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How was Christianity accepted in Russia? Many European countries have adopted Christianity by force. The baptism of Russia was not without an onslaught, the majority were baptized quite peacefully. Baptism – personal and national – was a prerequisite for the contract of Prince Vladimir with Basil II, which was concluded in 987.

The contract read as follows:

Vasily II was ready to resume relations with the Russian-Byzantine side. But the military-political side had to accept the following conditions. To settle relations with neighboring lands, to eliminate conflicts in everything and, above all, in matters of faith. The new agreement was to seal forever-friendly ties between two Christian sovereigns and two Christian peoples. Having agreed to these conditions, Vladimir had to personally be baptized according to the Greek rite. It was also necessary to convert to Christianity as soon as possible his entourage of «boyars», «nobles», and «all the people of the Russian land».

Prince Vladimir was baptized himself, baptized his children, and then the whole house received holy baptism. In the future, near and distant relatives adopted Christianity. At the same time, the princely squad was baptized. With the adoption of baptism, the prince dissolved involuntary souls, male and female. The main part of the contract concluded with Basileus Basil II was successfully fulfilled. The last condition was the baptism of the Kievans, and then Vladimir became the sovereign of the Christian people.