The great and wise Prince Vladimir in 988 led Rus' to the Christian faith through the ritual of Baptism. Therefore, the image with his face is highly revered on the territory of the Russian state. On canvases, the Equal-to-the-Apostles prince is often depicted with a cross, similar to the one held by the first apostles. This attribute testifies to the rooting of Orthodoxy in the Fatherland, which has become the core of the Russian people.
Believers humbly ask the miraculous image for intercession, for reconciliation during quarrels or wars, as well as for deliverance from serious illnesses.
Life of a Saint
Prince Vladimir was born in Kievan Rus in the middle of the 10th century from the Nativity of Christ, was the son of the Drevlyan princess Malusha and the noble prince of Kyiv Svyatoslav, as well as the grandson of Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga, the first woman, and generally the first, to accept Christianity in Kievan Rus. Despite his Christian roots, Vladimir grew up as an angry, bloodthirsty and unkind boy, because he was brought up in pagan traditions by his uncle Dobrynya, since he was left without parental care as a child. At a young age he was made prince of the city of Novgorod, where he ruled for more than eight years. In the midst of internecine wars between the princes for the throne of Kiev, he overthrew his older brother Yaropolk from the throne and began to rule in Kyiv and in the lands close to the city. Having ascended the Kiev throne, the ardent pagan Vladimir introduced sacrificial offerings of people to the pagan gods in Rus', although animal sacrifices were already not uncommon at that time. After their victorious campaign on the lands of the Yatvingians, in honor of successful victories and the seizure of new lands, the first human sacrifices were sacrificed to pagan idols, which were the Varangians - Christians Fyodor and John (Father and Son).
Icon of Prince Vladimir
By the time Vladimir ascended the princely throne, paganism was flourishing on the territory of Kievan Rus.
The prince began to rule as a pagan, winning the respect of the people of Kiev and his squad as a wise and honest man by pagan standards. It is known that he was brave and brave in battles. The name Vladimir is Slavic, originally Russian. Therefore, this name does not have a special translation: every person who speaks Russian will understand that it means “who owns the world.” That is, the name consists of two parts: “vlad” and “peace.” At first this name was pagan. However, when Prince Vladimir baptized Rus' and changed his life, he was canonized, and children began to be baptized in his honor. Back in 983, Prince Vladimir himself made sacrifices and was a torturer, and just five years later he became Prince Vladimir the Red Sun, the Baptist of Rus'. It was precisely because of his life and sincere work that he was canonized as a saint, and not at all because the Church thanked him for the “new lands.”
At the invitation of the prince, preachers from different countries came to Kyiv: ambassadors from the Muslim Bulgarians who lived beyond the Volga, Latin Germans, Jews and Greeks. The prince asked about their faith, and everyone offered him their faith. But the strongest impression on him was made by the Greek Orthodox preacher, who at the end of his conversation showed him a picture of the Last Judgment. On the advice of the boyars, Vladimir sent ten wise men to test on the spot whose faith was better. When these Russian ambassadors arrived in Constantinople, the splendor of the St. Sophia Church, the harmonious singing of the court singers and the solemnity of the patriarchal service touched them to the depths of their souls: “We did not know,” they later told Vladimir, “we stood on earth or in heaven.” And the boyars immediately remarked to him: “If the Greek faith had not been better than other faiths, your grandmother Olga, the wisest of people, would not have accepted it.”
To a great commander and true believer, / all Rus', Vasily, will write thanks to you, having you as a leader and protector, / as if you delivered us from all filth and flattery, even so we cry out: Rejoice , Grand Duke Vladimir the Most Blessed.
The question of faith in Rus'
The carefree life and sacrifices to idols continued, but over time, troubled times began in Rus', consisting of confrontation between religions and spiritual wars, so Prince Vladimir began to think about unifying and strengthening his Power. The ruler of Kievan Rus, Vladimir, realized that only a single faith would help pacify his loyal subjects, a single religion could stop strife and spiritual wars, because then there would be no need to praise their gods and prove the righteousness of this or that religion. To resolve the issue of the necessary religion in Rus', holy fathers from all over the world came to the capital city of Kyiv. The capital of Holy Rus' was visited by Greeks, Bulgarians, ambassadors from Rome, Khazar Jews, philosophers and theologians from many other countries came, who told the Grand Duke about the advantages of their religion. In addition, foreign ambassadors tried to convince the Prince of Kyiv that only their faith was correct and the future of the whole world lay behind it. Prince Vladimir received everyone in turn, listened attentively, asked questions, after which he discussed the answers received for a long time with his entourage. But what pierced the heart of the Grand Duke most of all was the story of the Greek philosopher, who told the ruler of Rus' about the birth of the savior of this world Jesus Christ, about his earthly life, about the Way of the Cross and crucifixion, and also spoke about the miraculous Resurrection of the Lord Christ and his Ascension to heaven . The Greek elder told Prince Vladimir about the miracles performed by Christ during his lifetime, and about the spiritual help that the Savior gives to all sincerely asking Christians. In addition, the ruler of Kievan Rus heard stories about the Last Judgment, about sinners and righteous people, about Christian miracle workers and martyrs for the faith of Christ, and, of course, about the second coming of Jesus Christ. Vladimir the Great also heard about the pious baptism with water on the Jordan River, which, with the blessing of the True God, was performed by the Holy Prophet John the Baptist. The Greek’s profound story amazed the Prince of Kyiv, but he still did not dare decide on his religion, so he decided to wait, as he wanted to listen to all those who arrived, so as not to offend anyone.
Having listened to all the foreigners, Prince Vladimir had already made up his mind in the depths of his soul, but he could not make an independent decision without consulting the boyars and those close to him, so three religions were previously identified - Islam, Western Christianity and Orthodoxy, one of which could be introduced in Rus', as main For the final decision, it was decided to go to the countries where the chosen religions were professed, to personally become acquainted with the faith, the standard of living of the people and the state structure. The mission, led by the blessed Prince Vladimir, visited several countries, but what most impressed the ambassadors was the visit to the city of Constantinople. The mission was invited to a church service held in the Church of St. Sophia of the Wisdom of God, where the Russian ambassadors were surprised by the external beauty of the church and its interior decoration. The service itself, the singing of the church choir and the service of the priests left a great impression. The meaning of the service was explained to Prince Vladimir and his loyal subjects, after which the Russians did not have the slightest doubt about which religion to lean towards. Upon returning to Kyiv, they held a meeting at which the prince was informed that if the Christian faith were wrong, his grandmother, Holy Princess Olga, would not have accepted the Christian faith, and she was the wisest woman. The decision was made, all that remained was to baptize the common people, as the Holy Prophet John the Baptist did.
The Legend of Saint Vladimir
The most famous legend associated with this historical figure talks about the choice of faith. It is described in The Tale of Bygone Years. Saint Vladimir, the patron saint of the military, when he was a pagan, decided to host representatives of various religious movements.
- Bulgarians of the Mohammedan faith came to him and said that God ordered them not to eat meat, to be circumcised, not to drink wine, but that fornication was welcome.
- The Germans who came from Rome said that they believed in God, who created heaven, earth and the month, and their commandment was to fast.
- From the Khazar Jews Saint Vladimir learned that they believe in one God. Their commandments include circumcision, abstaining from pork and hare, and keeping the Sabbath.
- The last to come to the prince was the philosopher Cyril, who was sent by the Greeks. He told biblical stories, but this did not convince Vladimir to accept Christianity.
- He made his choice after a meeting with the boyars and analysis of the information received from the ambassadors.
Baptism of Rus'
And then a miracle happened, because in 988, invited Christian clergy from Byzantium baptized the inhabitants of Kievan Rus in the mighty Dnieper River, and the first to receive Holy Baptism was Prince Vladimir, who changed a lot after he became a Christian. Thus, Kievan Rus began to profess the Christian faith, after which the faith of Christ came to Novgorod, Suzdal, Vladimir, and many other cities of Mother Rus'. However, not everyone immediately accepted Jesus Christ in their hearts, because the preservation of pagan superstitions continued for a long time, but Christianity was strengthened and all this thanks to the efforts of Prince Vladimir the Great, who was so nicknamed for his great deeds for the good and prosperity of the Russian land and all its inhabitants.
Why was Vladimir canonized?
During his lifetime, the prince made a huge contribution to the spread of Christianity: he baptized Rus' and built many churches where people could learn about God. Many are interested in why Prince Vladimir was nicknamed a saint; he received his title thanks to his great service to the Russian people and his faith in Orthodoxy. They began to call him Equal to the Apostles because he was the first person with whom the Russian people were baptized.
When figuring out why Prince Vladimir became a saint, it is worth noting that he was made such only 100 years after his death. Many people are interested in what is causing this delay. Everything is quite understandable; the people’s memories of his numerous feasts, at which wine flowed like a river, were still fresh in the people’s memory. Church leaders argued for a long time over whether a person with such behavior as Vladimir could claim the status of an apostle of Christ. The positive decision was influenced by the desire to further strengthen the union of church and state.
The history of the appearance of the icon
It is not known for certain when and by whom the first icon of the blessed prince Vladimir the Great was created. Christian chronicles have conveyed to this day the belief that Prince Vladimir began to be deeply revered after the victory of Alexander Nevsky in the Battle of the Neva, namely in 1240. The celebration was introduced by none other than Alexander Nevsky himself, since before the battle he prayed to the Holy Prince and asked him for help in the upcoming battle. Most likely, around this time, the first image of the noble prince was created, but what he was like, how the icon painter depicted him, is, unfortunately, shrouded in mystery, which most likely will not be solved, at least in the near future.
Saint Vladimir in Orthodoxy
According to existing information, Vladimir was born around 960 (the exact date is unknown). His father Svyatoslav Igorevich was a prince in Rus', and his mother, to the surprise of many, was an ordinary concubine.
- The life of Saint Vladimir describes that for the first couple of years of his life he lived with his mother in the village and only a few years later he moved to Kyiv.
- In 972 he became the ruler of Novgorod, and eight years later he conquered Kyiv and became the ruler of Rus'.
- He was a pagan, but after a while he began to doubt his prejudices and began to invite different preachers to him, and Orthodoxy made the greatest impression on him, and he decided to be baptized.
- Before accepting Christianity, he had several pagan marriages, and after that he married twice. Vladimir became the father of 13 sons and 10 (or more) daughters.
What does it help with?
In front of the icon of the Holy Prince Vladimir the Great, it is customary to ask for help in strengthening the Christian faith, you can and should pray for the cleansing of the soul and heart from bad thoughts, make requests for guidance on the true path, and also, it is customary to pray for help in resisting worldly and earthly temptations temptations. Before this icon they pray for unity, for an end to internal strife, ask for protection from external enemies and evil spirits, and ask for help in troubles and adversities. To the spiritual image of Prince Vladimir, one can and should offer prayers for bodily ailments, especially blindness, not only physical, but also spiritual, because it is spiritual blindness that defiles a person’s life, protects him from communication with the Lord and does not allow him to find true faith in his soul and heart. Before the spiritual image of Saint Prince Vladimir, it is customary to pray for one’s Fatherland, for prosperity in it, and one should also pray for peace in Russia and unity. In addition, you can pray for your home, ask for a prosperous life in your home, ask for goodness and health for everyone living in it, therefore it is recommended to have this icon in every Orthodox home. A sincere prayer to the noble prince will always be heard, and then there will certainly be prosperity, both in every home and in our vast Russia. In grief, sadness, despair, in difficult life situations, in disappointment in life, one must offer prayers to the blessed Prince Vladimir the Great, and his holy help will not be long in coming. In Russia, the blessed Prince Vladimir is the heavenly patron of all workers who wear shoulder straps and stand guard over the internal security of our Motherland - (Ministry of Internal Affairs and FSB).
Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God: what do they pray for in front of the image?
When reading an akathist to the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, they warn of unrest, schism, or even war. He calms down any hostility, reconciles quarreling friends, helps to gain prudence and keeps him from rash actions. Also, this relic helps to strengthen faith, supports a Christian in difficult times and does not allow him to stumble by succumbing to temptation.
In addition, the miraculous image heals even the most serious illnesses. A prayer request addressed to the shrine relieves symptoms, alleviates the course of the disease, or even cures it altogether. Most often, people suffering from dysfunction of the cardiovascular system, as well as eye diseases - cataracts, glaucoma, myopia or astigmatism, appeal to the icon . Thanks to this, the holy face of the Mother of God is a symbol of insight - both physical and spiritual.
This relic also helps those who have to make an important, fateful decision. She is also famous as the patroness of marriage and family, preserving understanding and unity between husband and wife.
Therefore, if you want your home to be overshadowed by the grace emanating from the Vladimir Mother of God, you simply need to buy an amber icon. This image, created by a master from natural gems, will protect household members from illnesses, sins and evil forces, strengthen their health, maintain peace and harmony in the family!
In which churches are there icons of the Saint?
There are icons of the blessed Prince Vladimir in many Christian churches and monastic monasteries of Mother Rus'; they cannot be counted or described all. It is worth mentioning large churches and deeply significant for Russian people, where this icon is located.
- Moscow temple in the name of Saint Prince Vladimir, which is located at the Cossack cadet corps.
- Temple of the Blessed Prince Vladimir in Saratov.
- Voronezh Church named after Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir the Great.
The greatness of the icon of Prince Vladimir is undeniable, and therefore, one should pray to this image in order to always remember the holiness of the land called Russia, and the true Orthodox faith, without which there would be no our Fatherland, our spirituality and all the good things that exist on Russian land.
How did Saint Vladimir die?
The prince spent the last years of his life in enmity with his eldest sons. He planned a campaign against Novgorod, but this event never happened, since Vladimir became seriously ill and eventually died, and this happened on July 15, 1015. For those who are interested in who Vladimir is, you should know that he was the ruler of Rus' for 37 years and 28 of them he was baptized.
The relics of Saint Vladimir were placed in a marble shrine, which was placed in the Tithe Assumption Church next to the shrine of Queen Anna. When the Mongol-Tatar invasion occurred, the remains were buried under the ruins of the temple. They were found in 1635, and the head of the prince was placed in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, and small particles in other places. In different cities, cathedrals were built and monuments erected in honor of Prince Vladimir.
Meaning
The icon of Saint Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles, is deeply revered by believers in Russia, and is also of great importance for the Russian land. It is a symbol of faith, since the holy baptism of Mother Rus' and its inhabitants, which was embodied by the Orthodox Prince Vladimir, was of great importance for the development of the Russian State, for the spirituality of its inhabitants and the future prosperity of the Fatherland. In a difficult period of disunity, numerous military conflicts, all sorts of unrest, internecine wars between the princes for the throne of Kiev, Prince Vladimir managed to unite his people, managed to give hope for the prosperity of the Russian land, and all this, thanks to the baptism of Holy Rus', after which Christianity became one of the dominant and revered religions in the state. This icon is of great importance for the soul of a Christian, because it teaches deep self-assessment of one’s condition, and helps to determine what exactly is happening in the soul at the moment. This is very important for every Orthodox believer and even the most inveterate atheist, because to understand yourself, determine your future and your actions, figure out where the truth is and where the lies are, abandon the sinful path and take the true path - this is the main meaning of life, in which the spiritual image on the icon of Saint Prince Vladimir certainly helps.
Saint Vladimir - interesting facts
There is a lot of interesting information associated with such a person, which gives a chance to get to know the prince better.
- In Kyiv, a church was built in honor of the Mother of God and it was called “Tithe”, and this is due to the fact that Vladimir introduced the “tithe” tax, that is, a tenth of all income had to be given.
- Not everyone voluntarily agreed to the baptism performed by Saint Vladimir, since people did not want to forget their gods. Novgorod rebelled the most, so it was baptized with “fire and sword,” that is, ardent opponents were killed and soldiers set fire to the houses of Novgorodians.
- Prince Vladimir is depicted on the Ukrainian currency with a face value of 1 hryvnia.
Prayer to Saint Vladimir for health
After the prince was recognized by the church as a saint, many people began to turn to him so that he would intercede for them before the Lord God. There is a special prayer to Saint Vladimir that you can read to get rid of various diseases and improve your life. You can say it at any time and anywhere, but first it is recommended to read “Our Father”. Prayer to Prince Vladimir helps people who sincerely believe in God.
