Russian history. Princess Olga

In our national memory, the majestic image of a woman with an uncomplyful will and high dignity, uncomplyful courage and truly state mind are captured forever. Holy fabulous equalizable princess Olga - Unusually whole personality, Genuinely a great woman, the power of circumstances inserted at the head of a huge, still emerging state. Holy Olga was worthy of that historical lot, which she fell. Moreover, the fishery of God was the honor of making a choice, which determined the subsequent fate of Russia, and the princess itself identified church retention as equivalent.

"The Chief of Faith" and "The root of Orthodoxy" In Russian Earth, people called the Holy Holy equal to the Apostles Olga. It makes no sense to fall into complex, not indisputable and, in fact, meaningless surveys about the "national" - Slavic or Varangian origin of equivalent princess. Her name - Olga - Scandinavian, it exists to this day in Denmark and in Sweden in the form of "Helga". And to St. Olga, at the head of the beginning Rus, we see some Scandinavian, "Varyazh" ("Castled" or distorted) Names of the Vikings of Swedish, Norwegian or Danish Origin - Rurik, Trourvor (Swedish - Trevor), Sineus (Swedish - Senius), Askold, Dir (originals These names are difficult to establish), Oleg (Danish - Helge), Igor (Swedish Ingvar), Sveneld.

At Princess Olga, the Varangian number of Rurikov's names is interrupted. Next comes the names of Slavic. Son Olga - Svyatoslav, her grandson - Vladimir. It is no coincidence.

Normans, Varyags quickly assimilated the language of the ethnic majority with which they tied their destiny. And there is no damage to those peoples that the Norman influence experienced. Impact It was sensitive throughout Europe, at the dawn of the formation of its nations and states. There is no damage from the Varyazhsky Damage to the dignity of Russia, because its "Slavs" is not in ethnic "purity" (there is no such thing), but in the championship slavic language Among the manifold of its peoples and ethnic groups ...

And one more not an unimportant circumstance. She, St. Olga, the first of the family, from the Rurikovich dynasty, accepted Christianity. The liturgical language of Christian Russia of that time, the Slavic was undoubtedly. For her, the Voragenian aristocrats, the Christian faith opened up with that of its deep-side, which is now not fully clear for our contemporaries.

Christian faith - This vera is noble, this is a faith of noble people. Noble in spirit, not for class origin, social Regulations. The basis of Christianity is all signs of true nobility: love of neighbor to self-sacrifice, mercy, selflessness. Even the enemies appear to the enemies, condescension and uncompanition, paradoxically combined with continuously resilience in concerning the principles of faith and in defending these principles. Honesty, rejection of lying, cleanliness moral, high personal dignity, different from pride and impartially - all this was in the high perfection of corporate manifestations of the ancient Christian community. In it, each personality is invaluable and respected, since every person is unique, because each is valuable for God. After all, the founder of this faith came to Earth and opened the gates of salvation for everyone for each person.

This nobility was not alien to the ancient wanderers of the seas Varyagi-Vikings. Without these qualities, Varyagov's squads - merchant merchants, harsh, cruel warriors and fearless navigators could not live. They are Norman-Varyagi - reinforced Europe and reached the African shores of ancient Carthage. They, the heroes of the northern waters, reached polar ice, Prayed Iceland and South of Greenland, came to Decolumbov America. They, Vikings-Varyagi, passed water paths In the Caspian and to the shores of Persia. They shook the walls of the "capital of the world" of Constantinople-Tsargrad, where more unheard of wealth and luxury were impressed by their wonders and the beauty of the "Greek" faith, and where their tribesmen have long served in the elite wage guard of the emperors. They were well known to Varyagam that without mutual revenue, without the devotion of the warriors, a squad and prince-konung, without dedication and the ability to self-sacrifice, not to survive their Radia-dragar on the sea-ocean, nor on land a squad in mortal battle. And in the external comparison, Christians had something sprinkling them, Varyags. Even the temples of Christians are built on the principle and shape of the ship, and the very surrounding life from them is the "sea of \u200b\u200blife", and the community is like a vehicle team, floating through the storms and attack the "Estimacy of the Sea". And the guide to the majority is a stormy side - the founder of this faith, which showed an amazing, paradoxical example of the highest nobility in sacrificial love before the godfather.

Baptism Olga It was marked by the prophetic words of the Patriarch, having killed her: "You are blessed in the wives of the Russians, for I left the darkness and loved the light. To glorify you will be the sons of Russian to the last kind! "

When baptized, the Russian princess was awarded the name of the Holy, a lot of worried in the spread of Christianity in a huge Roman Empire and who had acquired the life-giving cross, on which the Lord was crucified.
Like his heavenly patroness Olga has become an equivalent preacher of Christianity on the immense expanses of the land of Russian.
In the chronicle testimonies, there are many chronological inaccuracies and mysteries, but it is unlikely that there may be doubts about the reliability of the majority of the facts of her life, reported to our time with grateful descendants of the Holy Princess - the organizer of the Russian Earth.

Narration about the life of the Blessed Princess Olga

The name of the future enlightenment of Russia and his homeland is the oldest of the chronicles - "Tale of time years" Calls in the description of marriage Kiev Prince Igor: "And led him a wife from Pskov name Olga". The Joacimovskaya chronicle clarifies that it belonged to the nature of the princes of islas - one of the old Russian princely dynasties.
Igor's spouse called the Vorazhsky name Helga, in Russian pronunciation - Olga (Volga).

The legend calls Motherland Olga, the village of Guests from Pskov, up the river Great. The life of Saint Olga tells that it was held here for the first time a meeting with the future spouse.
Young prince hunted "In the field of Pskov" And, wanting to move the great river, I saw "Some sailing in the boat" And I called him to the shore. After sailing from the shore in the boat, the prince found that his amazing beauty girl was being brought. Igor praised her lust and began to decline it to sin.

The carrier turned out to be not only beautiful, but Chastryna and smart. She usteed Igor, reminding him of the princely dignity of the ruler and the proud, which should be "Light example of good deeds" For your filed. Igor broke up with her, keeping her words in memory and beautiful image.

When it's time to choose the bride, Kiev collected the most beautiful girls Principality. But none of them came to his heart. And then he remembered "WARNING IN MUYS" Olga and sent for her the affection of his prince Oleg.

So Olga became the wife of Prince Igor, the Great Russian Princess. After marriage, Igor went hiking on the Greeks, and returned from him by the Father: Son Svyatoslav was born.
Soon Igor was killed by the rallies. Fearing revenge for the murder of the Kiev Prince, the Drevlyan sent ambassadors to Princess Olga, offering her to marry her ruler Malom. Olga pretended to agree.

She barely lured in Kiev two embassies of the Drevlyan, betraying their painful death: the first was buried alive "On the courtyard of the prince"Secondly - burned in the bath. After that, five thousand husbands of the Trees were killed by the soldiers of Olga on the Trenna in Igor at the walls of the Drevalnskaya capital of the eraser.

Next year Olga again approached the army to the eraser. The city was burned with the help of birds, to the legs of which tied the burning pass. The surviving rallies were captivated and sold into slavery.

Along with this, the chronicles are full of evidence of her tireless "Walking" in Russian land for the purpose of construction of the country's political and economic life.
She achieved strengthening the authorities of the Kiev Grand Duke, centralized public administration With system "Turns".

The chronicle notes that she and his friend went on the Round Earth, "Installing Danies and Regulations", noting villages and becoming and places of hunting to be included in the Kiev Grand Distribution. She went to Novgorod, arranging the floors on the rivers Mste and the meadow. "Catching it(hunting places) were throughout the land, set signs, places of her and grades, - writes the chronicler, - and her sleigh stand in Pskov to this day, there are places given by her for catching birds on the Dnieper and on the gum; And the village of Her Olgichi exists and today ". Foreigns (from the word "guest" - a merchant) became the support of the grand mining of power, the foci of the ethnic and cultural association of the Russian people.

Life is so telling about the works of Olga: "And the princess Olga was controlled by the regions of Russian earth not as a woman, but how strong and reasonable husband, firmly holding power in your hands and courageously defending against enemies. And she was for the last terrible. His own people are loved, as the government is freezing and piety, as a righteous judgment and no one offended, imposing a punishment with mercy, and awarding kind; She inspired all the evil fear, rewarding everyone to everyone to the dignity of his actions, but she discovered all the affairs of the Office and wisdom.

At the same time, Olga, the merciful, soul, was generous, poor and poor; Before her heart, fair requests came soon, and she quickly performed them ...
With all this, Olga joined the abstrained and chaste life, she did not want to get married again, but in his pure widow, observing her son to his princely power to his age. When the last mature, she handed him all the affairs of the board, and herself, eliminating from molly and care, lived outside the concerns of the management, indulcing the benefits of the benefits ".

Rus grew and strengthened. Cities were built, surrounded by stone and oak walls. The princess itself lived behind the reliable walls of Vyigornod, surrounded by the faithful friend. Two thirds of the collected Dani, according to the Evidence of the Chronicles, she was at the disposal of Kiev Nad, the third part was "To Olga, on Vyshgorod" - on the rolling structure.

By the time Olga refers to the establishment of the first state borders of Kievan Rus

The Bogatyrs, squeezed in the episons, wore the peaceful life of Kievans from the nomads of the Great Steppe, from the attacks from the West. Alien rushed to Gardarika ( "Country Country"), as they called Rus, with goods. Scandinavians, Germans willingly entered mercenaries to the Russian arousal. Rus became a great power. As a wise government, Olga saw on the example of the Byzantine Empire, which is not worried only about state and economic life. It was necessary to do the arrangement of religious, spiritual life of the people.

The author of the "power book" writes: "Her feat (Olga) that was that she learned the true God. Not knowing the law of Christian, she lived a clean and chaste life, and she wanted to be a Christian in a free will, the way of the knowledge of God found hearts and went on him without hesitation ".

Rev. Nestor Chronicler narrates: "Blessed Olga from the Small years I was looking for wisdom that there is the best in the light of this, and found a multi-sided pearl - Christ".
Having made your choice, the Great Princess Olga, having ordered Kiev to have grown up, goes with large fleet in Constantinople. Old Russian chronicles will name this Act of Olga "Honor", it combined and religious pilgrimage, and a diplomatic mission, and a demonstration of Military Power of Russia. "Olga wanted to go to the Greeks herself to look at the Christian service and quite verify their teachings about the true God."- Mattles the life of Saint Olga.

According to the Chronicles testimony, Olga decides in Constantinople to become a Christian. The sacrament of baptism made her patriarch Constantinople Feofilakt. (933 - 956), and the perception was the emperor Konstantin Bagryanorogennoe (912 - 959), which remained in his essay "On the ceremonies of the Byzantine yard" detailed description Ceremonies during the stay of Olga in Constantinople. On one of the techniques of the Russian princess, golden, decorated precious stones dish. Olga sacrificed him to the saint of the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, where he saw him and described in the early XIII century Russian diplomat Dobrynya Yudgorikovich, subsequently Archbishop Novgorod Anthony: "The dish is a great gold official Olga Russian, when I took tribute to go to the Tsargrad: in the dish Olgin, the stone of Dragia, the stones are written on the same stones".

Patriarch blessed the new Russian Princess Cross, carved from whole piece The life-giving Tree of the Lord. On the cross was the inscription: "Updated Russian land with a holy cross, Olga adopted it, the princess". Olga returned to Kiev with icons, liturgical books - its apostolic ministry began.
She erected the temple in the name of St. Nicholas over the grave of Askold - the first Kiev Prince-Christian and many Kiev residents turned to Christ. With the sermon of faith, the princess north went. In the Kiev and Pskov lands, in remote weights, crosses erected at the crossroads of roads, destroying pagan idols.

Holy Olga marked the beginning of a special reverence in Russia's Most Holy Trinity

From the century, the narrative of the vision, the former River near the River, not far from the native village, was transmitted. She saw that from the east go from the sky "Three armored beam". Turning to his companions, former witnesses of vision, Olga said prophetically: "May you know that the Church will be in the name of the Most Holy and Living Territory, and there will be a great and glorious hail here in this place..
In this place, Olga erected the cross and founded the temple in the name of the Holy Trinity. He became the main cathedral of Pskov - the glorious country of Russian, named since "House of the Holy Trinity". The mysterious paths of the spiritual succession four centuries, this reverence was transferred to St. Sergia Radonezh.

In the prologue of the XIII century about an Aldhin Cross, it is said: "Like now in Kiev in St. Sophia in the altar on the right side". After the conquest of Kiev, Lithuanians, Olgin, the cross was abducted from the Sofia Cathedral and exported by Catholics to Lublin. Further fate is unknown to us. Princess's apostolic works have met the secret and open resistance of the pagans. Among the boyars and the warriors in Kiev there was a lot of people who, according to the chroniclers "The wisdom raised", like the Holy Olga, who built her temples.

The tranquits of the pagan antiquity, all the bolder raised their heads, with the hope of looking at the younger Svyatoslav, a resolutely rejected mother's persuasion to adopt Christianity. "Tale of time years" So tells about this: "Olga lived with his son with his Svyatoslav, and he persuaded his mother to be baptized, but he neglected with it and stuck it; However, if anyone wanted to be baptized, did not bother him or mocked him ...

Olga often said: "My Son, I know God and I am glad; So you, if you know, will also begin to rejoice. " He, without listening to this, said: "How can I wanted one faith to change? My warriors will laugh to this! " She told him: "If you are baptized, everyone will do."

He, who, not listening to the mother, lived on pagan customs, not knowing that if anyone does not listen, he will get into trouble, as it says: "If someone's father or mother does not listen, then death will take." He was also angry with his mother ... But Olga loved his son Svyatoslav, when he said: "Yes, there will be the will of God. If God wants to pardon the descendants of my and the land of Russian, and leads their hearts to turn to God, as it was a gift. " And speaking, I prayed for my son and for people of him all the days and nights, taking care of my son before his distress ".

Despite the success of his trip to Constantinople, Olga could not incline the emperor to the agreement on two crucial issues: On the dynastic marriage of Svyatoslav with the Byzantine princess and the conditions for the restoration of Metropolis in Kiev existing under Askold. Therefore, Holy Olga draws upwards to the West - the church was one at that time. It was unlikely that the Russian princess of theological differences of Greek and Latin creed could know.

In 959, the German chronicle writes: "Ambassador of Elena, Queen Russa, who was baptized in Constantinople, and requested to devote to the bishop and priests people to sit.. King Otton, the future founder of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation responded to the request of Olga. A year later, the bishop of Russian was raised by librations, from the brethth of the monastery of Saint Alban in Mainz, but he soon died (March 15, 961). Adalbert Trier, who Otton, devoted to his place "Generously providing all necessary", I finally sent to Russia.

When in 962, Adalbert appeared in Kiev, he "I did not have time for what was sent for what was sent, and saw their efforts in vain". On the way back "Some of his companions were killed, and the bishop itself did not escape the death hazard."- So tell the chronicle of the Mission Adalbert. The pagan reaction manifested itself so much that not only German missionaries were injured, but some of the Kiev Christians who kept with Olga. By order of Svyatoslav, Olga Gleb nephew was killed and some temples built by her.
Saint Olga had to compete with the happened and go to personal pietyBy providing the control of Svyatoslav to the pagan. Of course, it was still considered to be considered, to her experience and wisdom were invariably treated in all important cases. When Svyatoslav was leaning out of Kiev, the management of the state was instructed by Saint Olga.

The consolation for her was the glorious military victories of the Russian man. Svyatoslav defeated the long-standing enemy of the Russian state - Khazar Kaganat, forever crushing the power of the Jewish rulers of the Pazia and the Lower Volga region. The next blow was caused by Volga Bulgaria, then the turn of Danube Bulgaria came - eighty cities took Kiev warriors on the Danube.
Svyatoslav and his warriors personified the Bogatyr Spirit pagan Rus. The chronicles preserved the words of Svyatoslav, surrounded with his buddy with a huge Greek army: "It is not for the land of Russian, but I will lay down the bones here! The dead will not have! "

Svyatoslav dreamed of creating a huge Russian power from the Danube to the Volga, which would unite Rus and others slavic peoples. Holy Olga understood that with all the courage and courage of Russian budgets they could not cope with ancient Empire Romeyev, which will not allow the strengthening of pagan Russia. But the son did not listen to the warnings of the mother. Many sorrows had to endure Saint Olga at the end of life. The son finally moved to Pereyaslavl on the Danube. Staying in Kiev, she taught their grandchildren, children of Svyatoslav, Christian faith, but did not decide to baptize them, fearing the anger of the Son.

In addition, he prevented her attempts to approve Christianity in Russia. Last yearsAmong the celebration of paganism, she, once, by all the worshipers of the Power, kept from the Ecumenical Patriarch in the capital of Orthodoxy, had to secretly hold a priest to themselves so as not to cause a new outbreak of anti-Christian sentiment. In 968, Kiev was besieged Pecheneg. The holy prince with grandchildren, among whom was Prince Vladimir, found themselves in mortal danger. When the message about the siege reached Svyatoslav, he hurried to the rescue, and Pechenegs were turned to flight.

Holy Olga, being already seriously ill, asked her son not to leave her death. She did not lose hope to turn the heart of his son to God and did not stop the sermon on her deathbed: "Why leave me, my son, and where are you going?" Looking for someone else, who instructs your? After all, your children are still small, and I'm already old, and I am sick, - I expect a quick death - the reference to the beloved Christ, in whom I believe; I'm not worried about anything about you, as soon as you: I regret that although I taught a lot and convinced to leave idolishness, to believe in the true God, caught me, and you neglect it, and I know that for your disobedience I am waiting for you on earth. Lucky end, and by death - eternal flour prepared by the pagans.

It is now for now at least this last request: do not leave anywhere, while I am not pressed and I will not be buried; Then go where you want.
At my end, do not do anything that requires a pagan custom in such cases; But let my presbyter with the clerics will be buried on the custom of Christian my body; Do not dare pour a grave hill with me and make TRIZN; But they went to the Tsargrad gold to the Holy Patriarch, so that he makes the prayer and the offering to God for my soul and distributed the chemless alms ".
"I hear it, Svyatoslav cried bitterly and promised to fulfill everything, bequeathed by her, refusing only from the adoption of the Holy Faith.

After expiration three days Blessed Olga fell into extreme exhaustion; She was involved in the divine secrets of the Prech Body and the life-giving blood of Christ of our Savior; All the time she was in a zealous prayer to God and to the Major Virgin, who had always had an assistant in God; She called all saints; With a special diligence, Blessed Olga was prayed for enlightenment on her death of the Russian Earth; Trying the future, she repeatedly predicted that God would enlighten the people of the Russian Earth and many of them will be the great saints; On the speedy execution of this prophecy and the blissful Olga prayed at its death. And another prayer was on her lips, when her honest soul was resolved from the body, and, as righteous, was accepted by the hands of God ".

11 (24) July 969 Holy Olga died, "And we cried on it the great son of her and grandchildren and all people". Presbyter Grigory performed with accuracy to her testament. Holy Equal-Apostles Olga was canonized at the Cathedral of 1547who confirmed the ubiquitous reverence of her in Russia, in the Domongol era.

God glorified the "boss" of faith in the Russian land of wonders and inactive relics

With the Holy Prince Vladimir, the relics of Saint Olga were transferred to the ten church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and put in the sarcophagus, in which it was taken to put the relics of the saints at the Orthodox East. Over the tomb of Saint Olga in the church wall it was a window; And if someone came to the relics with faith, I saw my power through the end, and some seen the radiance emanating from them, and many obsessed diseases received healing. It was not opened with a minor window, and he could not see the relics, but only a coffin.

So, in the death of Holy Olga preached the eternal life and resurrection, filling the joy of believers and the adultery of unbelievers.
Her prophecy came true about the evil end of the son. Svyatoslav, as the chronicler reports, was killed by the Pechenezhsky prince Kury, who did the head of Svyatoslav and from the skull made himself a bowl, stepped in gold and during Pirov drank from her.

The prophecy of the Holy Land of Russian is also. The prayer works and the cases of Saint Olga confirmed the greatest act of her grandson of St. Vladimir (Memory 15 (28) of July) - the baptism of Russia.
Images of Saints Equal-Apostles Olga and Vladimir, mutually complementing each other, embody the maternal and deceogest onset of Russian spiritual history.
became a spiritual mother of the Russian people, his education began through it by the Light of Christ.

Olga's pagan name corresponds to the male Oleg (Helga), which means "saint". Although the pagan understanding of holyness differs from Christian, but it suggests a special spiritual mood in man, chastity and sober, mind and turning. Revealing the spiritual meaning of this name, the people of Oleg called the prophet, and Olga - Wise.

Subsequently, the holy Olga will call Bogomudra, emphasizing her main gift, which has become the basis of the whole routine of the holiness of Russian women - wisdom. Itself Holy Mother of God "The house of God's wisdom - blessed Holy Olga to her apostolic works. Construction of the Sofia Cathedral in Kiev - Mother of the cities of the Russians - was a sign of participation God's Mother In the house building of Saint Rus. Kiev, that is, the Christian Kievan Rus, I became the third lot of God's Mother in the Universe, and the statement of this lot on Earth began through the first of the Holy Wives of Russia - the Holy Equal-Apostles Olga. The Christian name of Saint Olga - Elena (translated from the ancient Greek "torch"), was the expression of the burning of her spirit.
Holy Olga (Elena) accepted a spiritual fire that did not ugas in all millennial history Christian Russia.

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The old English proverb says - "A great woman is behind each great man." The history of the Russian state is only once again confirmed by the loyalty of this statement.

The wife of the legendary Novgorod Prince Rurik was the daughter of one of the Norwegian princes named Epanda, ninnable Norman. Nic historical certificates About her life, unfortunately, not survived.

A special mark left - the wife of Kiev. According to most chronicles, Olga was a daughter of the Voragenian mercenary, settled in Pskov lands, but some sources call her daughter Of Oleg.. Being a very young girl, Olga marries Igor's direct heir to Rüric.

After almost forty years happy married life, Prince Igor kill the Ridge, from which he wanted a rapid atomerically large tribute. Olga decides to take revenge on his beloved husband, having committed a brutal violence. After the death of Igor, Olga takes power to his hands.

During its board, the border of the Kiev principality expanded significantly - Volyn and a number of other territories were attached. Crafts and trade developed intensively. It was at Princess Olga that the first stone cities began to be built. She also produced administrative division of lands, subject to Kiev.

The Foreign Policy of Princess was also distinguished by wisdom and foresight - the embassies were sent to a number of European countries with it, close connections began to form with the Byzantine Empire. When her son Svyatoslav reached the majority, Olga handed over power in his hands. A few years before death, Olga took the baptism in Constantinople, in which he received the name of Elena, thereby putting the beginning of the Christianization of Russia. Orthodox Church was counted for the face of saints.

Before the baptism of Russia had an extensive harem, however, adopting Christianity, instead of numerous concubines, decided to acquire the only wife. His choice fell on the daughter byzantine emperor Anna. The rite of the wedding was performed immediately after the adoption by Vladimir Christian faith. Tsarevna Anna actively participated in Christianization of Russia and at the request of the chronicles built many churches.

He took the daughter of the daughter of Swedish king Inhgerdu. The princess was actively involved in the management of the state. Yaroslav even sent it at the head of the troops against Polotsk Prince Bryachchloh. Ingigerda playing important role in foreign Policy Rus, especially in her relations with the countries of Northern Europe. Princess founded the first in Russia convent, and after the death of her husband and herself hesitated to the nuns under the name Anna. In the fifteenth century was counted to the face of saints.

Evdokia - wife Dmitry Donskogo photo

Also, among the famous wives of Russian princes, it is worth noting the spouse. She was born in the family of Suzdal Prince and at the age of thirteen was married to Dmitry, who was just two years older than her. Evdokia in every way helped her husband in managing the state.

When Dmitry decided to give a decisive confusing to Tatars from the Golden Horde, the spouse fully supported this undertaking. The speech was preserved, which she uttered before the troops on the eve. Chronicles call the marriage of Dmitry and Evdokia solely happy, and filled with the highest feelings.

After the death of the prince, the spouse decided to take power in the state in Human soybeans until the adulthood adherence. Many historians celebrate wisdom and justice, which is represented by Evdokia when managing the principality. At the end of his life, she accepted tonsured in the nun as Euphrosynia, and soon after death was canonized.

She was the first woman who became the government of one of the largest, in those times, the states of Kievan Rus. The revenge of this woman was terrible, and the Board is severe. Perceived the princess ambiguously. Someone considered her wise, someone cruel and cunning, and someone was real holy. The story of Princess Olga entered as the creator of the state culture of Kievan Rus, as the first ruler, who accepted the baptism, as the first Russian holy ..

Princess Olga became famous after tragic death of her husband

While still a very young girl, Olga became the wife of the Grand Duke Kiev, Igor. According to legends, their first meeting was rather unusual. One day, the young prince, who wished to cross the river, called himself from the shore in the man's boat. I saw my accompanying already after they sailed. Surprisingly the prince, a girl was sitting in front of him, besides incredible beauty. Gone to feelings, Igor began to decline it to vicious actions. Meanwhile, to realizing his thoughts, the girl reminded the prince about the honor of the ruler, who should be a worthy example for his subjects. The assessed by the words of young Virgin, Igor left his intentions. Noting the mind and chastity of the girl, he broke up with her, keeping her words and image in memory. When it was time to choose the bride, none of the Kiev beauties came to his heart. Remembering a stranger with a boat, Igor sent her guardian, Oleg. So Olga became the wife of Igor and Russian princes.

However, the princess became known only after the tragic death of her husband. Soon, after the birth of Svyatoslav's son, Prince Igor was executed. He became the first ruler in the history of Russia, who died on the hands of the people, perturbed by repeatedly charging Dani. The heir to the throne was at that time only three years, so in fact, all power passed into the hands of Olga. The rules she is Kievan Russia to the adulthood of Svyatoslav, but after that, in reality, the ruler remained the princess, since her son was absent most of the time in military campaigns

Having received power, Olga mercilessly dismissed rallies

The first thing she did - ruthlessly dismissed the rallians, guilty of her husband's death. Pretending that she agrees to a new marriage with the prince of Drevlyan, Olga dealt with their elders, and then subdued and all the people. In its revenge, the princess used any methods. Having lured in the desired place to her place, according to her order, the Kievans buried them alive, burned, and bleededly won in battle. And only after Olga finished his violence, she began to manage Kiev Rus.

Princess Olga - the first Russian woman, officially adopted Christianity

His main forces of Prinjean Olga sent to internal politicianwhich tried to carry out diplomatic methods. Circling Russian lands, she suppressed the riots of small local princes and conducted a number of important reforms. The most important of them was an administrative and tax reform. In other words, she installed trade and exchange centers in which the fees ordered occurred. Financial system I became a strong support of the princely power in the distant land from Kiev. Thanks to the Board of Olga, the defense power of Russia increased significantly. Strong walls grow around the cities, the first state borders of Russia were established - in the West, with Poland.

Princess has strengthened international relations with Germany and Byzantium, and relations with Greece opened Olga a New Look on the christian faith. In 954, the princess, with the aim of religious pilgrimage and the diplomatic mission, went to Constantinople, where with honor was adopted by the Emperor Konstantin VII Bagrynorogennoe.

Before deciding to baptism, the princess two years got acquainted with the foundations of the Christian faith. Visiting worship, she was amazed by the greatness of the temples and collected in them, shrines. Princess Olga, who received the name of Elena when baptized, became the first woman who officially adopted Christianity in the pagan Rus. Upon return, she ordered to build on the graduates of the temples. During his reign, the Great Princess erected the temples of St. Nicholas and St. Sophia in Kiev, the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary in Vitebsk. According to her decree, the city of Pskov was built, where the temple of Saint was erected Life-class Trinity. According to legend, the place of the future temple was indicated, converging from the sky with rays.

The baptism of Princess Olga did not lead to the establishment of Christianity in Russia

Princess tried to be attached to Christianity and his son. Despite the fact that many nobles have already accepted new faithSvyatoslav remained faithful to paganism. The baptism of Princess Olga did not lead to the establishment of Christianity in Russia. But her grandson, the future prince Vladimir, continued the mission of his adored grandmother. It was he who became the Baptist of Russia and founded the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kiev, where and suffered the relics of Saints and Olga. With his rule, the princess began to be memorized as holy. And already in 1547, it was officially counted on the face of the Holy Equal-Apostles. It is worth noting that only five women in Christian history were honored in Christian history - Maria Magdaline, the first factor of Focla, the martyr APFIA, the Queen Elena equivalent and enlightenment of Georgia Nina. Today, the Holy Princess Olga is worshiped as a patron of widows and converts Christians.

The "head of the faith" and the "root of Orthodoxy" in the Russian land, ancient times called the Holy Equal-Apostles Olga people. (Only a few of the holy wives of Christian history were awarded the faces of equivalent: Holy Mironine Mare Magdalene, Holy First Facular, Holy Apfia, Holy Plywood Queen Elena, Holy Nina - Georgian Enlightenment). Olga's baptism was marked by the prophetic words of the Patriarch, having killed her: "You are blessed in the wives of the Russians, because I left the darkness and loved the light. To glorify you will be the sons of Russian to the last kind! " When baptized, the Russian princess was awarded the name of the Holy Equal-Apostles Elena, a lot of thorough in the spread of Christianity in a huge Roman Empire and who had acquired a life-giving cross, on which the Lord was crucified. Like his heavenly patroness, Olga became an equivalent preacher of Christianity on the immense expanses of the land of Russian. In the chronicle testimonies about it, there are many chronological inaccuracies and mysteries, but it is unlikely that doubts may arise in the reliability of most facts of her life, informed before our time grateful descendants of the Holy Princess - the organizer of the Russian Earth. Let us turn to the narration about her life.

The name of the future enlightener of Russia and his homeland is the oldest of chronicles - "Tale of Bygone Years" calls in the description of the marriage of Kiev Prince Igor:
"And he brought him a wife from Pskov name Olga." The Joacimovskaya chronicle clarifies that it belonged to the nature of the princes of islas - one of the old Russian princely dynasties.

Igor's spouse called the Vorazhsky name Helga, in Russian pronunciation - Olga [Volga]. The legend calls Motherland Olga, the village of Guests from Pskov, up the river Great. The life of Saint Olga tells that it was held here for the first time a meeting with the future spouse. The young prince hunted "in the area of \u200b\u200bPskov" and, wanting to move through the Great River, saw the "some sailing in the boat" and called him to the shore. After sailing from the shore in the boat, the prince found that his amazing beauty girl was lucky. Igor praised her lust and began to decline it to sin. The carrier turned out to be not only beautiful, but Chastryna and smart. She was asphase Igor, recalling him about the princely dignity of the ruler and proud, which should be a "bright example of good deeds" for his subjects. Igor broke up with her, keeping her words in memory and beautiful image. When it came to choose the bride, in Kiev gathered the most beautiful girls of the principality. But none of them came to his heart. And then he remembered the "wondrous in the girls" Olga and sent the affection of his prince Oleg for her. So Olga became the wife of Prince Igor, the Great Russian Princess.

After marriage, Igor went hiking on the Greeks, and returned from him by the Father: Son Svyatoslav was born. Soon Igor was killed by the rallies. Fearing revenge for the murder of the Kiev Prince, the Drevlyan sent ambassadors to Princess Olga, offering her to marry her ruler Malom. Olga pretended to agree. She barely lured in Kiev Two embassies of Drevlyan, betraying their painful death: the first was buried alive "in the courtyard of the prince", the second is burned in the bath. After that, five thousand husbands of the Trees were killed by the soldiers of Olga on the Trenna in Igor at the walls of the Drevalnskaya capital of the eraser. Next year Olga again approached the army to the eraser. The city was burned with the help of birds, to the legs of which tied the burning pass. The surviving rallies were captivated and sold into slavery.

Along with this, the chronicles are full of evidence of her tireless "walking" in Russian land in order to arrange the country's political and economic life. She achieved strengthening the power of the Kiev Grand Duke, centralized public administration with the help of the "polish" system. The chronicle notes that she was with her son and a friend in the Treasury Earth, "establishing tributes and regulations", noting the village and becoming and the place of hunting, to be included in the Kiev Grand Distribution. She went to Novgorod, arranging the seats on the rivers Mete and the meter. "Catching it [hunting places] was throughout the land, set signs, places of her and grams," the chronicler writes, "and Sani stand in Pskov to this day, there are places given by it for catching birds on the Dnieper and on the gum; And the village of Her Olgichi exists and today. " Forests (from the word "guest" - the merchant] became the support of the grand mining of the authorities, the foci of the ethnic and cultural association of the Russian people.

Life is so telling about Olga's writings: "And the princess Olga was ruled by the regions of the Russian land not as a woman, but as a strong and reasonable husband, firmly holding power in her hands and courageously defending against enemies. And she was for the last terrible, his own people are loved, as the government is freezing and piety, as a righteous judgment and no one who does not distinguish with a punishment with mercy, and awarding kind; She inspired all the evil fear, rewarding each of his actions to each commensurately; In all business of the Office, she found foresight and wisdom. At the same time, Olga, the merciful, soul, was generous, poor and poor; Before her heart, fair requests soon came out, and she performed them quickly ... Olga joined them with a handy and chaste life, she did not want to get married every day, but he dreamed in pure widow, observing her son to his princely power. When the last mature, she handed him all the affairs of the board, and herself, eliminating molro and care, lived outside the concerns of the management, indulging in the benefits of the benefits. "

Rus grew and strengthened. Cities surrounded by stone and oak walls were built. The princess itself lived behind the reliable walls of Vyigornod, surrounded by a faithful friend. Two-thirds of the collected Dani, according to the Evalers of the Chronicles, she was at the disposal of Kiev Wech, the third part was "to Olga, on Vyshgorod" - on the rolling structure. By the time Olga refers to the establishment of the first state borders of Kievan Rus. The Bogatyrs, squeezed in the episons, wore the peaceful life of Kievans from the nomads of the Great Steppe, from the attacks from the West. Strangers rushed to Gardarika ("Country Country"], as they called Rus, with goods. Scandinavians, Germans willingly entered mercenaries to the Russian army. Rus became a great power.

As a wise government, Olga saw on the example of the Byzantine Empire, which is not worried only about state and economic life. It was necessary to do the arrangement of religious, spiritual life of the people.

The author of the "power book" writes: "The feat of her / Olga / was that she learned the true God. Not knowing the law of Christian, she lived in a clean and chaste "life, and she wanted to be a Christian on a free will, the way of knowing God found hearts and went on him without hesitation." Rev. Nestor The chronicler narrates: "Blessed Olga since the small years I was looking for wisdom that there is the best in the light of this, and found a multi-mentioned pearl - Christ."

Having made your choice, the Great Princess Olga, having ordered Kiev to have grown up his son, departs with a large fleet in Constantinople. Old Russian chroniclers will name this Act of Olga "Honor", it combined and a religious pilgrimage, and a diplomatic mission, and a demonstration of Military Power of Russia. "Olga wanted to go to the Greeks herself to look at the Christian and to make sure of their teaching about the True God," the lives of Saint Olga narrow. According to the chronicles, Olga decides in Konstantinopol, he decides to become a Christian. The sacrament of baptism made a Patriarch of Constantinople Patriarch over it. (933-956), and the Emperor Konstantin Baghryanorogennoe (912-959), which remained a detailed description of the ceremonies during the stay of Olga in his essay, "On the ceremonies of the Byzantine Yard" in Konstantinople. On one of the techniques of the Russian princess, golden, decorated with precious stones of the dish. Olga sacrificed him to the saint of the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, where he saw him and described in the early XIII century Russian diplomat Dobrynya Yudgorikovich, subsequently Archbishop Novgorod Anthony:
"The dish is great Zlato official Olga Russian, when it took tribute to go to the Tsargrad: in the dish Olgin Stone Dragia, Christ is written on the same stones."

Patriarch blessed the new Russian Princess Cross, carved from a whole piece of the life-giving Tree of the Lord. On the cross was the inscription: "Updated the Russian land with the Holy Cross, Olga adopted it, the Blessed Princess."

Olga returned to Kiev with icons, liturgical books - her apostolic ministry began. She erected the temple in the name of St. Nicholas over the grave of Askold - the first Kiev Prince-Christian and many Kiev residents turned to Christ. With the sermon of faith, the princess north went. In the Kiev and Pskov lands, in remote weights, crosses were erected at the crossroads of roads, destroying pagan idols.

Holy Olga laid the beginning of a special reverence in Russia's Most Holy Trinity. From the century, the narrative of the vision, the former River near the River, not far from the native village, was transmitted. She saw that the "three armored beam" was somewhat from the east. Turning to your companions, former witnesses of vision, Olga said prophetically: "Let you know that the Church will be in the name of God in this place in the name of the Most Holy and Life-Giving Trinity and there will be a great and glorious hail here, abounding everyone." At this place, Olga erected the cross and founded the temple in the name of the Holy Trinity. He became the chief Cathedral of Pskov - the glorious Grad of the Russian, named since the "House of the Holy Trinity". The mysterious paths of the spiritual succession four centuries, this reverence was transferred to St. Sergia Radonezh.

On May 11, 960 in Kiev, the temple of St. Sophia was consecrated - the wisdom of God. This day was celebrated in the Russian Church as a special holiday. The main shrine of the temple was the cross obtained by Olga during baptism in Constantinople. The church, built by Olga, burned down in 1017, and in his place Yaroslav Wise erected the church of the Holy Great Martyr Irina, and the shrines of Sofia Olhita Temple suffered in Dynamin Standing Stone Church of St. Sophia Kiev, laid out in 1017 and sanctified about 1030. In the prologue of the XIII century, an Aldagin cross said: "It is also worth it in Kiev in the Hagia Sophia in the altar on the right side." After the conquest of Kiev, Lithuanians, Olgin, the cross was abducted from the Sofia Cathedral and exported by Catholics to Lublin. Further fate is unknown to us. Princess's apostolic works have met the secret and open resistance of the pagans. Among the boyars and the warriors in Kiev there was a lot of people who, according to the chronicles, "wisdom raised", as well as the Holy Olga, who built her temples. Jealous of the pagan antiquity all the boldly raised their heads, with the hope of looking at the younger Svyatoslav, resolutely rejected the behavior of the mother to adopt Christianity. "The Tale of Bygone Years" will tell this: "Olga lived with his son with his Svyatoslav, and he persuaded his mother to be baptized, but he neglected with it and his ears stuck; However, if anyone wanted to be baptized, did not bother to him, but mocked him ... Olga often said: "My son, I know God and I am glad; So you, if you know, will also get rejoice. " He, without listening to this, said: "How can I wanted one faith to change? My warriors will laugh to this! " She told him: "If you are baptized, everyone will do."

He, who, not listening to the mother, lived on pagan customs, not knowing that if someone did not listen, it would fall into trouble, as it was said: "If someone's father or mother does not listen, then death will take." He was also angry with his mother ... But Olga loved his son Svyatoslav, when he said: "Let the will of God will be. If God wants to pardon the descendants of my and the land of Russian, and leads their hearts to turn to God, as it was a gift. " And speaking, I prayed for my son and for people of him all the days and nights, taking care of her son before his distress. "

Despite the success of his trip to Constantinople, Olga was not able to incline the emperor to an agreement on two major issues: the dynastic marriage of Svyatoslav with the Byzantine princess and the conditions for the restoration of Metropolis existed during Askold in Kiev. Therefore, Holy Olga draws upwards to the West - the church was one at that time. It was unlikely that the Russian princess of theological differences of Greek and Latin creed could know.

In 959, a German chronicle records: "Ambassador of Elena, Queen Russa, who was baptized in Constantinople, and asked to devote to the bishop and priests people." King Otton, the future founder of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation responded to the request of Olga. A year later, the bishop of Russian was put by librations, from the brethth of the monastery of St. Alban in Mainz, he soon passed away (March 15, 961). Adalbert Trier, who was distilled off, "generously providing all necessary," sent, finally to Russia. When, in 962, Adalberg appeared in Kiev, he "did not have time in anything, for what 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 the death hazard," the chronicle of the Mission of Adalberta says. (The failure of the adalbert mission had a commercial value for the Church of Russia, avoiding Catholic conquest).

The pagan reaction manifested itself so much that not only German missionaries were injured, but some of the Kiev Christians who kept with Olga. By order of Svyatoslav, Olga Gleb nephew was killed and some temples built by her. Saint Olga had to come to terms with what had happened and to go into the affairs of personal piety, providing the management of Svyatoslav to the pagan. Of course, it was still considered, to her experience and wisdom were invariably treated in all important cases. When Svyatoslav was leaning out of Kiev, the management of the state was instructed by Saint Olga. The consolation for her was the glorious military victories of the Russian man. Svyatoslav defeated the long-standing enemy of the Russian state - Khazar Kaganat, forever crushing the power of the Jewish rulers of the Priazia and the Lower Volga region. The next blow was caused by Volzhskaya Bulgaria, then the turn of Danube Bulgaria came - eighty cities took Kiev warriors on the Danube. Svyatoslav and his warriors personified the hectares of pagan Rus. The chronicle retained the words of Svyatoslav, surrounded with his buddy with a huge Greek army: "It is not for the Land of the Russian land, but I will give a bone here! The dead will not have! " Svyatoslav dreamed of creating a huge Russian power from the Danube to the Volga, which would unite Russia and other Slavic peoples. Holy Olga understood that with all the courage and courage of Russian budgets, they could not cope with the ancient Empire Romeyev, which would not allow the strengthening of pagan Russia. But the son did not listen to the warnings of the mother.

Many sorrows had to endure Saint Olga at the end of life. The son finally moved to Pereyaslavs-on the Danube. Staying in Kiev, she taught their grandchildren, children of Svyatoslav, Christian faith, but did not decide to baptize them, fearing the anger of the Son. In addition, he prevented her attempts to approve Christianity in Russia. Recent years, among the celebration of paganism, she, once, by all the worshiped Lords of the Power, who kept from the Universal Patriarch in the capital of Orthodoxy, had to secretly hold a priest to themselves so as not to cause a new outbreak of anti-Christian sentiment. In 968, Kiev was besieged Pecheneg. The holy prince with grandchildren, among whom was Prince Vladimir, found themselves in mortal danger. When the message about the siege reached Svyatoslav, he hurried to the rescue, and Pechenegs were turned to flight. Holy Olga, being already seriously ill, asked her son not to leave before her death. She did not lose hope to turn the heart of the Son to God and did not stop the sermon on the mortal coat, "why leave me, my son, and where are you going? Searching for someone else, who instruct your own? After all, your children are still small, and I'm already old, and he is sick, - I expect a quick death - the reference to the beloved Christ, in which I believe; I'm not worried about anything about anything as soon as you: sorry that although I taught a lot and convinced to leave idolishness, to believe in the true God, I disabled me, and you neglect it, and I know what kind of disobedience To me is waiting for a thin end on earth, and by death - eternal flour prepared by the pagans. It is now for now at least this last request: do not leave anywhere, while I am not pressed and I will not be buried; Then go where you want. At my end, do not do anything that requires a pagan custom in such cases; But let my presbyter with clerics will be buried according to the usual Christian body; Do not dare pour a grave hill with me and make TRIZN; But they went to the Tsargrad Gold to the Syatiest Patriarch, so that he would pray and offer God for my soul and distributed alms. "

"I hear it, Svyatoslav cried bitterly and promised to fulfill everything bequeathed by her, refusing only from the adoption of the Holy Faith. After three days, the blissful Olga fell into extreme exhaustion; She communioned Divine Taine of the Prech Body and the life-giving blood of Christ of our Savior; All the time she was in a zealous prayer to God and to the Major Virgin, who had always had an assistant to God; She called all saints; With a special diligence, Blessed Olga was prayed for enlightenment on her death of the Russian Earth; Preparing the future, she repeatedly predicted that God would enlighten the people of the Russian land and many of them will be the great saints; On the speedy execution of this prophecy and the blissful Olga prayed at its death. And another prayer was on her lips, when her honest soul was resolved from the body, and, as the righteous, was accepted by the hands of God. " On July 11, 969, Holy Olga died, "and we were crying the great son of her and grandchildren and all people. Presbyter Grigory performed with accuracy to her testament.

Holy Equal-to-Apostles Olga was canonized at the Cathedral of 1547, which confirmed the widespread reverence of it in Russia, in the Domongolskaya Epoch.

God glorified the "boss" of faith in the Russian land with miracles and the reaches of the relics. With the Holy Prince Vladimir, the relics of Saint Olga were transferred to the ten church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and put in the sarcophagus, in which it was taken to put the relics of the saints at the Orthodox East. Over the tomb of Saint Olga in the church wall it was a window; And if someone came to the relics with faith, I saw my power through the end, and some seen the radiance emanating from them, and many obsessed diseases received healing. It was not opened with a minor window, and he could not see the relics, but only a coffin.

So, in the death of Holy Olga preached the eternal life and resurrection, filling the joy of believers and the adultery of unbelievers.

Her prophecy came true about the evil end of the son. Svyatoslav, as the chronicler reports, was killed by the Pechenezhsky prince Kury, which compartment the head of Svyatoslav and from the skull made himself a bowl, survived gold and during Pirov drank from her.

The prophecy of the Holy Land of Russian, prayerful works and the affairs of St. Olga was also confirmed by the greatest act of her grandson of St. Vladimir (19/28) of July) - the baptism of Russia. Images of Saints Equal-Apostles Olga and Vladimir, mutually complementing each other, embody the maternal and deceogest onset of Russian spiritual history.

Holy Equal-Apostles Olga became a spiritual mother of the Russian people, his education began through it the light of Christ.
The pagan name Olga corresponds to the male Oleg (Helga], which means "saint". Although the pagan understanding of holyness differs from Christian, but it suggests a special spiritual attitude, chastity and sober, mind and inspiring. Revealing the spiritual meaning of this name, the people of Oleg called We are trusted, and Olga - Wise. Subsequently, the Holy Olga will be called Bogomudra, emphasizing her main gift, which has become the basis of the entire sacredness of the holy wives - wisdom. The Holy Mother of God itself - the house of God's wisdom - blessed Holy Olga to her apostolic works. Construction of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev - Mother of the cities of Russians - was the sign of the participation of the Mother of God in the house building of St. Rus. Kiev, i.e. Christian Kiev Rus, became the third lot of the Mother of God in the Universe, and the statement of this lot on Earth began through the first of the Holy Wives of Russia - the Holy Equestal Olga.

The Christian name of St. Olga - Elena (translated from the ancient Greek "torch"), was the expression of the burning of her spirit. Holy Olga (Elena) adopted a spiritual fire, which is not ugas in the entire thousand-year history of Christian Russia.

Rurik in front of his death conveys the power of Oleg and appoints his guardian of Son Igor. Miniature XV century.

Camping Oleg on Tsargrad. Miniature Radziwill Chronicles

Death Oleg. ENGRAVING

The "head of the faith" and "root of Orthodoxy" in the Russian land, ancient times called the Holy Equal-Apostles Olga people. Olga's baptism was marked by the prophetic words of the Patriarch, having killed her: "You are blessed in the wives of the Russians, for I left darkness and loved the light. To glorify you will be Russians to the last kind!" When baptized, the Russian princess was awarded the name of the Holy Equal-Apostles Elena, a lot of thorough in the spread of Christianity in a huge Roman Empire and who had acquired a life-giving cross, on which the Lord was crucified. Like his heavenly patroness, Olga became an equivalent preacher of Christianity on the immense expanses of the land of Russian. In the chronicle testimonies about it, there are many chronological inaccuracies and mysteries, but it is unlikely that doubts may arise in the reliability of most facts of her life, informed before our time grateful descendants of the Holy Princess - the organizer of the Russian Earth. Let us turn to the narration about her life.

Princess Olga was born in the present area of \u200b\u200bPskov, in the family ordinary people. She was her wife Prince Igor. According to one information, the marriage Olga came in part-fifteen years. With his future wife, Igor met on the hunt and was captive by her beauty and mind. In the chronicles, it is indicated that the princess Olga was the only wife of the prince, despite the polygamy allowed. According to some information, the future rules of Russia wore the name of the discontinuity. Subsequently, she accepted Olga's name. As you know, in 945, Igor died at the hands of Drevlyan. His wife rose to the throne. In the annals you can find a fairly detailed description of the government for the death of her husband. Soon after the awnings, Olga Drevlyan sent a matchmaker to her call her married Prince Mala. Ambassadors arrived in the roaster. The inhabitants of Kiev attributed it together with the matchmakers in a huge pit in the courtyard of Terem Olga and buried them alive.

Equalizable Olga. Icon with Life, 1969.

Written to the 1000th anniversary of the piping of equivalent Olga

The following ambassadors of the Ridge arrived at the request of the government, burned in the bath. According to custom, the princess Olga arrived in the land of Drevlyan to hide a TRIZNU by her husband. During the TRIZN, it was over her order, and then they crossed the grave of Igor. In 946, Olga, Princess Kievan, made a troop against the Ridge. After the unsuccessful siege throughout the summer of the city of Earl (the Radiast capital), Princess Olga ordered him to burn it with the help of birds to which incendiary mixtures were tied. After the victory, the government installed taxes and Dani on the Novgorod and Pskov land. After conquering, the governor returned to Kiev. Rules of Princess Olga to the adulthood of Svyatoslav (her son and Igor). However, after it remained at the helm of the state, since the son was constantly in the campaigns.

The baptism of the princess Olga (in 955) was noted in the chronicles as a "great act." Accepted Christianity and received the name of Elena Government in Constantinople. After returning to Kiev, Olga tried to bring to faith and Svyatoslav. But the son was adamant and did not succumb to persuasion. Olga was the first government of Rus, who accepted Christianity. According to many researchers, this fact predetermined the adoption of Orthodoxy throughout the state. According to one legend, the baptism of Olga took part personally from Constantine. Elena ordered her in honor of the Mother of the Emperor - the Holy Tsaritsa Elena. According to some reports, Konstantin wilt to Olga before baptism. However, the wise government indicated that Christians should not wove in the pagans. After that, Olga baptized. The emperor again called her married. But Olga and this time refused the king, as marriage was impossible, "she became a sacred daughter. In other sources it is indicated that the brought by the princess Roman Second (Commander of Constantine), as well as Patriarch Polyevkt.

Since Svyatoslav was almost all the time in the campaigns, he had to rule his mother. In 968, Pechenegs made his first raid to Russian land. Olga and Svyatoslav children hid in Kiev. Soon the son took off the siege. However, Svyatoslav did not assume to remain in Kiev for a long time. In 969, he gathered in a new campaign, but Olga stopped him. By that time she was seriously ill. Three days later, Olga died. Taught the government to bury himself in the Christian custom and not to serve TRIZNU. According to historians, Olga began to read during the Holy Princess during the rule of Vladimir Baptist. According to information, in 1007 the prince suffered the relics of all saints (including Olga) to the Church of the Holy Mother of God, built in Kiev. Approximately from that time began to celebrate the day of memory of the government 11/24 July. At the same time, the official canonization (the glorification of general staff) happened, apparently, is somewhat later - in the middle of the 13th century. In 1547, Olga (Elena) was counted for the facility of saints equivalent.

Prayer equivalent to the Great Princess Russian Olga (Elena in Baptism). Princess Olga, in the baptism of Elena is called the "head of the faith" and "root of Orthodoxy" in Russian land. Patron sovereign people. She pray for children, about raising them in faith and piety, about the listing of non-believers and affinities, or in sects