Danish (Jutland, Friesland), etc.
Eirik the Bloody Ax was king of Norway in 930-934, made a campaign in England and was expelled from there in 955, which means that he could not rule and die in Novgorod eighty years before.
Rorik of Jutland was revered by Rurik of Novgorod B. A. Rybakov and G. V. Vernadsky (for the first time this identification was put forward by Friedrich Kruse in 1836). This king from the Skjeldung family had his possessions in Jutland, in Friesland he possessed the Rustringen region. Participated in the wars with Denmark. His fleet of 350 ships attacked the coast of England, and after this, for the atrocities against the church, he became known throughout the world as "the plague of Christianity" (jel Christianitatis, according to the English chronicles). Of course, he could not, either as a king, possessing considerable power and lands, or as an enemy of Christians, to trade in the protection of Hellenic merchants on the other side of the world on the Black Sea. That is, this king is clearly not Rurik from the "Book of Veles".
So who was he? As is clear from the texts of the tablets, they began to argue about the origin of Rurik even during his lifetime. The Novgorod Magi called him Eric, emphasizing that he was a foreigner. "Eric is not a Russian!" - these words of the Magi addressed the believers. Note that the Magi did not say that about Hermanarech or anyone else. The fact that they were not Russians was clear without words.
Obviously, Rurik, claiming to rule in Novgorod, claimed that he was a Rusich. And not just a Rusich, but a direct descendant of Sloven, the first Novgorod prince. For this he had reason. It is no accident that in all the lists of the Tale of Bygone Years, Rurik and his companions are called Varangians-Rus:).
Why did the Magi oppose Rurik? Why did they need to say that he is not a Russian, and, moreover, not by blood, but because he violates customs - kills merchants? The Magi, judging by the "Book of Veles", always stood for the ancient veche rule, which means against the unlimited power of the prince, therefore they entered into a struggle with him.
By the way, the veche should not be understood as a relic of the tribal system. And one does not need to believe the chronicles, in which the veche was described as a kind of noisy gathering, often ending in bloodshed. The chroniclers were biased. As a rule, they carried out the order of the princes who fought against the veche power.
But this does not mean that veche rule and princely power have always been in conflict. Veche is a complex institution of democracy, reminiscent of a modern constitutional monarchy. The princely power in Novgorod was inherited, but was limited to the echel. The princes sought to consolidate their power, but they were hindered by the veche, and the religion that sanctified this kind of government also hindered them. That is why they subsequently adopted the Christian faith and began to eradicate the Vedic faith with its veche ideals among the people. The Christianization of Rus was necessary to establish an absolute monarchy.
Fighting with Rurik, the Magi presented him as a foreign conqueror, and not as a legal heir. In addition, Rurik himself gave this an excuse: he spoke, probably, in Russian with difficulty, and took Efanda from the family of Norwegian kings as his wife. He came to power with the help of the Norwegian squad of Prophetic Oleg (in the Odda sagas) - Efanda's brother. And his Varangian squad, which, of course, included not only vigorous, but also Norwegians, differed little from the Norwegian and Swedish Varangian squads.
And yet Rurik was not normal. He really was the legal heir of the Novgorod prince Gostomysl, and through him - and a descendant of the progenitor Slovenian.
According to the Joachim Chronicle, written by the first Novgorod bishop Joachim, the following events took place. Gostomysl, left without an heir who died in the fight against the Varangians, had a dream shortly before his death. He dreamed how "from the womb of his middle daughter Umila" a wonderful tree grew. The Magi explained to him the meaning of the dream: "from her sons, he will inherit him, and the land will be satisfied with his reign."
This dream exactly repeated the dream of the Scythian king Astyages, whose daughter was born the future conqueror of Asia Minor, King Cyrus (VI century BC). This coincidence suggests that in Ancient Novgorod they knew well the Scythian and Persian-Median history of the Proto-Slavs and Persians. And was it not in honor of Cyrus that the grandson of Gostomysl was named Eric (Rurik), for this name is the reverse reading of the name Cyrus. Note that in Persia they wrote from right to left, while Persian names in Ancient Novgorod could be read the other way around.
Thus, Rurik is the son of Umila and the grandson of Gostomysl, a descendant of Slaven. He is the closest relative who must inherit the princely throne.
In addition to the Joachim Chronicle, there is other evidence. According to the Mecklenburg legend, given in the book by X. Marmier "Les lettres sur le nord" (K. Marmier. "Letters about the North", Brussels, 1840), Rurik is the son of Godlav (Godlav), the prince of the Bodrichs - a Slavic tribe who lived on the coast of the Baltic Sea. This legend was written down rather late, but it has an early origin. This legend was first noticed by Yu. P. Mirolyubov, while still in Brussels.
Judging by these legends, Gostomysl gave his daughter Umila to Godoslav, the prince of the city of Rarog (the future Neisterlitz near Mecklenburg). And she gave birth to Rurik (Rorik). This Godlav was killed by Gottfried of Denmark, and therefore Rurik had to leave his homeland. He wandered for a long time in a foreign land. He led the Varangian squad. Rurik is a Varangian, but "Varyagism" is an occupation, not an ethnic name. That is, Rurik is not a Norman, but a vigorous Slav, "Varyag-Rus").
By the way, his name comes from the name of the sacred bird of the Western Slavs-encouraging falcon Rarog, the incarnation of Firebog Semargl. And he was born in the city of Rarog, which the Germans renamed to Neueterlitz. However, his Varangian warriors, among whom were Scandinavians (warriors of various nationalities gathered in Varangian warriors), could also call him Eric.
The change of the dynasty did not yet lead to the suppression of the clan, since Rurik, albeit not in the male line, is still the grandson of Gostomysl. This royal family, which, according to ancient legends, existed for about three thousand years, and according to the chronicles: from the VI-VII centuries A. D. e., stopped only in the XVII century in the "Time of Troubles", when the Rurik dynasty was replaced by the Romanov dynasty.
According to Russian chronicles, Rurik came to the Novgorod lands with the brothers Sineus and Truvor. By the way, the Mecklenburg encouraging legends speak of the calling of three brothers to Russia. The name of the first brother is Slavic ("blue mustache"), and the second brother is Scandinavian: such a name can be found in the books of Saxon Grammar, in Scandinavian it means "trustworthy." It is not surprising that the Scandinavian names were also encountered among the cheers (and nowadays we often give our children non-Slavic names). And there is no reason to look in these names for the distorted Norwegian words "your kind" and "your own squad", with which (and not with the brothers) Rurik allegedly came. This version, obviously in mockery, was invented by one of the founders of "Normanism" G. Bayer, but to this day this opinion is repeated with enviable persistence by Russian historians.
Soon after coming to the Novgorod lands, Sineus and Truvor died. Only Rurik remained to rule.
According to the "Book of Veles", Askold and Dir made a trip to Kiev, apparently from Novgorod, in which Rurik appeared in 870. According to Russian chronicles, Rurik remained in Novgorod, and the “Rurik boyars” came to Kiev: Askold and Dir (the information in the chronicles in this case is less reliable, Dir was already in Kiev).
And then Askold "wanted to rule us." Presumably, Askold and Rurik divided Russia: Askold got Kiev, and Rurik got Novgorod. At first, the people of Kiev did not want to submit to Askold, for they had "Dir at their place." But Deer told the people of Kiev to come to terms with it. And for some time Dir and Askold ruled together ("And it was so from the beginning").
In 872 Askold made a campaign against the Bulgarians. Then, according to the "Nikon Chronicle": "Oskoldov son was killed by the Bulgarians." By the way, this testimony also says that in 872 Askold was at least forty years old.
In the same year (according to the Nikon Chronicle) Rurik killed Vadim the Brave in Novgorod, as well as many other Novgorodians and his advisers. "The Book of Veles" contains a call for the overthrow of Rurik, relating to these times.
Presumably, then part of the priests of Novgorod fled to Kiev from the violence committed by Rurik, for the last texts of the "Book of Veles" contain only a description of the reign of Askold and Dir in Kiev. Yes, and in the Nikon Chronicle we find: "the same summer (874) escaped from Rurik from Novgorod to Kiev, many Novgorod husbands."
In 873, Askold and Dir fought with the Polotsk people and, according to the chronicler, "did a lot of evil." And already in the next year, 874, Askold moved to Constantinople. (Note that they almost always give the wrong year 866. The difference of eight years was due to different counts "from the Creation of the World", there is the Byzantine 5508 BC and the Bulgarian 5500 BC)
According to the chronicles, Askold went to Constantinople with Dir, and in the "Book of Veles" only one Askold is mentioned (perhaps he only spoke on behalf of Diros Elinsky). Askold "put his soldiers on boats and went to plunder in other places." It is further said that he "went to the Greeks to humiliate their cities and to offer sacrifices to the gods in their lands."
The campaign, judging by the surviving news, was extremely unsuccessful. The storm swept away the ships of the Vikings and the Rus. This storm was attributed to a miracle that happened after the patriarch of Constantinople dipped into the sea the edge of the robe of the Virgin of Blakherna. When Askold and Dir returned from Constantinople "in a small squad", there was "great lamentation" in Kiev (according to the Nikon Chronicle). But already in 875 Askold and Dir fought with the Pechenegs on the Volga. As you can see, the military campaigns of Askold and Dir covered almost the whole of Eastern Europe: they went from Novgorod, Polotsk, Bulgaria to the Volga and Constantinople (however, perhaps, the name of Dir was added to Askold's name by chroniclers, especially since with the names of these rulers, verbs often are in the singular).
The miracle with the robe of Our Lady of Blachernae did not pass without a trace for Askold. He was already thinking about being baptized. And then (about 875) the Byzantine emperor Basil the Macedonian called the Rus for negotiations. At this meeting, Vasily generously distributed gold, silver and silk clothes. At the same time, a peace treaty was concluded and the Russians, led by Askold, were convinced to be baptized. They were shown a gospel that did not burn in a fire (I think the book was impregnated with a refractory compound). Seeing the "miracle", Askold was baptized. Since his grave was later located in the Church of St. Nicholas, it is believed that Askold was christened Nicholas.
Returning to Kiev after baptism, according to the "Book of Veles" (III 29, II be), Askold killed Dir and "one took his place." “Askold defeated our prince by force and defeated him. After Dir Askold sat down with us like an uninvited prince. And he began to reign over us, and became the leader of the Fire God himself, who keeps the hearths. And therefore He turned His face away from us, because we had a prince baptized by the Greeks."
So, baptized Askold - "dark warrior", became a priest of the Fire God and at the same time the first baptist. That is, he decided to combine the veneration of St. Nicholas and Veles-Ognebog, who had already merged in the popular consciousness. But this caused outrage from the side of the priesthood. And then Askold expelled the priests from Kiev, began to forcibly baptize the Kievites.
This is how Askold's Baptism of Rus took place (already the second after Fotiev's Baptism). At this event, the "Book of Veles" is interrupted. Her last words are: “Our forefathers walk on a dry land … And so we do not have that end and our land. And Russia is baptized today”.
A. I. Asov “Holy Russian Vedas. Book of Veles"