Аскольдово крещение Руси 860 года в контексте культурно-исторических реалий становления Киевского государства

Abstract

Статья посвящена исследованию отправной точки становления киевской христианской культуры – походу князя Аскольда на Константинополь в 860 г. и первому крещению Руси. Эти события положили начало культурно-духовным трансформациям в древнерусском обществе.

Стаття присвячена дослідженню відправної точки становлення київської християнської культури – походу князя Аскольда на Константинополь у 860 р. і першому хрещенню Русі. Ці події поклали початок культурно-духовним трансформаціям у давньоруському суспільстві.

The article is dedicated to the investigation of the starting point of the formation of Kiev Christian culture – prince Askold’s campaign against Constantinople in 860 and the first Christening of Rus. The place of localization of Askold’s Rus is paid attention to in the article. The work points out that the central core of ancient Rus state was Kiev. The author highlights the historical information about the rus people’s expedition in 860. Written sources which highlight this event are being used in the article, namely, domestic chronicles, foreign authors’ evidence, patriarch Photiy’s homilies. The motivation of the campaign against Byzantine have been specified, the idea of parity of Kiev and Constantinople in this historical period has been traced which helped to set a boundary between the church and secular foundations. It has been also stated that as a result of a well planned by the prince and his nearest company action, Rus became involved in the rich eastern Christian cultural area preserving its political independence. The first marks of Christian influence on Kievan culture have been determined: Askold’s burial according to Christian tradition. The Christian name of Askold – “Nikolay” – has been paid attention to. In connection with it the history of one of the first Kievan churches of St. Nikolay has been investigated. The article claims that in the IX century a difficult and not always consecutive process of gradual christening of Kievan Rus began. Without understanding the events connected with Askold’s christening of Rus it is impossible to realize processes of a rather successful christening of Kievan state by prince Vladimir. The Kievan rus’ 860 campaign against Byzantine started the cultural and spiritual transformations in the ancient rus society.