Princess Olga, baptized Elena († July 11, 969) - princess, rules Kievan Rus after the death of her husband, Prince Igor Rurikovich, as regent from 945 to about 960. The first of the Russian rulers accepted Christianity even before the baptism of Rus', the first Russian saint.

Elena Dovedova.Princess Olga

About 140 years after her death, an ancient Russian chronicler expressed the attitude of the Russian people towards the first ruler of Kievan Rus who was baptized:
“She was the forerunner of the Christian land, like the morning star before the sun, like the dawn before the dawn. She shone like the moon in the night; so she shone among the pagans, like pearls in the mud. »

Origin

According to the earliest ancient Russian chronicle, the Tale of Bygone Years, Olga was from Pskov.
The life of the holy Grand Duchess Olga specifies that she was born in the village of Vybuty in the Pskov land, 12 km from Pskov up the Velikaya River.
The names of Olga’s parents have not been preserved; according to the Life, they were not of noble family, “from the Varangian language.” According to Normanists, Varangian origin is confirmed by her name, which has a counterpart in Old Norse as Helga. The presence of presumably Scandinavians in those places is noted by a number of archaeological finds, possibly dating back to the 1st half of the 10th century.
On the other hand, in chronicles the name Olga is often given Slavic form"Volga". The ancient Czech name Olha is also known.

Princess Olga at the Monument “1000th Anniversary of Russia” in Veliky Novgorod

The typographical chronicle (end of the 15th century) and the later Piskarevsky chronicler convey a rumor that Olga was the daughter of the Prophetic Oleg, who began to rule Kievan Rus as the guardian of the young Igor, the son of Rurik: “The Netsy say that Olga is Olga’s daughter.” Oleg married Igor and Olga.

The so-called Joachim Chronicle, the reliability of which is questioned by historians, reports Olga’s noble Slavic origins:

“When Igor matured, Oleg married him, gave him a wife from Izborsk, the Gostomyslov family, who was called Beautiful, and Oleg renamed her and named her Olga. Igor later had other wives, but because of her wisdom he honored Olga more than others.”

Bulgarian historians also put forward a version about the Bulgarian roots of Princess Olga, relying mainly on the message of the New Vladimir Chronicler (“Igor married [Oleg] in Bolgareh, and Princess Olga was killed for him.”) and translating the chronicle name Pleskov not as Pskov, but as Pliska is the Bulgarian capital of that time. The names of both cities actually coincide in the Old Slavic transcription of some texts, which served as the basis for the author of the New Vladimir Chronicler to translate the message of the “Tale of Bygone Years” about Olga from Pskov as Olga from the Bulgarians, since the spelling Pleskov to designate Pskov has long gone out of use.

Marriage and beginning of reign

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, the Prophetic Oleg married Igor Rurikovich, who began to rule independently in 912, to Olga in 903. This date is questioned, since, according to the Ipatiev list of the same “Tale,” their son Svyatoslav was born only in 942.

Vasiliy Sazonov (1789–1870). The first meeting of Prince Igor with Olga.

Perhaps to resolve this contradiction, the later Ustyug Chronicle and the Novgorod Chronicle, according to the list of P. P. Dubrovsky, report Olga’s 10-year-old age at the time of the wedding. This message contradicts the legend set out in the Degree Book (2nd half of the 16th century), about a chance meeting with Igor at a crossing near Pskov.
The prince hunted in those places. While crossing the river by boat, he noticed that the carrier was a young girl dressed in men's clothing.
Igor immediately “flared with desire” and began to pester her, but received a worthy rebuke in response: “Why do you embarrass me, prince, with immodest words? I may be young and humble, and alone here, but know: it is better for me to throw myself into the river than to endure reproach.”
ABOUT casual acquaintance Igor remembered when the time came to look for a bride, and sent Oleg for the girl he loved, not wanting any other wife.

"Princess Olga meets the body of Prince Igor." Sketch by V. I. Surikov, 1915

The Novgorod First Chronicle of the younger edition, which contains in the most unchanged form information from the Initial Code of the 11th century, leaves the message about Igor’s marriage to Olga undated, that is, the earliest Old Russian chroniclers had no information about the date of the wedding.
It is likely that the year 903 in the PVL text arose at a later time, when the monk Nestor tried to give the initial ancient Russian history in chronological order.
After the wedding, Olga’s name is mentioned again only 40 years later, in the Russian-Byzantine treaty of 944.

According to the chronicle, in 945, Prince Igor died at the hands of the Drevlyans after repeatedly collecting tribute from them. The heir to the throne, Svyatoslav, was only 3 years old at the time, so Olga became the de facto ruler of Kievan Rus in 945.

Boris Olshansky

Igor's squad obeyed her, recognizing Olga as the representative of the legitimate heir to the throne. The decisive course of action of the princess in relation to the Drevlyans could also sway the warriors in her favor.

Revenge on the Drevlyans

After the murder of Igor, the Drevlyans sent matchmakers to his widow Olga to invite her to marry their prince Mal. The princess successively dealt with the elders of the Drevlyans, and then brought the people of the Drevlyans into submission. The Old Russian chronicler describes in detail Olga’s revenge for the death of her husband:

"Olga's vengeance against the Drevlyan idols." Engraving by F. A. Bruni, 1839.

* 1st revenge of Princess Olga: Matchmakers, 20 Drevlyans, arrived in a boat, which the Kievans carried and threw into a deep hole in the courtyard of Olga’s tower. The matchmaker-ambassadors were buried alive along with the boat.

“And, bending towards the pit, Olga asked them: “Is honor good for you?”
They answered: “Igor’s death is worse for us.”
And she ordered them to be buried alive; and covered them...”

Olga's second revenge on the Drevlyans. Miniature from the Radziwill Chronicle.

* 2nd revenge: Olga asked for respect to send her new ambassadors from best husbands, which the Drevlyans willingly did.
An embassy of noble Drevlyans was burned in a bathhouse while they were washing themselves in preparation for a meeting with the princess.

* 3rd revenge: The princess with a small retinue came to the lands of the Drevlyans to, according to custom, celebrate a funeral feast at her husband’s grave. Having drunk the Drevlyans during the funeral feast, Olga ordered them to be chopped down. The chronicle reports 5 thousand Drevlyans killed.

Olga's fourth revenge on the Drevlyans. Miniature from the Radziwill Chronicle.

* 4th revenge: In 946, Olga went with an army on a campaign against the Drevlyans. According to the First Novgorod Chronicle, the Kiev squad defeated the Drevlyans in battle. Olga walked through the Drevlyansky land, established tributes and taxes, and then returned to Kyiv. In the PVL, the chronicler made an insert into the text of the Initial Code about the siege of the Drevlyan capital of Iskorosten. According to the PVL, after an unsuccessful siege during the summer, Olga burned the city with the help of birds, to whose feet she ordered lit tow with sulfur to be tied. Some of the defenders of Iskorosten were killed, the rest submitted. A similar legend about the burning of the city with the help of birds is also told by Saxo Grammaticus (12th century) in his compilation of oral Danish legends about the exploits of the Vikings and the skald Snorri Sturluson.

Olga's Revenge on the Drevlyans. Fig. Medvedev.

After the massacre of the Drevlyans, Olga began to rule Kievan Rus until Svyatoslav came of age, but even after that she remained the de facto ruler, since her son was absent most of the time on military campaigns

Olga's reign

V.M. Vasnetsov (1848-1926). Duchess Olga. Sketch.

Having conquered the Drevlyans, Olga in 947 went to the Novgorod and Pskov lands, assigning lessons there (a kind of tribute measure), after which she returned to her son Svyatoslav in Kyiv. Olga established a system of “cemeteries” - centers of trade and exchange, in which taxes were collected in a more orderly manner; Then they began to build churches in graveyards. Princess Olga laid the foundation for stone urban planning in Rus' (the first stone buildings of Kyiv - the city palace and Olga's country tower), and paid attention to the improvement of the lands subject to Kiev - Novgorod, Pskov, located along the Desna River, etc.

In 945, Olga established the size of the “polyudya” - taxes in favor of Kyiv, the timing and frequency of their payment - “rents” and “charters”. The lands subject to Kyiv were divided into administrative units, in each of which a princely administrator was appointed - “tiun”.

Kira Skripnichenko. Princess Olga.

On the Pskov River, where she was born, Olga, according to legend, founded the city of Pskov. On the site of the vision of three luminous rays from the sky, which the Grand Duchess was honored with in those parts, the Holy Church was erected Life-Giving Trinity.

Constantine Porphyrogenitus, in his essay “On the Administration of the Empire” (chapter 9), written in 949, mentions that “the monoxyls coming from external Russia to Constantinople are one of Nemogard, in which Sfendoslav, the son of Ingor, the archon of Russia, sat.”

From this short message it follows that by 949 Igor held power in Kyiv, or, which seems unlikely, Olga left her son to represent power in the northern part of her state. It is also possible that Constantine had information from unreliable or outdated sources.

Olga's baptism in Constantinople. Miniature from the Radziwill Chronicle.

Olga’s next act, noted in the PVL, is her baptism in 955 in Constantinople. Upon returning to Kyiv, Olga, who took the name Elena in baptism, tried to introduce Svyatoslav to Christianity, but “he did not even think of listening to this; but if someone was going to be baptized, he did not forbid it, but only mocked him.” Moreover, Svyatoslav was angry with his mother for her persuasion, fearing to lose the respect of the squad.

In 957, Olga paid an official visit to Constantinople with a large embassy, ​​known from the description of court ceremonies by Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus in his work “Ceremonies”. The Emperor calls Olga the ruler (archontissa) of Rus', the name of Svyatoslav (in the list of retinue “Svyatoslav’s people” are indicated) is mentioned without a title.

Radziwill Chronicle Reception of Olga by Constantine Porphyrogenitus

Apparently, the visit to Byzantium did not bring the desired results, since PVL reports Olga's cold attitude towards the Byzantine ambassadors in Kyiv shortly after the visit. On the other hand, Theophanes' Successor, in his story about the reconquest of Crete from the Arabs under Emperor Roman II (959-963), mentioned the Rus as part of the Byzantine army.

It is not known exactly when Svyatoslav began to rule independently. PVL reports his first military campaign in 964.

The Western European chronicle of the Successor Reginon reports under 959:

The ambassadors of Helena, Queen of Rugov, who was baptized in Constantinople under the Constantinople Emperor Romanus, came to the king (Otto I the Great), as it later turned out to be false, and asked to consecrate a bishop and priests for this people.
Original text (Latin)

Legati Helenae reginae Rugorum, quae sub Romano imperatore Constantinopolitano Constantinopoli baptizata est, ficte, ut post clariut, ad regem venientes episcopum et presbiretos eidem genti ordinari petebant.

Reginonis abbatis prumiensis Chronicon, cum continuatione treverensi

Thus, in 959 Olga, baptized Helen, was officially considered the ruler of Rus'.

The Baptism of Grand Princess St Olga (Sergei Kirillov, 1992) (Painting One of the triptych Holy Rus)

Archontissa Olga. Drawing from an old book.

The convinced pagan Svyatoslav Igorevich turned 18 in 960, and the mission sent by Otto I to Kyiv failed, as the Continuer of Reginon reports:

“962 year. This year Adalbert returned back, having been appointed bishop of Rugam, because he did not succeed in anything for which he was sent, and saw his efforts in vain; on the way back, some of his companions were killed, but he himself barely escaped with great difficulty.”

The date of the beginning of Svyatoslav’s independent reign is quite arbitrary; Russian chronicles consider him to be the successor to the throne immediately after the murder of his father Igor by the Drevlyans.

"Saint Olga" Sketch for a mosaic by N.K. Roerich. 1915

Svyatoslav was constantly on military campaigns against the neighbors of Rus', entrusting the management of the state to his mother. When in 968 the Pechenegs first raided the Russian lands, Olga and Svyatoslav’s children locked themselves in Kyiv. Having returned from a campaign against Bulgaria, Svyatoslav lifted the siege, but did not want to stay in Kyiv for long. When the next year he was about to go back to Pereyaslavets, Olga restrained him:

“You see, I’m sick; where do you want to go from me? - because she was already sick.
And she said: “When you bury me, go wherever you want.” Three days later, Olga died, and her son, and her grandchildren, and all the people cried for her with great tears, and they carried her and buried her in the chosen place, Olga bequeathed not to perform funeral feasts for her, since she had a priest with her - he and buried blessed Olga."

The monk Jacob, in the 11th century work “Memory and Praise to the Russian Prince Volodymer,” reports the exact date of Olga’s death: July 11, 969.

Olga's baptism and church veneration

Akimov Ivan Akimovich

Princess Olga became the first ruler of Kievan Rus to be baptized, although both the squad and the ancient Russian people under her were pagan. Olga’s son, the Grand Duke of Kiev Svyatoslav Igorevich, also remained in paganism.

The date and circumstances of the baptism remain unclear. According to the PVL, this happened in 955 in Constantinople, Olga was personally baptized by Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus with the Patriarch (Theophylact):
“And she was given the name Elena in baptism, just like the ancient queen-mother of Emperor Constantine I.”

PVL and the Life decorate the circumstances of the baptism with the story of how the wise Olga outwitted the Byzantine king. He, marveling at her intelligence and beauty, wanted to take Olga as his wife, but the princess rejected the claims, noting that it was not appropriate for Christians to marry pagans. It was then that the king and the patriarch baptized her. When the tsar again began to harass the princess, she pointed out that she was now the tsar’s goddaughter.
Then he richly presented her and sent her home.

From Byzantine sources only one visit of Olga to Constantinople is known. Konstantin Porphyrogenitus described it in detail in his essay “Ceremony”, without indicating the year of the event.
But he indicated the dates of official receptions: Wednesday, September 9 (on the occasion of Olga’s arrival) and Sunday, October 18. This combination corresponds to 957 and 946 years.
Olga's long stay in Constantinople is noteworthy.
When describing the technique, the name is basileus (Konstantin Porphyrogenitus himself) and Roman - basileus Porphyrogenitus. It is known that Romanus II the Younger, the son of Constantine, became his father's formal co-ruler in 945.
The mention of Roman's children at the reception indicates the year 957, which is considered the generally accepted date for Olga's visit and her baptism.

However, Konstantin never mentioned Olga’s baptism, nor did he mention the purpose of her visit.
A certain priest Gregory was named in the princess’s retinue, on the basis of which some historians suggest that Olga visited Constantinople already baptized. In this case, the question arises why Constantine calls the princess by her pagan name, and not Helen, as the Successor of Reginon did.

Another, later Byzantine source (11th century) reports baptism precisely in the 950s:

“And the wife of the Russian archon, who once set sail against the Romans, named Elga, when her husband died, arrived in Constantinople. Baptized and having openly made a choice in favor of the true faith, she, having received great honor for this choice, returned home.”

The successor of Reginon, quoted above, also speaks about baptism in Constantinople, and the mention of the name of Emperor Romanus testifies in favor of baptism in 957.
The testimony of the Continuer Reginon can be considered reliable, since, as historians believe, Bishop Adalbert of Magdeburg, who led the unsuccessful mission to Kyiv (961) and had first-hand information, wrote under this name.

According to most sources, Princess Olga was baptized in Constantinople in the fall of 957, and she was probably baptized by Romanos II, son and co-ruler of Emperor Constantine VII, and Patriarch Polyeuctus. Olga made the decision to accept the faith in advance, although the chronicle legend presents this decision as spontaneous.

Holy Princess Olga. Sketch of the painting of the Cathedral of St. Vladimir in Kyiv. M. V. Nesterov, 1892.

Nothing is known about those people who spread Christianity in Rus'. Perhaps these were Bulgarian Slavs (Bulgaria was baptized in 865), since the influence of Bulgarian vocabulary can be traced in the early ancient Russian chronicle texts. The penetration of Christianity into Kievan Rus is evidenced by the mention of the cathedral church of Elijah the Prophet in Kyiv in the Russian-Byzantine treaty (944).

Olga was buried in the ground (969) according to Christian rites. Her grandson, Prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavich the Baptist, transferred (1007) the relics of saints, including Olga, to the Church of the Holy Mother of God in Kyiv, which he founded.
According to the Life and the monk Jacob, the body of the blessed princess was preserved from decay.
Her body, “glowing like the sun,” could be observed through a window in the stone coffin, which was opened slightly for any true Christian believer, and many found healing there. All the others saw only the coffin.

Most likely, during the reign of Vladimir (970-988), Princess Olga began to be revered as a saint. This is evidenced by the transfer of her relics to the church and the description of miracles given by the monk Jacob in the 11th century.
Since that time, the day of remembrance of Saint Olga (Elena) began to be celebrated on July 11, at least in the Tithe Church itself. However, official canonization (churchwide glorification) apparently occurred later - until the middle of the 13th century.

Her name early becomes baptismal, in particular among the Czechs.

In 1547, Olga was canonized as Saint Equal to the Apostles. Only 5 other holy women in Christian history have received such an honor (Mary Magdalene, First Martyr Thekla, Martyr Apphia, Queen Helen Equal to the Apostles and Nina, the enlightener of Georgia).

Memory Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga celebrated by Orthodox churches of the Russian tradition on July 11 according to the Julian calendar; Catholic and other Western churches - July 24 Gregorian.

She is revered as the patroness of widows and new Christians.

Princess

Valentina Kyle

Olga sobbed at her husband’s grave.
Buried in the land of the Drevlyan prince,
Where the crows circle in the darkened sky,
And the forest approaches from all sides.
A cry swept through the dark oak groves,
Through the path of animals and windfall...
And she imagined a river crossing
And any heart, kind father's home...
From there Olga, a modest girl,
When the first snow fell to the ground,
They took me to the tower, to Kyiv - the city, the capital:
This is what Grand Duke Oleg commanded.
Having wooed the commoner Igor,
He saw pride in Olga:
"She belongs only in the princely chambers,
The princess will be assigned her inheritance!
There is no Igor... The husband's killers are smerds -
Life was ruined, love was taken away...
Having sent a funeral feast to her husband, Olga died
She punished cruelly: “Blood for blood!”
The pitiful shacks of the rebellious were burning,
Corpses were lying on the ground of the Drevlyans
Like food for dogs, and in shameful nakedness
They were a horror for the worldly villagers.
The law of the pagans is harsh. And with revenge
And death can only be frightening.
But the prince chose a bride from among the people,
And it is up to her to manage this people.
There are enemies around. And evil slander.
Disobedience and machinations of princes...
The princess heard: somewhere in the world
There is faith not in pagan gods
And the worship is not of idols, but of God.
Recognition of the One Creator!
The princess set off on her journey,
So that hearts in Rus' thaw.
And faith, merciful, holy,
Olga was one of the first to accept.
Blessing to the native land
What a bright, kind mind she brought.
From time immemorial Russia has been strong
Not the fabulous decoration of cities -
In the sacred faith, Rus' nourished strength,
The canon of which: LOVE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR.

The majestic image of a woman with an indestructible will and high dignity, indestructible courage and a truly statesmanlike mind is forever imprinted in our national memory. Holy Blessed Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga- an unusually integral personality, truly great woman, who, by force of circumstances, stood at the head of a huge, still emerging state. Saint Olga turned out to be worthy of the historical lot that befell her. Moreover, by the Providence of God, it was she who had the honor of making a choice that determined the subsequent fate of Russia, and determined the princess herself to be venerated by the church as equal to the apostles.

"Chief of Faith" And "the root of Orthodoxy" Since ancient times, in the Russian land people called Saint Olga Equal to the Apostles. There is no point in going into complex, not indisputable and, in fact, meaningless research about the “national” - Slavic or Varangian origin of the Equal-to-the-Apostles princess. Her name - Olga– Scandinavian, it exists to this day in Denmark and Sweden in the form of “Helga”. And to St. Olga at the head of the nascent Rus', we see only Scandinavian, “Varangian” (“glorified” or distorted) names of Vikings of Swedish, Norwegian or Danish origin - Rurik, Truvor (Swedish - Trevor), Sineus (Swedish - Senius), Askold, Dir (originals these names are difficult to establish), Oleg (Danish - Helge), Igor (Swedish Ingvar), Sveneld.

With Princess Olga, the Varangian series of Rurikovich names is interrupted. Next come the Slavic names. Olga’s son is Svyatoslav, her grandson is Vladimir. This is no coincidence.

The Normans and Varangians quickly mastered the language of the ethnic majority with whom they linked their fate. And this is not detrimental to those peoples who experienced the Norman influence. This impact was felt throughout Europe, at the dawn of the formation of its nations and states. There is no damage to the dignity of Russia from the Varangian vocation, because its “Slavism” is not in ethnic “purity” (there is no trace of anything like that), but in the primacy of the Slavic language among the diversity of its peoples and ethnic groups...

And one more important circumstance. She, St. Olga, the first of the family from the Rurik dynasty, converted to Christianity. The liturgical language of Christians in Rus' at that time was undoubtedly Slavic. For her, the Varangian aristocrat, Christian faith was revealed by its deep side, which is still not completely clear to our contemporaries.

Christian faith– this faith is noble, this is the faith of noble people. Noble in spirit, not in class origin, social status. Christianity is based on all the signs of true nobility: love for one’s neighbor to the point of self-sacrifice, mercy, self-sacrifice. Even towards enemies, mercy, condescension and forgiveness are shown, paradoxically combined with indisputable steadfastness in following the principles of faith and in defending these principles. Honesty, rejection of lies, moral purity, high personal dignity, different from pride and not subject to it - all this was in the high perfection of the corporate manifestations of the ancient Christian community. In it, each person is priceless and respected, because each person is unique, because each person is valuable to God. After all, the Founder of this faith came to Earth and opened the gates of salvation for everyone and every person.

The ancient wanderers of the seas, the Varangian Vikings, were not alien to this nobility in their own way. The squads of the Varangians - merchant-robbers, stern, cruel warriors and fearless sailors - could not live without these qualities. They - the Norman-Varangians - circumnavigated Europe and reached the African shores of ancient Carthage. They, the heroes of the northern waters, reached the polar ice, inhabited Iceland and southern Greenland, and came to pre-Columbian America. They, the Vikings-Varangians, traveled along waterways to the Caspian Sea and to the shores of Persia. They shook the walls of the “capital of the world” of Constantinople-Constantinopolis, where the wonders and beauty of the “Greek” Faith impressed them with unheard-of wealth and luxury, and where their fellow tribesmen had long served in the elite mercenary guard of the emperors. They Varangians knew well that without mutual assistance, without the devotion of the warriors to the squad and the prince-king, without dedication and the ability to sacrifice, neither their longship-drakkar on the sea-ocean, nor the squad on land in mortal combat would survive. And in external comparison, Christians had something akin to them, the Varangians. Even Christian churches are built according to the principle and shape of a ship, and their surrounding life itself is the “sea of ​​life,” and the community is like the crew of a ship, sailing through the storms and misfortunes of the “sea of ​​life.” And the Guide in this stormy journey is the Founder of this Faith himself, who showed an amazing, paradoxical example of the highest nobility in sacrificial love until death on the cross.

Olga's baptism was marked by the prophetic words of the patriarch who baptized her: “Blessed are you among Russian women, for you left darkness and loved the Light. The Russian sons will glorify you to the last generation!”

At baptism, the Russian princess was awarded the name of a saint, who worked hard to spread Christianity in the vast Roman Empire and gained Life-giving Cross, on which the Lord was crucified.
Like his heavenly patroness, Olga became an equal-to-the-apostles preacher of Christianity in the vast expanses of the Russian land.
There are many chronological inaccuracies and mysteries in the chronicles about her, but there can hardly be any doubt about the reliability of most of the facts of her life, brought to our time by the grateful descendants of the holy princess - the organizer of the Russian land.

A story about the life of the blessed princess Olga

The name of the future enlightener of Rus' and her homeland is the oldest of the chronicles - "The Tale of Bygone Years" names in the description of the marriage of Prince Igor of Kyiv: “And they brought him a wife from Pskov named Olga”. The Joachim Chronicle specifies that she belonged to the family of the Izborsky princes - one of the ancient Russian princely dynasties.
Igor's wife was called by the Varangian name Helga, in Russian pronunciation - Olga (Volga).

Tradition calls the village of Vybuty, not far from Pskov, up the Velikaya River, Olga’s birthplace. The life of Saint Olga tells that here she first met her future husband.
The young prince was hunting "in the Pskov region" and, wanting to cross the Great River, I saw "someone sailing in a boat" and called him to the shore. Sailing away from the shore in a boat, the prince discovered that he was being carried by a girl of amazing beauty. Igor was inflamed with lust for her and began to incline her to sin.

The carrier turned out to be not only beautiful, but chaste and smart. She shamed Igor by reminding him of the princely dignity of a ruler and judge who should be "a shining example of good deeds" for his subjects. Igor broke up with her, keeping her words and beautiful image in his memory.

When the time came to choose a bride, the most beautiful girls of the principality were gathered in Kyiv. But none of them pleased him. And then he remembered "Wonderful in maidens" Olga and sent his relative Prince Oleg for her.

So Olga became the wife of Prince Igor, the Grand Duchess of Russia. After his marriage, Igor went on a campaign against the Greeks, and returned from it as a father: his son Svyatoslav was born.
Soon Igor was killed by the Drevlyans. Fearing revenge for the murder of the Kyiv prince, the Drevlyans sent ambassadors to Princess Olga, inviting her to marry their ruler Mal. Olga pretended to agree.

By cunning she lured two Drevlyan embassies to Kyiv, putting them to painful death: the first was buried alive "in the princely courtyard", the second was burned in a bathhouse. After this, five thousand Drevlyan men were killed by Olga’s soldiers at a funeral feast for Igor at the walls of the Drevlyan capital Iskorosten.

The next year, Olga again approached Iskorosten with an army. The city was burned with the help of birds, to whose feet burning tow was tied. The surviving Drevlyans were captured and sold into slavery.

Along with this, the chronicles are full of evidence of her tireless "walking" across Russian land with the aim of building the political and economic life of the country.
She achieved strengthening of the power of the Kyiv Grand Duke, centralized public administration using the system "graveyards".

The chronicle notes that she, her son and her retinue, walked through the Drevlyansky land, "establishing tribute and quitrents", marking villages and camps and hunting grounds to be included in the Kyiv grand-ducal possessions. She went to Novgorod, setting up graveyards along the Msta and Luga rivers. "Catching her(hunting places) there were signs all over the earth, its places and graveyards, - writes the chronicler, - and her sleigh stands in Pskov to this day, there are places indicated by her for catching birds along the Dnieper and along the Desna; and her village Olgichi still exists today.”. Pogosts (from the word “guest” - merchant) became the support of the grand ducal power, centers of ethnic and cultural unification of the Russian people.

The life tells about Olga’s works as follows: “And Princess Olga ruled the regions of the Russian land under her control not as a woman, but like a strong and reasonable husband, firmly holding power in his hands and courageously defending himself from enemies. And she was terrible for the latter. She is loved by her people as a merciful and pious ruler, as a righteous judge who does not offend anyone, inflicts punishment with mercy and rewards the good; She instilled fear in all evil, rewarding each in proportion to the merit of his actions, but in all matters of government she showed foresight and wisdom.

At the same time, Olga, merciful at heart, was generous to the poor, the poor and the needy; fair requests soon reached her heart, and she quickly fulfilled them...
With all this, Olga combined an abstinent and chaste life; she did not want to remarry, but remained in pure widowhood, observing princely power for her son until the days of his age. When the latter matured, she handed over to him all the affairs of the government, and she herself, having withdrawn from rumors and care, lived outside the concerns of management, indulging in works of charity.”.

Rus' grew and strengthened. Cities were built surrounded by stone and oak walls. The princess herself lived behind the reliable walls of Vyshgorod, surrounded by a loyal squad. Two-thirds of the collected tribute, according to the chronicle, she gave to the Kyiv veche, the third part went “to Olga, to Vyshgorod”- on a military structure.

The establishment of the first state borders of Kievan Rus dates back to Olga's time.

The heroic outposts, sung in epics, guarded the peaceful life of the people of Kiev from the nomads of the Great Steppe and from attacks from the West. Foreigners flocked to Gardarika ( "country of cities"), as they called Rus', with goods. The Scandinavians and Germans willingly joined as mercenaries Russian army. Rus' became a great power. As a wise ruler, Olga saw from the example of the Byzantine Empire that it was not enough to worry only about state and economic life. It was necessary to start organizing the religious and spiritual life of the people.

The author of the Degree Book writes: "Her feat(Olga) the fact was that she recognized the true God. Not knowing the Christian law, she lived a pure and chaste life, and she wanted to be a Christian by free will, with the eyes of her heart she found the path of knowing God and followed it without hesitation.”.

The Monk Nestor the Chronicler narrates: “From an early age, Blessed Olga sought wisdom, which is the best in this world, and found a pearl of great value - Christ.”.
Having made her choice, Grand Duchess Olga, entrusting Kyiv to her grown-up son, sets off with a large fleet to Constantinople. Old Russian chroniclers will call this act of Olga “walking”; it combined and a religious pilgrimage, and a diplomatic mission, and a demonstration of the military power of Rus'. “Olga wanted to go to the Greeks herself in order to look at the Christian service with her own eyes and be fully convinced of their teaching about the true God.”, - narrates the life of Saint Olga.

According to the chronicle, in Constantinople Olga decides to become a Christian. The sacrament of Baptism was performed on her Patriarch Theophylact of Constantinople (933 - 956), and the successor was Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus (912 - 959), who left in his work "On the ceremonies of the Byzantine court" detailed description ceremonies during Olga's stay in Constantinople. At one of the receptions, the Russian Princess was presented with a golden dish decorated with precious stones. Olga donated it to the sacristy of the Hagia Sophia, where it was seen and described at the beginning of the 13th century by the Russian diplomat Dobrynya Yadrejkovich, later Archbishop Anthony of Novgorod: “The dish is large and gold, the service of Olga the Russian, when she took tribute while going to Constantinople: in Olga’s dish there is a precious stone, on the same stones Christ is written”.

The Patriarch blessed the newly baptized Russian princess with a cross carved from a single piece of the Life-Giving Tree of the Lord. On the cross there was an inscription: “The Russian land was renewed with the Holy Cross, and Olga, the blessed princess, accepted it”. Olga returned to Kyiv with icons and liturgical books - her apostolic ministry began.
She erected a temple in the name of St. Nicholas over the grave of Askold, the first Christian prince of Kyiv, and converted many Kiev residents to Christ. The princess set off to the north to preach the faith. In the Kyiv and Pskov lands, in remote villages, at crossroads, she erected crosses, destroying pagan idols.

Saint Olga laid the foundation for special veneration of the Most Holy Trinity in Rus'

From century to century, a story was passed down about a vision she had near the Velikaya River, not far from her native village. She saw that from the east they were descending from the sky "three bright rays". Addressing her companions, who witnessed the vision, Olga said prophetically: “Let it be known to you that by the will of God in this place there will be a church in the name of the Most Holy and Life-giving Trinity and there will be here a great and glorious city, abounding in everything.”.
At this place Olga erected a cross and founded a temple in the name of the Holy Trinity. It became the main cathedral of Pskov - the glorious Russian city, which has since been called "House of the Holy Trinity". Through mysterious ways of spiritual succession, through four centuries, this veneration was transferred St. Sergius Radonezh.

On May 11, 960, the Church of St. Sophia, the Wisdom of God, was consecrated in Kyiv. This day was celebrated in the Russian Church as a special holiday. The main shrine of the temple was the cross that Olga received at baptism in Constantinople. The temple built by Olga burned down in 1017, and in its place Yaroslav the Wise erected the church of the Holy Great Martyr Irina, and moved the shrines of the St. Sophia Olga temple to the one that still stands today stone temple St. Sophia of Kyiv, founded in 1017 and consecrated around 1030.

In the 13th century Prologue about Olga's cross it is said: “The same one now stands in Kyiv in St. Sophia in the altar on the right side”. After the conquest of Kyiv by the Lithuanians, Holga's cross was stolen from St. Sophia Cathedral and taken by Catholics to Lublin. His further fate is unknown to us. The apostolic labors of the princess met secret and open resistance from the pagans. Among the boyars and warriors in Kyiv there were many people who, according to the chroniclers "they hated Wisdom", like Saint Olga, who built temples for Her.

The zealots of pagan antiquity raised their heads more and more boldly, looking with hope at the growing Svyatoslav, who decisively rejected his mother’s entreaties to accept Christianity. "The Tale of Bygone Years" this is how it is told: “Olga lived with her son Svyatoslav, and persuaded his mother to be baptized, but he neglected this and covered his ears; however, if someone wanted to be baptized, he did not forbid him, nor mocked him...

Olga often said: “My son, I have come to know God and I rejoice; So, if you know it, you will also begin to rejoice.” He, not listening to this, said: “How can I want to change my faith alone? My warriors will laugh at this!” She told him: “If you are baptized, everyone will do the same.”

He, without listening to his mother, lived according to pagan customs, not knowing that if anyone does not listen to his mother, he will get into trouble, as it is said: “If anyone does not listen to his father or mother, he will suffer death.” He was also angry with his mother... But Olga loved her son Svyatoslav when she said: “God’s will be done. If God wants to have mercy on my descendants and the Russian land, let him command their hearts to turn to God, as it was granted to me.” And saying this, she prayed for her son and for his people all days and nights, taking care of her son until he reached manhood.”.

Despite the success of her trip to Constantinople, Olga was unable to persuade the emperor to agree on two important issues: on the dynastic marriage of Svyatoslav with the Byzantine princess and on the conditions for the restoration of the metropolis in Kyiv that existed under Askold. Therefore, Saint Olga turns her gaze to the West - the Church was united at that time. It is unlikely that the Russian princess could have known about the theological differences between the Greek and Latin doctrines.

In 959, a German chronicler records: “The ambassadors of Helen, Queen of the Russians, who was baptized in Constantinople, came to the king and asked to consecrate a bishop and priests for this people.”. King Otto, the future founder of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation, responded to Olga's request. A year later, Libutius, from the brethren of the monastery of St. Alban in Mainz, was installed as Bishop of Russia, but he soon died (March 15, 961). Adalbert of Trier was consecrated in his place, whom Otto, “generously providing everything necessary”, finally sent to Russia.

When Adalbert appeared in Kyiv in 962, he “I did not succeed in anything for which I was sent, and saw my efforts in vain”. On the way back “some of his companions were killed, and the bishop himself did not escape mortal danger”, - this is how the chronicles tell about Adalbert’s mission. The pagan reaction manifested itself so strongly that not only the German missionaries suffered, but also some of the Kyiv Christians who were baptized along with Olga. By order of Svyatoslav, Olga's nephew Gleb was killed and some of the temples she built were destroyed.
Saint Olga had to come to terms with what had happened and indulge in matters of personal piety, giving control to the pagan Svyatoslav. Of course, she was still taken into account, her experience and wisdom were invariably turned to on all important occasions. When Svyatoslav left Kyiv, the administration of the state was entrusted to Saint Olga.

The glorious military victories of the Russian army were also a consolation for her. Svyatoslav defeated the longtime enemy of the Russian state - the Khazar Khaganate, forever crushing the power of the Jewish rulers of the Azov and lower Volga regions. The next blow was dealt to Volga Bulgaria, then it was the turn of Danube Bulgaria - eighty cities were taken by Kyiv warriors along the Danube.
Svyatoslav and his warriors personified the heroic spirit of pagan Rus'. The chronicles preserved the words of Svyatoslav, surrounded with his squad by a huge Greek army: “We will not disgrace the Russian land, but we will lie here with our bones!” The dead have no shame!”

Svyatoslav dreamed of creating a huge Russian state from the Danube to the Volga, which would unite Rus' and other Slavic peoples. Saint Olga understood that with all the courage and bravery of the Russian squads, they could not cope with the ancient empire of the Romans, which would not allow the strengthening of pagan Rus'. But the son did not listen to his mother’s warnings. Saint Olga had to endure many sorrows at the end of her life. The son finally moved to Pereyaslavets on the Danube. While in Kyiv, she taught her grandchildren, the children of Svyatoslav, the Christian faith, but did not dare to baptize them, fearing the wrath of her son.

In addition, he hindered her attempts to establish Christianity in Rus'. Last years, amid the triumph of paganism, she, once the universally revered mistress of the state, baptized by the Ecumenical Patriarch in the capital of Orthodoxy, had to secretly keep a priest with her so as not to cause a new outbreak of anti-Christian sentiment. In 968, Kyiv was besieged by the Pechenegs. The holy princess and her grandchildren, among whom was Prince Vladimir, found themselves in mortal danger. When news of the siege reached Svyatoslav, he rushed to the rescue, and the Pechenegs were put to flight.

Saint Olga, already seriously ill, asked her son not to leave until her death. She did not lose hope of turning her son’s heart to God and did not stop preaching on her deathbed: “Why are you leaving me, my son, and where are you going? When looking for someone else's, to whom do you entrust yours? After all, Your children are still small, and I am already old, and sick, - I expect an imminent death - departure to my beloved Christ, in whom I believe; Now I don’t worry about anything except about you: I regret that although I taught a lot and convinced you to leave the wickedness of idols, to believe in the true God, known to me, but you neglect this, and I know what for your disobedience A bad end awaits you on earth, and after death - eternal torment prepared for the pagans.

Now fulfill at least this one of mine last request: do not go anywhere until I am dead and buried; then go wherever you want.
After my death, do not do anything that pagan custom requires in such cases; but let my presbyter and the clergy bury my body according to Christian custom; do not dare to pour a grave mound over me and hold funeral feasts; but went to Constantinople for gold His Holiness Patriarch, so that he would make a prayer and offering to God for my soul and distribute alms to the poor.”.
“Hearing this, Svyatoslav wept bitterly and promised to fulfill everything she bequeathed, refusing only to accept the holy faith.

After three days, blessed Olga fell into extreme exhaustion; she received communion of the Divine Mysteries of the Most Pure Body and the Life-Giving Blood of Christ our Savior; all the time she remained in fervent prayer to God and to the Most Pure Mother of God, whom she always had as her helper according to God; she called upon all the saints; Blessed Olga prayed with special zeal for the enlightenment of the Russian land after her death; seeing the future, she repeatedly predicted that God would enlighten the people of the Russian land and many of them would be great saints; Blessed Olga prayed for the speedy fulfillment of this prophecy at her death. And there was also prayer on her lips when her honest soul was released from her body, and, like a righteous one, was accepted by the hands of God.”.

July 11 (24) 969 Saint Olga died, “And her son and her grandchildren and all the people wept for her with great weeping.”. Presbyter Gregory fulfilled her will exactly. Saint Olga Equal to the Apostles was canonized at the Council of 1547, which confirmed the widespread veneration of her in Rus' back in the pre-Mongol era.

God glorified the “leader” of faith in the Russian land with miracles and incorruption of relics

Under Saint Prince Vladimir, the relics of Saint Olga were transferred to the Tithe Church of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary and placed in a sarcophagus, in which it was customary to place the relics of saints in the Orthodox East. There was a window in the church wall above the tomb of St. Olga; and if anyone came to the relics with faith, he saw the relics through the window, and some saw the radiance emanating from them, and many people possessed by illnesses received healing. For those who came with little faith, the window did not open, and he could not see the relics, but only the coffin.

So after her death Saint Olga preached eternal life and resurrection, filling believers with joy and admonishing unbelievers.
Her prophecy about the evil death of her son came true. Svyatoslav, as the chronicler reports, was killed by the Pecheneg prince Kurei, who cut off Svyatoslav’s head and made himself a cup from the skull, bound it with gold and drank from it during feasts.

The saint’s prophecy about the Russian land was also fulfilled. The prayerful works and deeds of Saint Olga confirmed the greatest deed of her grandson Saint Vladimir (July 15 (28)) - the Baptism of Rus'.
The images of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga and Vladimir, mutually complementing each other, embody the maternal and paternal beginnings of Russian spiritual history.
became the spiritual mother of the Russian people, through her their enlightenment with the light of Christ’s faith began.

The pagan name Olga corresponds to the masculine Oleg (Helgi), which means “holy.” Although the pagan understanding of holiness differs from the Christian one, it presupposes in a person a special spiritual attitude, chastity and sobriety, intelligence and insight. Revealing the spiritual meaning of this name, the people called Oleg Prophetic, and Olga - Wise.

Subsequently, Saint Olga will be called God-wise, emphasizing her main gift, which became the basis of the entire ladder of holiness of Russian wives - wisdom. The Most Holy Theotokos herself - the House of the Wisdom of God - blessed Saint Olga for her apostolic labors. Her construction of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv - the mother of Russian cities - was a sign of the participation of the Mother of God in the House-Building of Holy Rus'. Kyiv, that is, Christian Kievan Rus, became the third Lot of the Mother of God in the Universe, and the establishment of this Lot on earth began through the first of the holy wives of Rus' - Saint Olga Equal to the Apostles. Christian name Saint Olga - Elena (translated from ancient Greek as “Torch”), became an expression of the burning of her spirit.
Saint Olga (Elena) received a spiritual fire that did not go out throughout the thousand-year history of Christian Russia.

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In Russian history we know many amazing historical figures - rulers, spiritual ascetics, warriors, whose services to our Fatherland are great and undeniable, and therefore glorified for centuries. And today we want to tell you, dear readers, about several outstanding figures national history– women. In fact, when they talk about the heroes of Russian history, they most often remember male heroes. But we want to remind you of those Russian women whose blessed works have preserved the grateful memory of their descendants.

Queen of France

Grand Duke Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise, who ruled the Russian lands in the middle of the 11th century, had numerous offspring, including three daughters. His eldest daughter Elizabeth became the wife of the Norwegian king Harold the Bold. Anna Yaroslavna, having married King Henry I, became Queen of France. The Hungarian King Andrew was married to Anastasia Yaroslavna. Our story will be about the last two.

Anna Yaroslavna (1024/1028 - about 1075) - the middle daughter of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise, was born in Kyiv. Anna's mother is Grand Duchess Ingigerda (baptized Irina), daughter of the Norwegian king Olaf. Anna received an excellent education and was engaged in copying books in the library of the Kyiv Cathedral of St. Sophia.

In the spring of 1048, Anna was declared the bride of the French king Henry I, on whose behalf an embassy arrived in Kyiv. Yaroslav the Wise gave official consent to Anna's marriage to Henry I. Already in the fall of 1048, Anna arrived in Paris. The French were so struck by the extraordinary beauty of Princess Anna that they noted it in their chronicles. On May 14, 1049, on the day of the Holy Trinity, in the ancient French capital - the city of Reims - Henry I solemnly married Anna Yaroslavna. Split christian church into Catholic and Orthodox happened five years later, in 1054, therefore, when marrying, Anna did not change her religion and name. On the day when Anna Yaroslavna became the French queen, she presented the cathedral with the Gospel that she brought from Kyiv (later it was called the “Reims Gospel”). On this Gospel, rewritten in Cyrillic in the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral in the 40s. XI century, the kings of France for many centuries took an oath of allegiance.

In France, the Russian princess was nicknamed Anna of Russia. Queen Anne brought to France a primordially Russian trait - mercy - and the doctrine of almsgiving as a sacred duty for everyone. Caring for the fate of widows and orphans, making rich donations to monasteries, Anna Yaroslavna quickly earned people's love and widespread popularity as the "good queen". A letter to her from Pope Nicholas II has been preserved, in which he wrote: “The rumor about your virtues, delightful maiden, has reached our ears, and with great joy we hear that you carry out your royal duties with commendable zeal and a remarkable mind.” Anna’s great authority in French society is also evidenced by the fact that even during the king’s life she had the right to put her signature on documents of national importance next to the signature of the King of France.

Anna did not have children for several years. And then she, remembering the custom of her native country, turned to the patron saint of the French, Saint Vincent. The queen made a vow that she would erect a monastery in honor of this saint if he made her happy with the birth of a son. Finally, in 1053, Anna gave birth to a son, the long-awaited heir to the French throne, to whom she gave Greek name Philip. Then Anna had two more sons - Robert and Hugo. On September 4, 1060, King Henry died suddenly of a heart attack. Seven-year-old Philip I ascended the throne. Anna Yaroslavna became the guardian of the young king and ruler of France. After the death of her husband, she and her sons retired to the residence of Senlis, which was the safest place for raising the young king and his brothers.

In 1060, Queen Anne, fulfilling a long-standing vow, founded the monastery of Saint Vincent in Senlis. On October 29, 1065, the construction of the temple and monastery buildings was completed. In the 17th century On the rebuilt portico of the monastery, a full-length sculptural image of Anna Yaroslavna was erected with a small model of the temple she founded in her hands. The inscription on the plinth read: “Anna of Russia, Queen of France, founded this cathedral in 1060.”

While in Senlis, Anna continued her active government and cultural activities. This is evidenced by her signatures under the charters and letters of merit, which invariably stand next to the name of her son, King Philip I of France. The National Library in Paris contains a charter given to the Abbey of Saint-Crispin Le Grand in Soissons in 1063. The charter is written in the official language of the time - Latin, and the signature of Queen Anne made in Slavic letters, Cyrillic - Anaryina, which in both Latin and French means “Anna the Queen”. Anna Yaroslavna's autograph is a most valuable historical monument. In its language and graphics, it is contemporary with the Old Slavonic Cyrillic letter of the Ostromir Gospel of 1056–1057.

In 1063–1074 Anna married Count Raoul de Crepy and de Valois. Having been widowed for the second time, Anna Yaroslavna returned to her son-king and delved into state affairs. Letters from this period have been preserved, in which she now signed: “Anna, mother of King Philip,” since after her second marriage she lost the title of queen. Anna's last signature on French state documents dates back to 1075. There is no other information about Anna Yaroslavna, the exact year and circumstances of her death. Anna's burial place has not been found in France. Some historians claim that at the end of her life Anna Yaroslavna returned to the land of her ancestors and, after living in Rus' for several years, died there.

Queen of Hungary

Anna's younger sister, Anastasia Yaroslavna (c. 1030 - after 1074), was also born in Kyiv in the family of Grand Duke Yaroslav Vladimirovich and the Norwegian princess Ingigerda (Irina). In 1046, she became the wife of King Andrew I of Hungary. After the death of her husband in 1061, Anastasia and her thirteen-year-old son Shalamon were forced to flee to Germany because she feared persecution from King Béla I, who had seized the Hungarian throne. Anastasia asked for her sibling, Grand Duke of Kyiv Izyaslav Yaroslavich, not to provide support to the political opponents of her son the prince. In 1063, Chalamon regained the throne and became the Hungarian king. Anastasia Yaroslavna spent the next eleven years at her son's court. Her further fate is unknown.

The name of Anastasia Yaroslavna is associated with the foundation of two Orthodox monasteries in Hungary - in Vysehrad and Tormov. In the last monastery, the monks of the Czech Sazavsky monastery, expelled from the Czech Republic by Catholics in 1055 for belonging to Orthodoxy, found refuge.
The memory of the Russian princess Anastasia, better known in Hungary under the name Agmunda, has been preserved in this country to this day. A royal tomb exists to this day on Lake Balaton, in which King Andrew I and his wife, Russian princess Anastasia Yaroslavna, are believed to have been buried.

First Mother Superior

Not only the daughters, but also the granddaughters of Grand Duke Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise went down in history. One of them, Yanka (Anna) Vsevolodovna (1054/1055 – 1113), preserved her memory as the founder and abbess of the first St. Andrew’s convent and school for girls in Rus'.

Yanka Vsevolodovna was the daughter of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vsevolod Yaroslavich from his first marriage to the Byzantine princess Maria. Yanka was born and spent her childhood in Pereyaslavl, where in 1054 Yaroslav the Wise established an independent table for his third son Vsevolod Yaroslavich. Together with her older brother Vladimir Monomakh, Yanka was brought up in an atmosphere of bookishness and high spiritual interests. WITH early age the princess was taught Slavic literacy, Greek, philosophy, rhetoric, history and the Holy Scriptures.

In her youth, Yanka was engaged to the Byzantine prince Ducas the Elder. However, the intended marriage did not take place, as the groom was forcibly tonsured a monk. Yanka visited Byzantium, got acquainted with women’s monasteries and women's education. Returning to her homeland, she began to convince her father and the Russian metropolitan to open the first convent in Rus'. Since 1076, when Vsevolod Yaroslavich became the Grand Duke of Kyiv, Yanka lived in the capital city, where she devoted herself entirely to the implementation of this plan. Her sister’s idea was warmly supported by her brother Vladimir Monomakh. Yanka Vsevolodovna’s contribution to Russian culture is noted in many Russian chronicles, in particular, in the Lavrentievskaya and Ipatievskaya.

Finally, around 1086, the St. Andrew’s Monastery for women was founded in Kyiv, of which Yanka Vsevolodovna became the abbess. She opened the first school for girls known in the history of Rus' at the monastery. The first Russian historian V.N. Tatishchev, who preserved some unique information in his “Russian History”, in connection with this event the following fragment from the chronicle is given: “Having gathered young girls, she taught them writing, as well as crafts, singing, sewing and other activities useful to them. Let them learn from their youth to understand the law of God and hard work, and let lust in their youth be put to death by abstinence.”

In 1089, after the death of Metropolitan John II Prodromus, Yanka Vsevolodovna independently “ruled an embassy” to Byzantium for the new ruler of the Russian Church. Vsevolod Yaroslavich was confident that his daughter could be entrusted with this difficult diplomatic mission, since she had been to Byzantium more than once, was fluent in Greek, knew the Constantinople clergy well, and understood church and political issues.

Yanka Vsevolodovna died in 1113 and was buried in the St. Andrew's Convent in Kyiv, which she founded.

Empress of Germany

And another granddaughter of Grand Duke Yaroslav the Wise retained a grateful memory of herself. We are talking about Eupraxia (Adelheide) Vsevolodovna (1071–07/09/1109) - the daughter of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vsevolod Yaroslavich from his second marriage to a Polovtsian princess, who received the name Anna in baptism.

Eupraxia was born in Pereyaslavl, and in 1076 she was transported to Kyiv. In 1082, she was betrothed to the Margrave of North Saxony, Henry the Long of Staden. In 1083, the twelve-year-old princess with a large dowry was sent to Germany. For three years the princess lived in Quedlinburg convent, where she studied Latin and German languages, book knowledge and court etiquette. Before the wedding, Eupraxia converted to Catholicism and received a new name - Adelheide. In 1086, Henry of Staden married fifteen-year-old Eupraxia-Adelheide, but died a year later.

The Emperor of Germany, Henry IV, drew the attention of the young beautiful widow. He hoped that marriage with Eupraxia-Adelheide would help him establish an alliance with Russia in the fight against Pope Urban II. In the summer of 1089, the wedding of the imperial couple and the coronation of the new Empress of Germany took place.

By the end of 1089, it became clear that Henry IV’s hopes for Russian help were not justified: the Patriarch of Constantinople and the Russian Metropolitan supported the Pope. The war between Rome and Henry continued with even greater bitterness. There was a breakdown in the relationship between Henry and his Russian wife. At the beginning of 1090, Eupraxia moved to the Italian city of Verona and lived here under guard in the Verona Castle. At the end of 1090, her first-born son was born, but in 1092 he died.

In 1093, Conrad, the son of Henry IV from his first marriage, went over to the side of the Pope. He was crowned King of Italy in Milan and soon organized Eupraxia's escape from Verona. Conrad greeted Eupraxia, who escaped from captivity in Verona, with honors - like an empress. In 1095, at a church council in Piacenza, Eupraxia’s complaint against her husband, the emperor, who subjected her to cruel humiliation, was discussed. Henry IV was condemned by the council, removed from the throne and died in ignominy eleven years later.

Eupraxia lived at Conrad's court for two years, then moved to Hungary, to live with the relatives of her aunt, the Hungarian Queen Anastasia Yaroslavna. In 1097 she returned to Kyiv.

In 1106, upon learning of the death of Henry IV, Eupraxia took monastic vows at St. Andrew's Monastery, the abbess of which was her half-sister Yanka Vsevolodovna. After her death in 1109, Eupraxia was buried in the Kiev Pechersk Monastery. A chapel was erected over her grave.
German and Italian chronicles, historical works, novels and poems are dedicated to the tragic fate of the Russian beauty Eupraxia, who wore the crown of the Empress of Germany.

Byzantine Empress

After the death of Grand Duke Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh, the Kiev throne was taken by his eldest son Mstislav Vladimirovich. He had several children in his marriage to the Swedish princess Christina, including a daughter who was named at birth with the Slavic name Dobrodeya, and who received the name Eupraxia at baptism (c. 1106 - 1172).

Dobrodeya-Eupraxia was born in Kyiv and from an early age she studied Slavic literacy, Greek, philosophy and “medical tricks,” in which she showed special interest. Dobrodeya loved to collect “various herbs and roots, she knew the healing meaning of plants.” In 1119, the Byzantine emperor John II Komnenos officially betrothed Dobrodeya to his eldest son and co-emperor Alexei Komnenos. Since the bride and groom were too young (they were barely thirteen years old), the marriage was postponed for two years. The solemn wedding and coronation of Alexei Komnenos and Dobrodeya took place in the spring of 1122. At the coronation, she was given the name Zoya, which translated from Greek means “life.”

The newlyweds lived amicably, but they did not have children for a long time. Concerned about the poor health of her husband, Dobrodeya-Zoe resumed her medical studies in Byzantium in the company of Greek scientists and physicians and in 1129 gave birth to a daughter. However, the heir son never appeared.

In 1142, during a campaign against the Turks, Alexei Komnenos fell ill with a fever and died suddenly. His relative Manuel Komnenos became Emperor of Byzantium. Having lost the title of empress, Dobrodeya-Zoe continued to live at the Byzantine court with her daughter, and later with her son-in-law and two grandchildren. Until the end of her life, without taking off mourning for her beloved husband, she healed sick people. Dobrodeya Mstislavna summarized her extensive medical knowledge and many years of medical experience in the treatise “Ointments” she wrote. This work that has come down to us is kept in the Medici library in Florence.

Dobrodeya-Zoe died in Constantinople and was buried in the imperial tomb of the Komnenos family, next to her husband’s grave.

The first Russian saint

In the 12th century, a woman was canonized for the first time in Rus'. The Venerable Euphrosyne of Polotsk, who bore the name Predslava Svyatoslavna in the world (c. 1110 – 05/23/1173), was the founder and abbess of the women’s Euphrosyne Monastery of the Transfiguration in Polotsk.

Predslava was born in this city and was the daughter of the Polotsk prince Svyatoslav and Princess Sophia. The girl grew up to be an extraordinary beauty, and many young princes wooed her, but she refused them all and secretly retired to a monastery, where she became a nun under the name of Euphrosyne. At the Polotsk St. Sophia Cathedral, she began to copy books with her own hands in order to compile a library for the school that she intended to open. With the support of Bishop Elijah, Euphrosyne founded the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Convent for women in the vicinity of Polotsk and around 1128 she became its abbess. Here she gathered many “young maidens,” including her younger sisters - Gradislava (baptized Evdokia) and Zvenislava (baptized Eupraxia) - and began to teach them literacy and needlework.

When the Kiev prince Mstislav Vladimirovich exiled Euphrosyne's father to Byzantium, she took upon herself full power to govern the Principality of Polotsk. Thus, lead seals with a bust-length image of the nun-princess Euphrosyne were found. Around 1150, the Polotsk architect John erected the Transfiguration Cathedral in the Euphrosyne Monastery, which has survived to this day. In 1161, master jeweler Lazar Bogsha made a cross commissioned by Euphrosyne, which she donated to this church. The half-meter cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk is a valuable work applied arts. It was bound with gold plates, decorated with cloisonne enamels, expensive stones and pearls. On the side plates there were inscriptions in business and Church Slavonic languages. The cross was stolen in 1941 by the Nazi invaders. In addition to the stone Transfiguration Cathedral, Euphrosyne built a second stone church in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos and founded a monastery at this church.

In 1173, during a pilgrimage to Constantinople and Jerusalem, Euphrosyne fell ill and died. Her body was buried in Palestine. But soon they began to worship her as a saint, and the Monk Euphrosyne of Polotsk was canonized. In 1187, the saint’s relics were transferred to Rus', to Kyiv, where they are now located in the caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. The saint's memorial day is May 23 (June 5 N.S.).

Suzdal Wonderworker

During the terrible years of the Mongol-Tatar invasion, many Russian families became famous for their exploits, but the story of one of them was truly amazing. We are talking about the family of Prince Mikhail Vsevolodovich of Chernigov. The unusual thing about this family is that three of its closest relatives were glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church for their exploits in the name of the true faith. Prince Mikhail Vsevolodovich of Chernigov suffered martyrdom in the Horde. His son-in-law, Prince Vasilko Konstantinovich of Rostov, was killed by the Tatars after the battle on the Cite River. The daughter of Prince Michael is known to all Orthodox people under the name of Euphrosyne of Suzdal.

The Venerable Euphrosyne of Suzdal (in the world Theodulia (1212–25.09.1250) was born in Chernigov and was eldest daughter Chernigov Prince Mikhail Vsevolodovich and Princess Feofania. Since childhood, Theodulia was well versed in books, reading Aristotle, Plato, Virgil and Homer. She was especially interested in the “medical philosophy” of the ancient physicians Galen and Aesculapius. At the age of 15, Feodulia was betrothed to one of the sons of the Vladimir-Suzdal prince, but on the eve of the wedding, her groom unexpectedly died. After this, Theodulia took monastic vows as a nun at the Suzdal Robe Monastery under the name of Euphrosyne.

In February 1237, when Batu's hordes fell on Suzdal, Euphrosyne remained in the monastery. Soon she began healing in the monastery hospital, saving many people from physical and mental illnesses.

In 1246, having learned about her father’s trip to the Horde, she decided to support his spirit and in a letter urged him not to give in to any persuasion, not to change true faith and not worship idols. After the death of her father, Euphrosyne supported her sister Maria’s intention to compile a “Tale” about the martyrdom of Mikhail of Chernigov.

Euphrosyne was buried in Suzdal in the Deposition of Robe Monastery. Immediately after this, church veneration of the nun began. In 1570, the ancient Life of Euphrosyne of Suzdal was found.

In 1571 she was officially canonized, and in 1699 her holy relics were discovered. The saint's memorial day is celebrated on September 25 (October 8 N.S.).

Princess Chronicler

It is quite possible that we would never have learned anything about the great feat of Prince Mikhail of Chernigov, and indeed about the events of the Tatar invasion that was disastrous for Rus', if Maria Mikhailovna had not reigned in Rostov at that time.

Maria Mikhailovna (c. 1213 – 12/09/1271) was born in Chernigov in the family of Prince Mikhail Vsevolodovich of Chernigov and Princess Feofania. Mary's elder sister, Theodulia, as already mentioned, later became one of the most famous saints in the Orthodox Church - Euphrosyne of Suzdal. The sisters Theodulia-Euphrosyne and Maria were taught by their father and his closest boyar Fyodor, educated “from philosophers.” Mary, like Theodulia, “did not study in Athens, but studied the wisdom of Athens,” and she “was versed” in the books of the philosophers Aristotle and Plato, the poets Virgil and Homer, the physicians Galen and Aesculapius.

In 1227, fourteen-year-old Maria was chosen as his wife by the early orphaned seventeen-year-old Rostov prince Vasilko Konstantinovich, who had previously traveled all over Rus' in search of a bride. The wedding took place in Chernigov on January 10, 1227. In February, the newlyweds arrived in Rostov the Great. Since the reign of Vasilko’s father, Konstantin Vsevolodovich the Wise, the city has experienced a cultural upsurge. His father's work was continued by his son, and his wife, Princess Maria, helped him in this. In 1230, Prince Vasilko completed the construction of the Assumption Cathedral, which his father began. Princess Maria was present at its consecration. In 1231, the princely couple had a son, Boris, and in 1236, a son, Gleb.

On March 4, 1238, Vasilko Konstantinovich died in a battle with the Mongol-Tatars on the Sita River. Having become a widow and guardian of her seven-year-old son Boris, the Prince of Rostov, Maria Mikhailovna founded the monastery of the Savior on the Sands near Lake Nero, which the people called the “Princess Monastery”. Here, from 1238, on her instructions and with her direct participation, Russian chronicle writing, which had ceased in other cities, was continued - a set of the Rostov Chronicle was compiled. It describes in detail the campaign against Kalka, in which he participated future husband Mary, and joy is expressed that Prince Vasilko remained unharmed, since he did not reach the river. The Chronicle of Princess Maria notes major events peaceful family life: celebration of the birth of Prince Vasilko and Princess Maria's first-born son Boris, the wedding of Vasilko's brother and the Grand Duke's sons Vladimirsky Georgy Vsevolodovich, Vasilko’s uncle. The chronicle brings to us Vasilko’s dying speech, full of dignity: “O deaf, nasty kingdom, you will never take me away from the Christian faith...” Vasilko’s funeral in Rostov and the nationwide grief about the “set luminous star” are described in detail. The visit of Rostov by Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky is especially noted on the pages of the chronicle. Cousin Vasilka Alexander Nevsky met with Princess Maria Mikhailovna and supported her important work.

In 1246, Princess Maria Mikhailovna suffered a new misfortune. Together with the boyar Theodore, her father, Prince of Chernigov Mikhail Vsevolodovich, died as a martyr in the Horde, in front of the eyes of his grandson Boris, who accompanied him. Returning to Rostov, Boris told his mother about the martyrdom of his grandfather. Soon, with the participation of Maria Mikhailovna, a short “Legend” was compiled about Mikhail of Chernigov and his boyar Theodore, which shocked all of Rus'. Thanks to the writing talent of Princess Maria, the names of her father and husband became symbols of patriotism, courage, and fearlessness of Russian princes and warriors. Their images inspired faith in the future liberation from the invaders of their native land.

Maria Mikhailovna died on December 9, 1271 and was buried in the Rostov monastery of the Savior on the Sands. From that time on, the systematic recordings of the Rostov chronicler ceased.

Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olga, baptized Helena (c. 890 - July 11, 969), ruled Kievan Rus after the death of her husband, Prince Igor Rurikovich from 945 to 962. The first of the Russian rulers accepted Christianity even before the baptism of Rus', the first Russian saint. The name of Princess Olga is at the source of Russian history, and is associated with greatest events the foundation of the first dynasty, with the first establishment of Christianity in Rus' and the bright features of Western civilization. The Grand Duchess went down in history as the great creator of state life and culture of Kievan Rus. After her death, ordinary people called her cunning, the church - holy, history - wise.

Grand Duchess Olga (c. 890 - July 11, 969) was the wife of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Igor.

Basic information about Olga’s life, recognized as reliable, is contained in the “Tale of Bygone Years”, the Life from the Book of Degrees, the hagiographic work of the monk Jacob “Memory and Praise to the Russian Prince Volodymer” and the work of Constantine Porphyrogenitus “On the Ceremonies of the Byzantine Court”. Other sources provide additional information about Olga, but their reliability cannot be determined with certainty.

Olga came from the glorious family of Gostomysl (the ruler of Veliky Novgorod even before Prince Rurik). She was born in the Pskov land, in the village of Vybuty, 12 km from Pskov up the Velikaya River, into a pagan family from the dynasty of the Izborsky princes. Disputes about exact date Olga's birth is still ongoing - some historians insist on the date of about 890, others - on the date of 920 (although this date is absurd due to the fact that Olga married Igor under the Prophetic Oleg, who died in 912). Both dates can be questioned, so they are accepted conditionally. The names of Olga's parents have not been preserved.

When Olga was already 13 years old, she became the wife of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Igor. According to legend, Prince Igor was engaged in hunting. One day, when he was hunting in the Pskov forests, tracking down an animal, he went out to the river bank. Deciding to cross the river, he asked Olga, who was passing by on a boat, to transport him, at first mistaking her for a young man. As they swam, Igor, carefully peering into the rower’s face, saw that it was not a young man, but a girl. The girl turned out to be very beautiful, smart and pure in intentions. Olga's beauty stung Igor's heart, and he began to seduce her with words, inclining her to unclean carnal mixing. However, the chaste girl, having understood the thoughts of Igor, fueled by lust, shamed him with a wise admonition. The prince was surprised at such an outstanding intelligence and chastity of the young girl, and did not harass her.

Igor was the only son of the Novgorod prince Rurik (+879). When his father died, the prince was still very young. Before his death, Rurik handed over the rule in Novgorod to his relative and governor Oleg and appointed him Igor’s guardian. Oleg was a successful warrior and wise ruler. People called him Prophetic. He conquered the city of Kyiv and united many Slavic tribes around himself. Oleg loved Igor as his own son and raised him to be a real warrior. And when the time came to look for a bride for him, a show of beautiful girls was organized in Kyiv in order to find among them a girl worthy of a princely palace, but none of them
the prince did not like it. For in his heart the choice of a bride had long been made: he ordered to call that beautiful boatwoman who carried him across the river. Prince Oleg with great honor he brought Olga to Kyiv, and Igor married her. Having married the young prince to Olga, the aging OlegHe began to diligently make sacrifices to the gods so that they would give Igor an heir. Over the course of nine long years, Oleg made many bloody sacrifices to idols, burned so many people and bulls alive, waited for what they would give Slavic gods Igor's son. Not wait. He died in 912 from the bite of a snake that crawled out of the skull of his former horse.

Pagan idols began to disappoint the princess: many years of sacrifices to idols did not give her the desired heir. Well, what will Igor do according to human custom and take another wife, a third? He'll start a harem. Who will she be then? And then the princess decided to pray to the Christian God. And Olga began to fervently ask Him at night for a son-heir.

And so in 942 ,in the twenty-fourth year of their marriage, Prince Igor had an heir - Svyatoslav! The prince overwhelmed Olga with gifts. She took the most expensive ones to the church of Elijah - for Christian God. Happy years have passed. Olga began to think about the Christian faith and about its benefits for the country. Only Igor did not share such thoughts: his gods never betrayed him in battle.

According to the chronicle, in 945, Prince Igor dies at the hands of the Drevlyans after repeatedly exacting tribute from them (he became the first ruler in Russian history to die from popular indignation). Igor Rurikovich was executed , in the tract, with the help of an honorary “unlock”. They bent over two young, flexible oak trees, tied them by the arms and legs, and let them go...

F.Bruni. Igor's execution

The heir to the throne, Svyatoslav, was only 3 years old at that time, so Olga became the de facto ruler of Kievan Rus in 945 . Igor's squad obeyed her, recognizing Olga as the representative of the legitimate heir to the throne.

After the murder of Igor, the Drevlyans sent matchmakers to his widow Olga to invite her to marry their prince Mal. The princess cruelly took revenge on the Drevlyans, showing cunning and strong will. Olga's revenge on the Drevlyans is described in detail in The Tale of Bygone Years.

Princess Olga's Revenge

After the reprisal against the Drevlyans, Olga began to rule Kievan Rus until Svyatoslav came of age, but even after that she remained the de facto ruler, since her son was absent most of the time on military campaigns.

Princess Olga's foreign policy was carried out not through military methods, but through diplomacy. She strengthened international ties with Germany and Byzantium. Relations with Greece revealed to Olga how superior the Christian faith is to the pagan one.

In 954, Princess Olga went to Constantinople (Constantinople) for the purpose of a religious pilgrimage and a diplomatic mission., where she was received with honor by Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. For two whole years she became acquainted with the fundamentals of the Christian faith, attending services in the St. Sophia Cathedral. She was struck by the grandeur of Christian churches and the shrines collected in them.

The sacrament of baptism was performed over her by the Patriarch of Constantinople Theophylact, and the emperor himself became the recipient. The name of the Russian princess was given in honor of the holy Queen Helena, who found the Cross of the Lord. The Patriarch blessed the newly baptized princess with a cross carved from a single piece of the Life-giving Tree of the Lord with the inscription: “The Russian land was renewed with the Holy Cross, and Olga, the blessed princess, accepted it.”

Princess Olga became the first ruler of Rus' to be baptized , although both the squad and the Russian people under it were pagan. Olga’s son, the Grand Duke of Kiev Svyatoslav Igorevich, also remained in paganism.

Upon returning to Kyiv, Olga tried to introduce Svyatoslav to Christianity, but “he did not even think of listening to this; but if someone was going to be baptized, he did not forbid it, but only mocked him.” Moreover, Svyatoslav was angry with his mother for her persuasion, fearing to lose the respect of the squad. Svyatoslav Igorevich remained a convinced pagan.

Upon returning from Byzantium Olga zealously brought the Christian gospel to the pagans, began to erect the first Christian churches: in the name of St. Nicholas over the grave of the first Kyiv Christian prince Askold and St. Sophia in Kiev over the grave of Prince Dir, the Church of the Annunciation in Vitebsk, the temple in the name of the Holy and Life-Giving Trinity in Pskov, the place for which, according to the chronicler, was indicated to her from above by the “Ray of the Tri-radiant Deity” - on the bank of the Velikaya River she saw “three bright rays” descending from the sky.

Holy Princess Olga died in 969, at the age of 80. and was buried in the ground according to Christian rites.

Sergey Efoshkin. Duchess Olga. Dormition

Her incorruptible relics rested in the Tithe Church in Kyiv. Her grandson Prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavich, Baptist of Rus', transferred (in 1007) the relics of saints, including Olga, to the church he founded Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kyiv (Tithe Church). More likely, During the reign of Vladimir (970-988), Princess Olga began to be revered as a saint. This is evidenced by the transfer of her relics to the church and the description of miracles given by the monk Jacob in the 11th century.

In 1547, Olga was canonized as Saint Equal to the Apostles. Only 5 other holy women in Christian history have received such an honor (Mary Magdalene, First Martyr Thekla, Martyr Apphia, Queen Helen Equal to the Apostles and Nina, the enlightener of Georgia).

The memory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga is celebrated by Orthodox, Catholic and other Western churches.

Princess Olga was the first of the Russian princes to officially convert to Christianity and was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church back in the pre-Mongol period. The baptism of Princess Olga did not lead to the establishment of Christianity in Rus', but she had big influence to her grandson Vladimir, who continued her work. She did not wage wars of conquest, but directed all her energy to domestic policy, therefore, for many years the people retained a good memory of her: the princess carried out an administrative and tax reform, which eased the situation ordinary people and streamlined life in the state.

Holy Princess Olga is revered as the patroness of widows and Christian converts. Residents of Pskov consider Olga its founder. In Pskov there is Olginskaya embankment, Olginsky bridge, Olginsky chapel. The days of the liberation of the city from fascist invaders (July 23, 1944) and the memory of St. Olga are celebrated in Pskov as City Days.

Material prepared by Sergey SHULYAK

for the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Sparrow Hills

Troparion of Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga, tone 8
In you, God-wise Elena, the image of salvation was known in the Russian country, / as if, having received the bath of holy Baptism, you followed Christ, / creating and teaching, to leave idolatry’s charms, / to take care of souls, things more immortal, / also With Angels, Equal-to-the-Apostles, your spirit rejoices.

Kontakion of Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga, tone 4
Today the grace of all God has appeared, / having glorified Olga the God-Wise in Rus', / through her prayers, Lord, / grant to people the abandonment of sin.

Prayer to Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga
O holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olgo, the First Lady of Russia, warm intercessor and prayer book for us before God! We resort to you with faith and pray with love: be your helper and accomplice in everything for our good, and just as in temporal life you tried to enlighten our forefathers with the light of the holy faith and instruct me to do the will of the Lord, so now, in heavenly grace, you are favorable With your prayers to God, help us in enlightening our minds and hearts with the light of the Gospel of Christ, so that we may advance in faith, piety and love of Christ. In poverty and sorrow, give comfort to those in need, give a helping hand to those in need, stand up for those who are offended and mistreated, those who have gone astray from the right faith and blinded by heresies, bring them to their senses and ask us from the All-Bountiful God for all that is good and useful life more temporal and eternal, so that we have lived here well, let us be worthy of inheriting eternal blessings in the endless Kingdom of Christ our God, to Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, befits all glory, honor and worship always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. A min.

GRAND DUCHESS OLGA (890-969)

From the series “History of the Russian State.”