She was the first woman to become the ruler of one of the largest states at that time - Kievan Rus. This woman's revenge was terrible, and her rule was harsh. The princess was perceived ambiguously. Some considered her wise, some considered her cruel and cunning, and some considered her a real saint. Princess Olga went down in history as the creator state culture Kievan Rus, as the first ruler to be baptized, as the first Russian saint..
Princess Olga became famous after the tragic death of her husband
While still a very young girl, Olga became the wife of the Grand Duke of Kyiv, Igor. According to legend, their first meeting was quite unusual. One day, a young prince, who wanted to cross the river, called from the shore a man floating in a boat. He saw his companion only after they had sailed. To the prince’s surprise, a girl of incredible beauty was sitting in front of him. Succumbing to his feelings, Igor began to persuade her to commit vicious actions. Meanwhile, having understood his thoughts, the girl reminded the prince of the honor of a ruler, who should be a worthy example for his subjects. Ashamed by the words of the young maiden, Igor abandoned his intentions. Noting the girl’s intelligence and chastity, he parted with her, keeping her words and image in his memory. When the time came to choose a bride, not a single one of the Kyiv beauties came to his heart. Remembering the stranger with the boat, Igor sent his guardian, Oleg, after her. So Olga became Igor’s wife and a Russian princess.
However, the princess became famous only after the tragic death of her husband. Soon after the birth of his son Svyatoslav, Prince Igor was executed. He became the first ruler in Russian history to die at the hands of the people, outraged by the repeated collection of tribute. The heir to the throne was only three years old at that time, so virtually all power passed into the hands of Olga. She ruled Kievan Rus until Svyatoslav came of age, but even after that, in reality, the princess remained the ruler, since her son most time away from military campaigns
Having gained power, Olga mercilessly took revenge on the Drevlyans
The first thing she did was to mercilessly take revenge on the Drevlyans, who were responsible for the death of her husband. Pretending that she agreed to a new marriage with the prince of the Drevlyans, Olga dealt with their elders, and then subjugated the entire people. In her revenge, the princess used any methods. Luring the Drevlyans to the place she needed, on her orders, the Kievans buried them alive, burned them, and bloodthirstyly won the battle. And only after Olga finished her reprisal, she began to govern Kievan Rus.
Princess Olga is the first Russian woman to officially convert to Christianity
Princess Olga directed her main forces to domestic policy which she tried to implement through diplomatic methods. Traveling around the Russian lands, she suppressed the revolts of small local princes and carried out a number of important reforms. The most important of them was administrative and tax reform. In other words, she established centers of trade and exchange in which taxes were collected in an orderly manner. The financial system became a strong support of princely power in lands far from Kyiv. Thanks to Olga's reign, the defensive power of Rus' increased significantly. Strong walls grew around the cities, and the first state borders of Russia were established - in the west, with Poland.
The princess strengthened international ties with Germany and Byzantium, and relations with Greece opened up Olga A New Look to the Christian faith. In 954, the princess, for the purpose of a religious pilgrimage and diplomatic mission, went to Constantinople, where she was received with honor by Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus.
Before deciding to be baptized, the princess spent two years learning the basics of the Christian faith. While attending services, she was amazed at the grandeur of the temples and the shrines collected in them. Princess Olga, who received the name Elena at baptism, became the first woman to officially convert to Christianity in pagan Rus'. Upon her return, she ordered temples to be built in graveyards. During his reign Grand Duchess erected the churches of St. Nicholas and St. Sophia in Kyiv, the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary in Vitebsk. By her decree, the city of Pskov was built, where the Holy Church was erected Life-Giving Trinity. According to legend, the location of the future temple was indicated to her by rays descending from the sky.
The baptism of Princess Olga did not lead to the establishment of Christianity in Rus'
The princess tried to introduce her son to Christianity. Despite the fact that many nobles had already accepted new faith, Svyatoslav remained faithful to paganism. The baptism of Princess Olga did not lead to the establishment of Christianity in Rus'. But her grandson, the future Prince Vladimir, continued the mission of his beloved grandmother. It was he who became the baptist of Rus' and founded the Church of the Assumption Holy Mother of God in Kyiv, where he transferred the relics of the saints and Olga. Under his reign, the princess began to be revered as a saint. And already in 1547 she was officially canonized as a saint, equal to the apostles. It is worth noting that only five women received this honor. Christian history- Mary Magdalene, First Martyr Thekla, Martyr Apphia, Queen Helen Equal to the Apostles and Nina, the Enlightener of Georgia. Today, Holy Princess Olga is revered as the patroness of widows and newly converted Christians.
) from 945, after death Prince Igor, until 962.
She accepted Christianity even before the baptism of Rus' - under the name Elena, since Olga is a Scandinavian name, not a Christian one. According to The Tale of Bygone Years, she was originally from Pskov, from a poor family, and Oleg brought her together with Igor.
After Igor's death, her determination tilted her husband's squad in her favor - thanks to this, she became a ruler, which was not typical for Rus' at that time. For the death of her husband Drevlyans(who killed him) Olga took revenge four times:
- When 20 matchmakers of the Drevlyan prince Mal came to Olga on a boat to woo, she buried them alive along with the boat.
- After this, she asked to send to her a new embassy of the Drevlyans from best husbands(they say the first twenty were not good enough). She burned the new ambassadors alive in the bathhouse where they bathed before meeting the princess.
- Olga arrived in the lands of the Drevlyans with the official version of celebrating a funeral feast for her deceased husband at his grave. The Drevlyans fell in love again - Olga drugged them and massacred them cleanly (chronicles speak of 5 thousand dead).
- Campaign of 946 to the lands of the Drevlyans. Princess Olga surrounded the capital Korosten (Iskorosten) and, after a long unsuccessful siege, burned the city with the help of birds (tying set fire tow with sulfur to their paws). Only ordinary peasants were left alive.
Having avenged the death of her husband, Olga returned to Kyiv and ruled there until Svyatoslav came of age, and in fact even after that - because Svyatoslav was constantly on campaigns and did little to govern the principality.
Olga's main achievements in the reign of Russia:
- Strengthened the centralization of power in Rus' by going to Novgorod and Pskov in 947, and appointed tribute (lessons) there.
- Formed a system of trade and exchange centers (the so-called “ churchyards"), which later turned into administrative-territorial units. Initially, these were small settlements with a temple and a market, as well as an inn.
- She conquered the Drevlyan lands and Volyn, opening trade routes to the west, as well as control over them.
- She was the first to start building houses in Kyiv from stone, not wood.
- Back in 945 she developed new system taxation ( polyudya) with different terms, frequency and amounts of payments - taxes, dues, charters.
- Divided the lands subject to Kyiv into administrative units with princely administrators ( tiunami) at the head.
- She was baptized in 955 in Constantinople, then promoted Christian ideas among the Kyiv nobility.
An interesting fact from “The Tale...”: the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII wanted to take Olga as his wife, but she replied that it was inappropriate for a pagan to marry a Christian. Then the patriarch and Constantine baptized her, and the latter repeated his request. Olga answered him that now he is hers Godfather, and conducted it in this way. The Emperor laughed, presented Olga with gifts and sent her home.
Since ancient times, people in the Russian land have called Saint Olga Equal to the Apostles “the head of the faith” and “the root of Orthodoxy.” Olga’s baptism was marked by the prophetic words of the patriarch who baptized her: “Blessed are you among Russian women, for you have left darkness and loved the Light. The Russian sons will glorify you to the last generation!” At baptism, the Russian princess was honored with the name of Saint Helen, Equal to the Apostles, who worked hard to spread Christianity in the vast Roman Empire and gained Life-giving Cross, on which the Lord was crucified. Like her 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. Let's turn to the story of her life.
The name of the future enlightener of Rus' and her homeland are named in the oldest of the chronicles - “The Tale of Bygone Years” in the description of the marriage of the Kyiv prince Igor: “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 Velikaya River, he saw “someone floating 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 “bright 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 principalities. But none of them pleased him. And then he remembered Olga, “wonderful in maidens,” 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 embassies of the Drevlyans to Kyiv, putting them to a 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 “walks” across the Russian land in order to build the political and economic life of the country. She achieved the strengthening of the power of the Kyiv Grand Duke and centralized government administration through the system of “cemeteries.” The chronicle notes that she, her son and her retinue, walked through the Drevlyansky land, “establishing tributes and quitrents,” noting 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. “Hunting places for her (hunting places) were all over the earth, signs were installed, places for her 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 the following about Olga’s labors: “And Princess Olga ruled the regions of the Russian land under her control not as a woman, but as a strong and reasonable husband, firmly holding power in her hands and courageously defending herself from enemies. And she was terrible for the latter, loved by her own people, as a merciful and pious ruler, as a righteous judge who offends no one, inflicting punishment with mercy and rewarding 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 a temperate 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” - to the military building. The establishment of the first state borders Kievan Rus. 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 (“the 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 by example Byzantine Empire that it is 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 “Book of Degrees” writes: “Her [Olga’s] feat 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 Rev. Nestor the Chronicler narrates: “Blessed Olga from an early age 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 a religious pilgrimage, 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,” the life of Saint Olga narrates. According to the chronicle, in Constantinople Olga decides to become a Christian. The sacrament of Baptism was performed over her by 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 gold, decorated precious stones dish. Olga donated it to the sacristy of the Hagia Sophia Cathedral, where it was seen and described at the beginning of the 13th century by the Russian diplomat Dobrynya Yadreikovich, later Archbishop Anthony of Novgorod: “The dish is a great gold service for Olga the Russian, when she took tribute while going to Constantinople: in Olga’s dish there is a precious stone “Christ is written on the same stones.”
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 service 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 “three bright rays” descending from the sky from the east. Addressing her companions, who were witnesses to 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 a great and glorious city here, 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 the “House of the Holy Trinity.” Through mysterious ways of spiritual succession, after four centuries, this veneration was transferred to St. Sergius of 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 Irene, and moved the shrines of the St. Sophia Olga Church to the still standing stone Church of St. Sophia of Kiev, founded in 1017 and consecrated around 1030. In the Prologue of the 13th century it is said about Olga’s cross: “It now stands in Kyiv in St. Sophia in the altar on 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, “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” tells about it this way: “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 you, 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.” Moreover, 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 the most important issues: about the dynastic marriage of Svyatoslav with the Byzantine princess and about the conditions for the restoration of the metropolis that existed under Askold in Kyiv. 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 writes: “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 ordained in his place, whom Otto, “generously providing everything necessary,” finally sent to Russia. When Adalbert appeared in Kyiv in 962, 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, and the bishop himself did not escape mortal danger,” as 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 go into matters of personal piety, leaving 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 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 have preserved the words of Svyatoslav, surrounded with his retinue by a huge Greek army: “We will not disgrace the Russian land, but we will lie with our bones here! 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 ancient empire Romans, which will 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 on her deathbed did not stop preaching: “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 last request of mine: 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 send the gold to Constantinople to the Holy Patriarch, so that he may 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; O speedy execution Blessed Olga prayed for this prophecy at her death. And there was also prayer on her lips when her honest soul was released from her body, and, as righteous, was accepted by the hands of God.” On July 11, 969, Saint Olga died, “and her son and grandchildren and all the people cried for her with great lamentation.” Presbyter Gregory fulfilled her will exactly.
Saint Olga Equal to the Apostles was canonized at a council in 1547, which confirmed her widespread veneration in Rus' even 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 was opened, 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 origins of Russian spiritual history.
Saint Olga, Equal to the Apostles, became the spiritual mother of the Russian people, through her their enlightenment with the light of the Christian 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 spiritual meaning of this name, the people called Oleg Prophetic, and Olga - Wise. Subsequently, Saint Olga will be called Bogomudra, emphasizing her main gift, which became the basis of the entire ladder of holiness for 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 participation Mother of God in Housebuilding of Holy Rus'. Kyiv, i.e. 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.
The Christian name of Saint Olga - Helen (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 thousand years of history Christian Russia.
Ancient chronicles give conflicting information about the place and date of Olga’s birth, whether she comes from a princely family or is of an ordinary family, and disputes about this are still going on. Someone calls her the daughter of Prince Oleg the Prophet, other sources believe that she the race is coming from Bulgaria from Prince Boris. The famous Nestor in “The Tale of Bygone Years” indicates Olga’s homeland is a village near Pskov, and that she is from the common people.
Also, in the biography of Princess Olga, only brief information has been preserved.
According to one legend, Prince Igor Rurikovich met Olga in the forest when he was having fun hunting. Having decided to cross the river, he asked Olga, who was passing by on a boat, to transport him, mistaking her for a young man. The girl turned out to be very beautiful, smart and pure in intentions. Later, Prince Igor married Olga.
Kiev Princess Olga proved herself to be a very wise ruler in Rus'. During the military campaigns of Prince Igor, she dealt with political issues, received ambassadors, and dealt with complainants, governors, and warriors. Prince Igor and Princess Olga were not only a happy married couple, but also ruled the country together, sharing administrative responsibilities.
Igor led the war and resolved inter-tribal issues, while Olga dealt with the internal life of the country.
In 945, Prince Igor was killed by the Drevlyans for collecting tribute again. Princess Olga brutally took revenge on the rebels, showing cunning and strong will.
To settle the matter with Olga, the Drevlyans sent 20 husbands to her with an offer to marry their prince Mal. According to Olga’s order, they were met and carried with honor right in the boats, and at the place of arrival they were thrown into a pre-prepared pit and buried alive.
Then Princess Olga sent her ambassadors to the Drevlyan land with a demand to send the best husbands for her in order to come to them with great honor. A bathhouse was flooded for the new ambassadors, where they were locked and then burned.
And again Olga sent ambassadors and demanded that honey be prepared in order to celebrate a funeral feast at her husband’s grave. The princess arrived with a small retinue. During the funeral feast, the Drevlyans became drunk, and Olga’s squad cut them down with swords.
But Princess Olga’s revenge on the Drevlyans did not end there. She gathered an army and the next year went to the Drevlyan land. The Drevlyans were defeated, but they main city Korosten was not taken.
Then Olga demanded a tribute from them in the amount of three doves and three sparrows from each yard. The besieged inhabitants of the city were delighted with such a small payment and fulfilled her wish. Olga ordered the soldiers to tie pieces of tinder to the birds’ feet (tinder is a flammable material such as grass, sawdust, bark, paper) and release them into the wild. The birds flew to their nests, and soon Korosten was engulfed in fire. People who fled the city were killed or enslaved, and a heavy tribute was imposed on the rest.
Having pacified the Drevlyans, Grand Duchess Olga actively took up tax reform. She abolished polyudyas, divided the lands into “pogosts” (regions) and established “lessons” (a fixed amount of taxes) for each graveyard. The meaning of Princess Olga's reforms was to create an orderly system for collecting tribute, weakening tribal power and strengthening the authority of the Kyiv prince.
Princess Olga's son Svyatoslav was still small after the death of Prince Igor, so power was concentrated in Olga's hands. And then Olga’s reign in Rus' continued, because Svyatoslav very often went on military campaigns.
Under Princess Olga, the first stone structures began to be built in Kyiv, new cities appeared, surrounded by strong stone walls.
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 Christian faith higher than pagan. In 957, she undertook a trip to Constantinople to receive baptism from Emperor Constantine VII himself (although some sources speak of his co-ruler Romanus II) and Patriarch Theophylact. At baptism Kyiv princess received the name Elena.
The Byzantine emperor, fascinated by the beauty and intelligence of the Russian princess, decided to take her as his wife. Olga, true to her memory of her husband, managed to reject the offer without offending the emperor.
Olga's attempts to convert her son Svyatoslav to Orthodoxy were unsuccessful, apparently because Svyatoslav was afraid of losing the authority and respect of his squad, although he did not prevent others from converting to Christianity.
The baptism of Princess Olga did not lead to the establishment of Christianity in Rus', but she had a great influence on her grandson Vladimir, who continued her work.
Princess Olga died in 969 in Kyiv. And only in 1547 she was recognized as a saint.
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 a great creator 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 Olga's exact date of birth are still ongoing. - some historians insist on the date of c. 890, others - on the date of 920 (although this date is absurd due to the fact that Olga married Igor at 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 only son 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 him. 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. For nine long years, a lot bloody victims Oleg brought it to the idols, burned so many people and bulls alive, and waited for the Slavic gods to give Igor a 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 ,twenty-fourth year life together, an heir was born to Prince Igor - Svyatoslav! The prince overwhelmed Olga with gifts. She took the most expensive ones to the Church of Elijah - for the 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 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 also remained in paganism, Grand Duke Kyiv Svyatoslav Igorevich.
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 a great influence on her grandson Vladimir, who continued her work. She did not wage wars of conquest, but directed all her energy to domestic politics, so she for a long time 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.
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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. Days of liberation of the city from fascist invaders(July 23, 1944) and the memory of Saint 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 the needy, 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 the good and useful life of temporal and eternal life, so that having lived here well, we will be worthy of the inheritance of eternal blessings in the endless Kingdom of Christ our God, to Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, belongs 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.”
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