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Posted By: Converted Viking Vikings and the Russia - 08/27/08 03:48 PM
Hello:

I have found some web sights that give some history of the Vikings in Russia and how they bought Christianity to that country but what I really need are some books that cover the history of Russia and the Vikings. Does anyone have any suggestions?

In Christ:
Einar
Posted By: Terry Bohannon Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/27/08 05:50 PM
Not all Norse were Vikings and not all Vikings were Christian. Do you mean to be speaking of the Kievan Rus and the conversion of Vladimir I of Kiev?

Terry
Posted By: Edmac Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/27/08 08:24 PM
Is there evidence that any of the Norsemen
who colonized what became Russia were Christians?

Posted By: Fr Serge Keleher Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/27/08 11:07 PM
"The Russia"? Shades of "the Ukraine". Next will come "the Poland", no doubt.

Fr. Serge
Posted By: Pustinik Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/27/08 11:34 PM
Following up on the discussion, those who have studied foreign languages may have empathy with a brother in Christ. I certainly do.

Einer, maybe you are asking about those ancient travelers and settlers coming into what is now Ukraine and Russia from areas we now know as Scandinavia and Finland. I would wonder too, if to some extent Christianity was brought into this region from the northern route - not just from the south... maybe in a different epoch from the missions to Kievan Rus. Seems like a legitimate question. Maybe a brother or sister in the forum will address it. Maybe Fr. Serge has some insights on this.

May God bless you, Einer.

In Christ,

-Pustinik
-----------------
"Acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved." –St. Serafim of Sarov
Posted By: Lawrence Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/27/08 11:52 PM

There's a book at my library called "Vladimir The Russian Viking" by Vladimir Volkoff. I leafed through it a few months ago but have not read it. I believe it's around 400 pages and it has gotten some good reviews.
Posted By: Fr Serge Keleher Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/28/08 06:13 AM
I assure you that I do not lack empathy for those learning foreign languages - what prompted that?

As for Christianity coming to Russia from the North - doesn't seem utterly likely that this happened in the first millennium. However, there are a few Saints in Northern Russia who seem to have come from Finland.

Fr. Serge
Posted By: Converted Viking Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/28/08 12:01 PM
Hello Everyone:

I have found a few things on the web about Vladimir I of Kiev who seems to have been a Viking. But I am wondering what role the Vikings as a group had to play.

In Christ:
Einar

See the note below.

Vladimir I, 'The Great' Grand Duke Of Kiev won fame for establishing Christianity as Russia's official religion. In 972, he became ruler of Novgorod in Russia, but had to flee for his life to Scandinavia. Later he returned, defeated and killed his brother, who was ruling in Kiev, and became grand duke in Kiev.

Vladimir was born a pagan of Viking origin. In 988, he was converted to Christianity. He married Anna, the sister of the Byzantine emperor Basil II. Vladimir I founded cities and built churches, schools, and libraries. He promoted trade, established relations with the pope and European rulers, and ably defended Russia against its eastern neighbors.

Buried in Church Of The Tithes, Kiev, Kiev, Ukraine, and was later declared a saint.

Source: 'The World Book Encyclopedia', 1968, UV337.
Posted By: Mykhayl Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/28/08 01:58 PM
Слава Ісусу Христу!

1968. The 60’s were a time of smokescreens.
Posted By: Jean Francois Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/28/08 02:54 PM
Dear Converted Viking,

In fact the Vikings conquered the Rus people (not the same as Russia) who had their center in Kyiv. At the time of the conquest, the Vikings were pagans who later converted to Orthodox Christianity. Grand Prince Volodymyr the Great baptized 'Rus" (not the same as Russia) in 988 officially making Orthdox Christianity the official religion of 'Rus' (remember it's not the same as Russia). His grandmother, Grand Princes Olha, was the first of the Royal to publicly convert to Christianity and had an immense impact on the decision of her grandson Volodymyr the Great to convert both himself and his Kingdom to Orthodox Christianity.

The Roman Catholic Church considers Volodymyr to be an 'Equal to the Apostles' and in fact has mosaics of both him and St-Olha (St-Helga in Scandinavian, St-Olga in Russian) on a wall of St-Peter's Basilica in Rome. Please do me a favor and ask Fr Serge (Keleher) if he could help you locate a picture of those mosaics (two separate) in St-Peters.

Here is a good synopsis from the Ukrainian Encyclopedia. I use to know the author of this text quite well. Dr Zhukovsky lived just outside of Paris at Sarcelles. I'm not sure if he is still alive.

Jean Francois

Volodymyr the Great (Valdamar, Volodimer, Vladimir), b ca 956, d 15 July 1015 in Vyshhorod, near Kyiv. Grand prince of Kyiv from 980; son of Sviatoslav I Ihorovych and Malusha; half-brother of Yaropolk I Sviatoslavych and Oleh Sviatoslavych; and father of 11 princes by five wives, including Sviatopolk I, Yaroslav the Wise, Mstyslav Volodymyrovych, and Saints Borys and Hlib. In 969 Grand Prince Sviatoslav I named his son Volodymyr the prince of Novgorod the Great, where the latter ruled under the guidance of his uncle, Dobrynia. In 977 a struggle for power broke out among Sviatoslav's sons. Yaropolk I, who was then the grand prince of Kyiv, seized the Derevlianian land and Novgorod, thereby forcing Volodymyr to flee to Scandinavia. In 980 Volodymyr returned to Rus’ with a Varangian force, expelled Yaropolk's governors from Novgorod, and took Polatsk after a battle in which Prince Rogvolod of Polatsk was slain. Volodymyr took Rogvolod's daughter, Rohnida, as his wife. Later that year he captured Kyiv and had Yaropolk murdered, thereby becoming the grand prince , and married Yaropolk's Greek widow.

Over the next 35 years Volodymyr expanded the borders of Kyivan Rus’ and turned it into one of the most powerful states in Eastern Europe. After taking the Cherven towns and Peremyshl from Poland (981) and waging successful wars against the Viatichians (981–2) and Radimichians (984) he united the remaining East Slavic tribes, divided his realm into lands, and installed his sons or viceroys to govern them, dispense princely justice, and collect tribute. In 983 Volodymyr waged war against the Yatvingians and thereby gained access to the Baltic Sea. In 985 he defeated the Khazars and Volga Bulgars and secured his state's eastern frontier. Volodymyr devoted considerable attention to defending his southern borders against the nomadic Pechenegs and Chorni Klobuky. He had lines of fortifications built along the Irpin River, the Stuhna River, the Trubizh River, and the Sula River and founded fortified towns (eg, Vasylkiv, Voin, and Bilhorod) that were joined by earthen ramparts.

Volodymyr attributed his victory over Yaropolk I Sviatoslavych to the support he received from pagan forces, and had idols of the deities Perun, Khors, Dazhboh, Stryboh, Symarhl, and Mokosh erected on a hill overlooking his palace in Kyiv. Later he became convinced that a monotheistic religion would consolidate his power, as Christianity and Islam had done for neighboring rulers. His choice was determined after the Byzantine emperor Basil II turned to him for help in defeating his rival, Bardas Phocas. Volodymyr offered military aid only if he was allowed to marry Basil's sister, Anna, and Basil agreed to the marriage only after Volodymyr promised to convert himself and his subjects to Christianity. Volodymyr, his family, and his closest associates were baptized in December 987, when he took the Christian name Vasylii (Basil). Soon afterward he ordered the destruction of all pagan idols. The mass baptism of the citizens of Kyiv took place on 1 August 988 (see Christianization of Ukraine), and the remaining population of Rus’ was slowly converted, sometimes by force. In 988 Volodymyr sent several thousand warriors to help Basil regain power and married Anna, and in 989 he besieged Chersonese Taurica, took it from Bardas Phocas, and returned it to Basil.

The Christianization of Rus’ was essentially engineered by Byzantium. Byzantium supplied the first hierarchs and other missionary clergy in Rus’ and introduced Byzantine art, education, and literature there. During Volodymyr's reign the first schools and churches were built, notably the Church of the Tithes in Kyiv. The adoption of Christianity as the official religion facilitated the unification of the Rus’ tribes and the establishment of foreign dynastic, political, cultural, religious, and commercial relations, particularly with the Byzantine Empire, Bulgaria, and Germany. Relations with Poland improved after Volodymyr's son Sviatopolk I married the daughter of Prince Bolesław I the Brave in 992. Volodymyr received papal emissaries in 986, 988, 991, 992, and 1000 and sent his own envoys to Rome in 993 and 1001.

After Anna's death in 1011, Volodymyr married the daughter of Count Kuno von Enningen. Toward the end of his life his sons Sviatopolk of Turiv and Yaroslav the Wise of Novgorod challenged his rule. Having defeated Sviatopolk, Volodymyr died while preparing a campaign against Yaroslav and was buried in the Church of the Tithes. He was succeeded briefly by Sviatopolk.

The Rus’ clergy venerated Volodymyr because of his support of the church, but he was canonized only after 1240. Thereafter he was referred to as ‘the holy, equal to the Apostles, grand prince of Kyiv.’ The oldest extant mention of him as Saint Volodymyr is found in the Hypatian Chronicle under the year 1254, and his feast day, 28 July (15 July OS), was first celebrated in 1263.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Zavitnevich, V. Vladimir Sviatoi kak politicheskii deiatel’ (Kyiv 1888)
Nazarko, I. Sviatyi Volodymyr Velykyi, Volodar i Khrystytel’ Rusy-Ukraïny (960–1015) (Rome 1954)
Poppe, A. ‘The Political Background to the Baptism of Rus’: Byzantine-Russian Relations between 986 and 989,’ Dumbarton Oaks Papers, no. 30 (1976); repr in his Rise of Christian Russia (London 1982)
Volkoff, V. Vladimir the Russian Viking ([London] 1984)
Tolochko, Petro. Sviatyi Volodymyr; Iaroslav Mudryi (Kyiv 1996)

By: Arkadii Zhukovsky



Posted By: Two Lungs Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/28/08 04:43 PM
This topic of Vikings and Rus brings to mind a fascinating piece of Christian history, regarding St. Andrew, the first-called.

St. Andrew is known as the founder of the Church at Byzantium, as well as other places, and reportedly traveled to what later became Ukraine.

According to legend, he prophesied the rise of a great city on the hills of Kyiv, although there was no town there at the time.

He also is notable as a patron Saint of Scotland. Can it be that the Vikings carried Christianity from eastern Europe to Scotland long before St. Volodymyr? Or did St. Andrew himself travel all the way to Scotland?
Posted By: Highlander Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/28/08 08:53 PM

"He also is notable as a patron Saint of Scotland. Can it be that the Vikings carried Christianity from eastern Europe to Scotland long before St. Volodymyr? Or did St. Andrew himself travel all the way to Scotland? "

Well, No and No.
There seems to be a thousand year gap between the two suggestions.
If you're interested, the peoples who went into the make up of Scotland became Christian centuries before the Scandinavians,
The Britons in Southern Scotland were christianised by St Ninian around 400 AD. He also converted the Southern Picts.
St Columba landed in Iona in 563 and ministered to the "Scots" - the Gaelic-speaking settlers. He also established Christianity among the Northern Picts.
The Viking raids began in the early ninth century and destroyed the Picts, allowing the Scots to dominate. Iona suffered badly, leading the community there to give up and retreat to Ireland.
The Norsemen settled in the Northern and Western Isles, and the tip of the Scottish mainland.
Earl Magnus of Orkney became a Christian and was martyred for his pains in 1117. His bones were buried in the Cathedral at Kirkwall which is dedicated to him.
Posted By: Edmac Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/28/08 09:11 PM
Vikings Christians? For several centuries one of the Vikings'
favorite sports was destroying monasteries and killing monks,
not only in Scotland, but in England, Ireland, Wales,France
and wherever else their long-ships would take them. Read
a wee bit of history, eh?

Being partly of West Highland blood,I am undoubtedly
descended from a whole lot of these bloody savages and not
at all happy about it.

Edmac


Posted By: Two Lungs Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/28/08 09:28 PM
Originally Posted by Highlander
... If you're interested, the peoples who went into the make up of Scotland became Christian centuries before the Scandinavians ...

This is what I thought was the case.

Maybe I didn't phrase things very well. I'm curious as to how St. Andrew came to be a patron saint of Scotland.

Posted By: Fr Serge Keleher Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/28/08 10:35 PM
Dear Edmac,

There, there. None of us is responsible for his ancestors - we are all descended from Adam and Eve, which is pride enough for a beggar and shame enough for an Emperor!

Fr. Serge
Posted By: Highlander Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/28/08 10:38 PM
Oh, relics of St Andrew were brought to Scotland in the middle of the 8th Century. A Cathedral was built where the bones came ashore, (the East Neuk of Fife) and a town and University grew up around it.
The prestige of the site protected the Scottish Church from being taken over by the English, the Popes giving the title of "Special Daughter" to the Scottish Church.
Unfortunately, the relics did not survive the Reformation, but recently a relic of St Andrew was brought from Amalfi to replace what was lost.
Posted By: Converted Viking Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/28/08 11:54 PM
Hello Jean:

Thank you for the information. I was wondering if it was Orthodox Christianity that the Vikings converted too. I will have to do more digging. Because I had seen references to Rus I assumed they were speaking of Old Russia.

In Christ:
Einar
Posted By: Converted Viking Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/29/08 12:00 AM
Hello Edmac:

Originally Posted by Edmac
Vikings Christians? For several centuries one of the Vikings'
favorite sports was destroying monasteries and killing monks,
not only in Scotland, but in England, Ireland, Wales,France
and wherever else their long-ships would take them. Read
a wee bit of history, eh?

Being partly of West Highland blood,I am undoubtedly
descended from a whole lot of these bloody savages and not
at all happy about it.

Edmac

I am very aware of the fact that my ancestors raped and pillaged there way through Europe and for that I am sorry. Keep in mind though that many converted to Christianity. I am familiar with the history you mention, I am not a complete dolt.

Converted Viking
Posted By: Converted Viking Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/29/08 12:15 AM
To every one that took the time to reply to my Viking posts. Thanks very much. I am going to tune out of this topic now and I ask the moderator to please shut down this thread. It was not my intention to make anyone angry.

In Christ:

Converted Viking
Posted By: Pustinik Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/29/08 01:00 AM
Dear brother,
One can see that many are looking for an excuse to vent or to "act out" as professionals might term it. I believe that a "content analysis" would reveal quite a bit of angry rhetoric on this site, sad to say, interspersed with love.

You asked an honest question in good faith. May the Lord's peace be on you and your family.

In Christ,
Pustinik
-------------------
"Acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved." –St. Serafim of Sarov
Posted By: Mykhayl Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/29/08 05:58 AM
Слава Ісусу Христу!

Sophist Brethren,

We are trying to put event of a millennium ago into a 21st century focus using terms without analyzing their origins. What does “Ukraine “mean? What does “Russia” mean? What does “Belo Rus” mean? Who would use “Peking” today except to discuss a delicious duck dish? Maybe we should analyze “Poland” first and see if there is common thought amongst us.

Pustinilk suggested an alternative epoch. He thought from the north, I would like to stay focused from the south but not of missionaries but refugees. I have long thought the real Christianization of the Slavs were from the migration of orthodox fleeing the Iconoclast heresy, include today’s Poland, Slovakia and Czech Lands.

Coffee table books are not proper research, surely Harvard must have volumes in English from the 1988 inquest. Highlander brought up the privilege of the Scottish Church as “Special Daughter” being a protective title. How many other titles we use without looking into their historic significance? I drought “Viking” though popular is any more historically definitive in current English than calling the ruler of Kyiv a “prince”. Due to lack of Papal decrees we would not want to use “king” so we may need to use an alternative like “monarch” to represent importance. Olga, Olha, Oilha, Helga what ever you wish was not royalty but the daughter of a ferry operator. She became royal through “marriage” and her acceptance of Christianity had an interesting stipulation. The Byzantine (another modern term) emperor was to be her godfather in order that he nor his immediate family could wed her to possess her regent lands. The true first Christian rulers of Kyiv were Askold (St. Nicholas) and Dir (St. Sophia) the usurpers. This was hardly a loving royal family.

As Father Serge pointed out non of us are responsible for our ancestors nor are these ancestors responsible for current governments. Nor are these current governments responsible for our situation in the diaspora. Why do some think analyzing history is venting anger? We may need a moderator who is a history scholar to keep it on track. How can someone read banter as anger interspersed with love? Could that just be a case if the game is not going their way take the ball and go home?

Someone have a subject to start another stimulating historical analysis? Where did the name “Slav” come from…?
Posted By: Fr Serge Keleher Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/29/08 09:19 AM
Quote
Coffee table books are not proper research

Don't be too sure! When I was in grade school I happened to read a then-popular book on a then-popular level of writing called Anything Can Happen in America. Imagine my surprise a few years later to find it quoted in a quite weighty tome as supplying proof that Eleanor of Aquitaine really had gone on the Second Crusade! You just never know what will turn up where.

Fr. Serge
Posted By: Converted Viking Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/29/08 11:39 AM
Dear Pustinik:


Originally Posted by Pustinik
One can see that many are looking for an excuse to vent or to "act out" as professionals might term it. I believe that a "content analysis" would reveal quite a bit of angry rhetoric on this site, sad to say, interspersed with love.

You asked an honest question in good faith. May the Lord's peace be on you and your family.


Thank you for your reply. Perhaps I should look at myself first regarding anger issues.

In Christ:
Converted Viking
Posted By: Stephanos I Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/29/08 03:31 PM
Did anyone think they might have been the Varangian guards of the Emperor, surely they were baptized in Constantinople, perhaps some of them end up in Rus.
Stephanos I
Posted By: Highlander Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/29/08 06:13 PM
Although "Viking" properly refers to the sea raiders of the 9-10th centuries, it is commonly used quite loosely to mean Medieval Scandinavians, some of whom not only were christians but went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Some of these were stranded on the way home in Orkney in a storm. They sheltered in the burial mound of Maes Howe (built some 2000 years earlier) and left grafitti on the stonework mentioning their pilgrimage and including a beautifully carved dragon.
There doesn't seem any reason to get pedantic about the word "Viking"
Posted By: Hilde Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/29/08 06:31 PM
There are Sagas that recount some of the history of the Norse peoples and occurances. The "Heimskringla" or Chronicle of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturlison is one of them. Part of is is the tale of King Olaf Haraldsson aka St. Olaf. It can be found here in English: http://omacl.org/Heimskringla/

The Icelanders converted to Christianity around the year 1000 by discussion and judgement at the "Althing" a kind of parliament or law meeting.
http://www.randburg.com/is/thingvellir.html

There are recountings of Icelanders and others from Scandinavia who went to Constantinople to join the Varangian Guard in the sagas as well. "Laxdaela Saga" tells of Bolli Bollason's journey to do that. The point was that for some such a trip and job was a chance to gather wealth and fame that, if they lived, they took back home to Iceland or Norway or other parts.

Hilde
Posted By: Pustinik Re: Vikings and the Russia - 08/29/08 11:16 PM
Originally Posted by Converted Viking
Dear Pustinik:

Thank you for your reply. Perhaps I should look at myself first regarding anger issues.

In Christ:
Converted Viking

Dear Converted Viking,
I can join you in this. A friend who was in law enforcement in the northeastern US, a devoted Catholic Christian, and a former professional boxer shared his experience. He said he was always getting into fights until he took up the sports of boxing and karate. Once he knew he could defend himself he would look for ways to avoid conflict. Much of the fighting, he told me, came from personal insecurity. He was happy with the peaceful posture he developed and it served him well in his profession as a law officer.

That being said, the natural instincts to defend oneself and vigorously support the truth (or one's honor...) as one understands it still rises up - sometimes hurting those "in our way." The story of how St. Seraphim of Sarov dealt with the robbers who attacked him inspires me to try to be more peaceful even against those perpetrating injustices. Not that it's easy.

God bless you in your quest, and our fellow forum members,
-Pustinik
------------------------
"Acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved." –St. Serafim of Sarov
Posted By: Mykhayl Re: Vikings and the Russia - 09/01/08 09:46 PM
Слава Ісусу Христу!

“The Roman Catholic Church considers Volodymyr to be an 'Equal to the Apostles' and in fact has mosaics of both him and St-Olha (St-Helga in Scandinavian, St-Olga in [Old Slavonic] (Russian) [usage] on a wall of St-Peter's Basilica in Rome. … help you locate … in St-Peters”. Quote Jean Francois

These two pictorial medallion mosaics flank St, Basil’s alter. Under this alter behind glass and grate is the uncorrupted relics of the martyr St. Josaphat “Jyo-sa-FUt” (Kuntsevych) vested in episcopal crown and omophorion (which he once pawned for the poor). Most think it a statue as this is one of only two uncorrupted bodies in St. Peter’s. With current Vatican attitudes these relics are being downplayed, usually kept behind a staging area and doesn’t even rate a reference in most current guide books. The Basilian Fathers at their monetary in Vilnius Lithuania are ready with a shrine in case his translation (eviction) is called for. In reality his story and travels is the history of the Rusyn Church in communion with Rome.

Born of Rusyn nobility (szlachta) Joann Kuntsevych entered the monastic life in Vilnius capital of Lithuania, where he was elected shepherd of present Belo-Rusyn eparchies. He authored books on the baptism of Volodymyr, published falsifications concerning the Slavs and on monastic vows. His preaching of church unity influenced Ignatius Patriarch of Moscow and Byzantine royal Emmanuel Cantacuzenus. His attempts to extend granted concessions from the Polish (Lithuanian) Crown to the Orthodox were opposed at every step by Chancellor Sapieha. Archbishop Josaphat (Kuntsevych) was martyred on the then feast of Saint Martin I Bishop of Rome, defender of orthodoxy before the Byzantine Emperor and Constantinople Patriarch. This mob assassination occurred in 1580 within Polish administrative territory now Belo-Rus’.

This first Vatican canonized Greco Catholic saint the martyred Archbishop Josaphat was added to the Latin’s international calendar in 1867, promoted by the Polish Latin Church. His relics were enshrined in Vienna from 1623 to 1867, where found uncorrupted when moved to Rome for his glorification. Pope Pius XI in his 1923 encyclical ECCLESIAM DEI called St. Josaphat a “hero-martyr”. As the God-less Soviet (communist) Army was invading the Pidilashia area, the U S (free) Army was approached to evacuated his relics. Hiding them under a bed of coal they were trucked into the Vatican as a coal delivery in 1949. During Vatican II St. Josaphat was publicly translated by Pope Paul VI and enshrined beneath Saint Basil’s alter near the relics of St. John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian in 1963.

The promotion of Saint Josaphat amongst Ukrainians is due to Basilian monastic chauvinist nepotism. This lead to his patronage in the Priestly Society of St. Josaphat who is in defiance of Ukrainian Catholic norms. They reject non-organic de-Latinisation promotion (suppressing public promotion of Stations, rosary and benediction with the monstrance). They use Church Slavonic exclusively avoiding particularistic nationalism, promote consecration of Russia to the Theotokos of Fatima, and unquestionable fidelity to pre-Vatican II Roman norms rejecting ecumenism. They are associated with the Society of Saint Pius X. One argument is that the Church of Ss. Cyril and Methodius inaugurated by Pope Adrian II and blessed by Pope John VIII was to be bi-ritual, another is the Church of the Union was not to be a national but an international Slavic witness.
Posted By: Fr Serge Keleher Re: Vikings and the Russia - 09/01/08 09:55 PM
The accent in Saint Josaphat's name falls on the first syllable in English. It is an alternative spelling of Jehosaphat.

Fr. Serge
Posted By: Mykhayl Re: Vikings and the Russia - 09/01/08 10:01 PM
Слава Ісусу Христу!

Thank you Father for cleaning up my American, from the land of the Celts.
Posted By: Lawrence Re: Vikings and the Russia - 09/19/08 02:14 AM

The Viking influence among the Kyivan Rus is quite significant. In addition to Volodymyr, there were also generals Sveinald, Asmund, Sigurd, Dir and Askold, plus Prince Askold, Prince Igor, Prince Oleg of Kyiv, Prince Oleg (Volodymyr's brother) Lyut the son of Sveinald, and Olaf Tryggvison to name a few.
Posted By: Jean Francois Re: Vikings and the Russia - 09/19/08 03:59 AM
I came across this quote from a RISU article about the commemoration of the Holodomor (Genocide of 1932 - 1933) which has already occured and was broadcast by the Vatican Radio:

"12.09.2008 Unquenchable Candle» of Memory of Holodomor (Genocide) Burnt in Rome

The Embassy of Ukraine at the Holy See plans to light a symbolic "Unquenchable candle" also in Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican in front of the mosaic icons of Saints Volodymyr and Olha which were placed on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus’-Ukraine."

It's the only evidence I would find that the larger than life size Byzantine mozaics of Saints Volodymyr and Olha do in fact exist just a few yards from were St-Peter is buried in St-Peter's Basilica.

I.F.
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