www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Vikings and the Russia

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.

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.