Attributed to Nestor the Chronicler · Complete work
988, Part 2: The Baptism of Kyiv
988, Part 2: The Baptism of Kyiv of 46. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Old East Slavic
Володимеръ же поимъ цесарицю, и Настаса, и попы корсуньскыя, мощи святаго Климента и Фива, ученика его, и поима сьсуды церковныя, иконы на благословенье себе. Постави же церковь святаго Иоана Предтечю в Корсунѣ на горѣ, иже ссыпаще средѣ града, крадуще приспу, и яже и церкви стоить и до сего дни. Взяша же, идя, мѣдянѣ 2 капищи, и 4 конѣ мѣдяны, иже и нынѣ стоять за святою Богородицею, яко иже невѣдуще мнять я мраморяны суща. Вдасть же за вѣно Корсунь грѣкомъ цесарицѣ дѣля, а самъ прииде Кыеву. И яко приде, повелѣ кумиры испроврещи, овы исѣщи, а другыя огньви предати. Перуна же повелѣ привязати кь коневи хвосту и влещи с горы по Боричеву на Ручай, и 12 мужа пристави бити жезлиемь. Се же не яко древу чюющю, но на поругание бѣсу, иже прильщаше симъ образомъ человѣкы, да возмѣстье прииметь от человѣкъ. «Велий еси, Господи, чюдная дѣла твоя!» Вчера чьстимь от человѣкъ, а днесь поругаем. И влѣкому же ему по Ручаеви кь Днѣпру, плакахуся его невѣрнии людье, еще бо не бяху прияли кресщения. И привлекше, и вринуша ̀и въ Днѣпръ.
И пристави Володимеръ, рекъ: «Аще кде пристанеть, вы-то отрѣвайте его от берега, доньдеже порогы проидеть, тогда охабитеся его», Они же повелѣное створиша. Яко пустиша ѝ, и проиде сквозѣ порогы, извѣрже ѝ вѣтръ на рѣнь, яже и до сего дни словет Перуня рѣнь. По сем же Володимиръ посла послы своя по всему граду, глаголя: «Аще не обрящеться кто заутра на рѣцѣ, богатъ ли, убогь, или нищь, или работенъ — противникъ мнѣ да будеть». И се слышавше, людье с радостью идяху, радующеся и глаголаху: «Аще бы се не добро было, не бы сего князь и бояри прияли». Наутрѣя же изииде Володимѣръ с попы цесарицины и корсуньскыми на Днѣпръ, и снидеся бе-щисла людий, И влѣзоша въ воду и стояху ови до шеѣ, а другии до персий, младѣи же по перси от берега, друзии же младенци держаще, свѣршении же бродяху, поповѣ же, стояще, молитвы творяху. И бяше видити: радость велика на небеси и на земли, толико душь спасаемых, а дьяволъ стенаше, глаголя: «Увы мнѣ, яко отсюду прогонимь есмь! Здѣ бо мнѣхъ жилище имѣти, яко сде не суть учения апостолскаа, ни суть вѣдуще Бога, но веселяхуся о службѣ ихъ, еже служаху мнѣ. И се уже побѣжаемь есмь от невѣгласа сего, а не от апостолъ и мученикъ, и ни имамъ уже царствовать во странах сихъ».
Крестившим же ся людемь, идоша когождо в домы своя. Володимѣръ же радъ бывъ, яко позна Бога самъ и людие его, и възрѣвъ на небо и рече: «Боже великый, створивый небо и землю! Призри на новыя люди своя, вдай же имъ, Господи, увѣдити тебе, истеньнаго Бога, якоже увидиша страны крестьяньскыя, и утверди у нихъ вѣру правую и несъвратну, мнѣ помози, Господи, на супротивнаго врага, да, надѣюся на тя и на твою державу, побѣжаю козни его». И се рекъ, повелѣ рубити церькви и поставляти по мѣстомъ, идеже стояше кумиры. И постави церковь святаго Василья на холмѣ, идѣже стояше кумири — Перунъ и прочии, идеже требы творяху князь и людье. И нача ставити по градомъ церкви и попы, и людие на кресщение приводити по всемъ градом и селомъ, И, пославъ, нача поимати у нарочитой чади дѣти, и даяти на учение книжное. А матери же чадъ своихъ плакахуся по нихъ, и еще бо ся бяху не утвѣрдилѣ вѣрою, но акы по мерьтвѣцѣ плакахуся.
Симь же раздаянымъ на учение книжное, и сбысться пророчество на Руской землѣ, глаголящее: «Въ оны дни услышать глусии словеса книжная, яснъ будеть языкъ гугнивыхъ». Си бо не бѣша прѣди слышали словеса книжная, но по Божью строенью и по милости своей помилова Богъ, якоже рече пророкъ: «Помилую, егоже хощю». Помилова бо ны «Пакы банею бытия и обновлениемь духа», по изволению Божию, а не по нашим дѣломъ. Благословенъ Господь Иисусъ Христосъ, иже възлюби новыя люди, Рускую землю, и просвѣти ю крещениемь святымь. Тѣмже и мы припадаемь к нему, глаголюще: «Господи Иисусе Христе! Что ти въздамъ о всихъ, яже ты въздасть намъ, грѣшнымъ сущимъ? Недоумеемь противу даромъ твоим въздати». «Велий бо еси и чюдна дѣла твоя, и величью твоему нѣсть конца. В роды и родъ въсхвалимъ дѣла твоя», рекуще съ Давидомъ: «Придете, възрадуемься Господеви и воскликнемь Богу, Спасу нашему. Варимъ лице его исповѣданиемь»; «Исповѣдающеся ему, яко благъ, яко въ вѣкы милость его», яко «избавилъ ны еси от врагъ наших», рекше от идолъслужитель.
И пакы рчемь съ Давидомъ: «Воспойте Господеви пѣснь нову, воспойте Господеви вся земля, воспойте Господеви, благословите имя его, благовѣстите день от дни спасение его, възвѣстите въ языцѣхъ славу его и во всѣхъ людехъ чюдеса его, яко велий Господь, хваленъ зѣло», «И величью его нѣсть конца». Колика ти радость: не единъ, ни два спасаеться! Рече бо Господь: «Яко радость бываеть на небеси о единъмъ грѣшницѣ кающемся». Се же не единъ, ни два, но бещисленое множьство к Богу приступиша, святымь кресщениемь просвѣщени. Якоже пророкъ рече: «Въскроплю на вы воду чисту, и очиститеся от идолъ ваших и грѣхъ ваших». И пакы другый пророкъ рче: «Кто яко Богъ отъемля грѣхы и преступая неправду? Яко хотяй милостивь есть. Тъ обратить и ущедрить ны, погрузи грѣхы наша въ глубинѣ».
Ибо Павелъ глаголеть: «Братья, елико насъ креститься въ Христа Иисуса, и въ смерть его крестихомся, погребохомся убо с нимъ крещениемь въ смерть; да якоже въста Христосъ от мертвых съ славою отчею, якоже и мы въ обновлении житья поидемь». И пакы: «Ветхая мимоидоша, и се быша нова». «Нынѣ приближися намъ спасение, нощь успе, а день приближися». «Им же привѣдение обрѣтохомъ вѣрою» князя нашего Володимера «въ благодать сию, им же восхвалимся и стоимъ». «Нынѣ же свободивъшеся от грѣха, поработившеся Господеви, имате плодъ вашь въ священие». Тѣмже долъжни есми рабътати Господеви, радующеся ему. Рече бо Давидъ: «Работайте Господеви съ страхомъ и радуйтеся ему с трепетомъ». Мы же вопиемь къ владыцѣ Богу нашему, глаголюще: «Благословенъ Господь, иже не дасть насъ в ловитьву зубомъ их. Сѣть скрушися, и мы избавлени быхомъ» от прелести дьяволя.
«И погыбе память его с шюмомъ, и Господь въ вѣкы прѣбываеть», хвалимъ от рускихъ сыновъ, поемь въ Троици, а дѣмони проклинаемы от благовѣрныхъ мужь и от говѣиньныхъ женъ, иже прияли суть кресщение, покаяние въ отпущение грѣховъ, нови людье крестьяньстии, избрани Богомъ».
Володимиръ же просвѣщенъ самъ, и сынови его, и земля его. Бѣ бо у него сыновь 12: Вышеславъ, Изяславъ, Святополкъ, и Ярославь, Всеволодъ, Святославъ, Мьстиславъ, Борисъ и Глѣбъ, Станиславъ, Позвиздъ, Судиславъ. И посади Вышеслава в Новѣгородѣ, а Изяслава в Полотьсцѣ, а Святополка в Туровѣ, Ярослава в Ростовѣ. И умершю же старѣйшому Вышеславу в Новѣгородѣ, и посади Ярослава в Новѣгородѣ, а Бориса в Ростовѣ, а Глѣба въ Муромѣ, Святослава в Деревѣх, Всеволода в Володимѣрѣ, Мьстислава въ Тмутороканѣ. И рече Володимеръ: «Се не добро есть: мало городовъ около Кыева». И нача ставити городы по Деснѣ, и по Устрьи, и по Трубешеви, и по Сулѣ, и по Стугнѣ. И поча нарубати мужи лутши от словенъ, и от кривичъ, и от чюдии, и от вятичь, и от сихъ насели и грады; бѣ бо рать от печенѣгъ. И бѣ воюяся с ними и одоляя имъ.
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Old East Slavic text of the Hypatian Codex (O. V. Tvorogov’s 1997 edition, pinned Russian Wikisource revision), covering the undated introduction and every annal from 6360 to 6625 (852–1117 CE). Worker drafts were checked against the source paragraph by paragraph before publication. Years keep the chronicle’s own reckoning from the creation of the world; subtract 5508 for the approximate year CE, as the chapter titles do.
Then Vladimir took the princess, and Anastas, and the priests of Korsun, and the relics of St. Clement and of Phoebus his disciple, and took also the church vessels and the icons for his own blessing. He founded the church of St. John the Forerunner in Korsun, on the hill from which they had carried off the earth in the middle of the city, stealing from the ramp; and that church stands to this day. And as he departed they took two bronze statues and four bronze horses, which stand today behind the holy Mother of God, so that those who do not know take them for marble. He gave Korsun back to the Greeks as dowry for the princess, and came himself to Kyiv. And when he came, he ordered the idols cast down, some hewn to pieces and others given to the flames. Perun he ordered tied to a horse's tail and dragged down from the hill by Borichev to the stream, and he set twelve men to beat it with rods. This was not because the wood could feel it, but in mockery of the demon, who had beguiled men in this image, that he might receive his requital at the hands of men. “Great are you, Lord, and marvelous are your works!” Yesterday he was honored by men, and today he is mocked. And as he was dragged along the stream to the Dnieper, the unbelieving people wept for him, for they had not yet received baptism. And when they had dragged him to it, they threw him into the Dnieper.
Vladimir gave orders, saying: “Wherever he touches ground, shove him off from the bank until he has passed the rapids; only then let him go.” They did as they were commanded. When they let him go, he passed through the rapids, and the wind cast him up on a sandbank which to this day is called Perun's bank. After this Vladimir sent his men throughout the city with the word: “If anyone is not found at the river tomorrow, whether rich, or poor, or beggar, or slave—let him be my enemy.” Hearing this, the people went with joy, rejoicing and saying: “If this were not good, the prince and the boyars would not have accepted it.” In the morning Vladimir went out to the Dnieper with the priests of the princess and those of Korsun, and a countless multitude of people came together. They entered the water and stood, some up to the neck, others to the breast; the young stood by the bank breast-deep, others held infants in their arms, and the full-grown waded farther out, while the priests stood and said the prayers. And there was to be seen a great joy in heaven and on earth at so many souls being saved, while the devil wailed, saying: “Woe is me! I am driven out of this place! Here I thought to have my dwelling, for the teaching of the apostles is not here, and they did not know God; but they rejoiced in their service, the service they rendered me. And now I am put to flight, not by apostles and martyrs, but by this ignorant folk, and I shall reign no more in these lands.”
When the people had been baptized, each went to his own home. Vladimir rejoiced that he and his people had come to know God, and looking up to heaven he said: “Great God, maker of heaven and earth! Look upon your new people, and grant them, Lord, to know you, the true God, as the Christian lands have known you; establish in them a right and unswerving faith; and help me, Lord, against my adversary foe, that, hoping in you and in your power, I may overcome his wiles.” When he had said this, he ordered churches built of timber and set up in the places where the idols had stood. And he built the church of St. Basil on the hill where the idols had stood, Perun and the rest, where the prince and the people made their sacrifices. He began to set up churches in the towns and to appoint priests, and to bring the people to baptism in all the towns and villages. And he sent to take children from the best families and give them over to the learning of the books. The mothers wept for their children, for their faith was not yet firm, and they mourned them as for the dead.
When they had been given out to the learning of the books, the prophecy was fulfilled in the land of Rus', which says: “In those days the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the tongue of the stammerers shall speak plainly.” For these people had never before heard the words of books, but by God's ordinance and his own mercy God had pity on them, as the prophet said: “I will have mercy on whom I will.” He had mercy on us with “the washing of rebirth and the renewal of the Spirit,” by the will of God and not by our works. Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved the new people, the land of Rus', and illumined it with holy baptism. Therefore we fall down before him, saying: “Lord Jesus Christ, what shall we give you for all that you have given us, who are sinners? We are at a loss to repay your gifts.” “Great are you, and marvelous are your works, and of your greatness there is no end; from generation to generation we shall praise your works,” saying with David: “Come, let us rejoice in the Lord and shout aloud to God our Savior; let us come before his face with thanksgiving”; “giving thanks to him, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever”; for he “has delivered us from our enemies,” that is, from the worshippers of idols.
And again we say with David: “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth; sing to the Lord, bless his name; proclaim from day to day his salvation; declare his glory among the nations and his wonders among all peoples, for the Lord is great and exceedingly to be praised, and of his greatness there is no end.” What joy is this—not one, nor two, are saved! For the Lord said: “There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.” Here it is not one, nor two, but a countless multitude that came to God, illumined by holy baptism. As one prophet said: “I will sprinkle upon you clean water, and you shall be cleansed from your idols and from your sins.” And again another prophet said: “Who is a God like you, taking away iniquities and passing over unrighteousness? For he is merciful who so wills. He will turn again and have compassion on us, and will sink our sins into the depths.”
For Paul says: “Brothers, as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death; we were buried with him, then, by baptism into death, that as Christ rose from the dead in the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.” And again: “The old things have passed away, and behold, all things have become new.” “Now is salvation near to us; the night is far spent, and the day is at hand.” “By faith we have found access”—through the faith of our prince Vladimir—“into this grace in which we glory and stand.” “Now, freed from sin and made servants to God, you have your fruit in holiness.” Therefore we are bound to serve the Lord, rejoicing in him. For David said: “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice before him with trembling.” And we cry aloud to the Lord our God, saying: “Blessed be the Lord, who did not give us over to be a prey to their teeth. The snare is broken, and we are delivered”—from the devil's deception.
“And his memory perishes with a crash, and the Lord endures forever”—praised by the sons of Rus', sung to the Trinity, while the demons are cursed by the faithful men and the devout women who have received baptism and repentance for the remission of sins, the new Christian people, chosen by God.
And Vladimir himself was illumined, and his sons, and his land. He had twelve sons: Vysheslav, Iziaslav, Sviatopolk, Yaroslav, Vsevolod, Sviatoslav, Mstislav, Boris and Gleb, Stanislav, Pozvizd, Sudislav. And he seated Vysheslav in Novgorod, and Iziaslav in Polotsk, and Sviatopolk in Turov, and Yaroslav in Rostov. When Vysheslav the eldest died in Novgorod, he seated Yaroslav in Novgorod, and Boris in Rostov, and Gleb in Murom, and Sviatoslav in the land of the Derevlianians, and Vsevolod in Volodymyr, and Mstislav in Tmutorokan. And Vladimir said: “This is not good: there are few towns about Kyiv.” And he began to build towns along the Desna, and along the Oster, and along the Trubizh, and along the Sula, and along the Stuhna. And he began to gather the best men from among the Slovenes, and from the Krivichians, and from the Chud, and from the Viatichians, and from these he peopled the towns, for there was war from the Pechenegs. And he fought with them and prevailed over them.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same Old East Slavic text of the Hypatian Codex, paragraph for paragraph, and checked against the source before publication.
Vladimir took the empress, and Anastas, and the priests of Korsun, and the relics of St. Clement and of Phoebus his disciple, and he took church vessels and icons for a blessing for himself. He built the church of St. John the Forerunner in Korsun, on the hill that they had raised in the middle of the city with the siege earth they had stolen, and that church stands to this day. On the way they took two bronze images and four bronze horses, which stand now behind the holy Mother of God; those who do not know take them for marble. He gave Korsun to the Greeks as bride-price for the empress, and he himself came to Kyiv. When he came, he ordered the idols overthrown: some cut to pieces, and others thrown into the fire. He ordered Perun tied to a horse's tail and dragged down from the hill along the Borichev way to the Stream, and he set twelve men to beat the idol with sticks. This was not because the wood could feel it, but to mock the demon, who had deceived men in this shape, so that he would take his repayment from men. “Great are you, Lord, and wonderful are your works!” Yesterday he was honored by men, and today he is mocked. As he was dragged along the Stream to the Dnieper, the unbelieving people wept for him, for they had not yet received baptism. And when they had dragged him out, they threw him into the Dnieper.
Vladimir gave orders, saying: “If it washes up anywhere, push it off the bank again until it has passed the rapids; only then let it go.” They did what they were commanded. When they let it go, it passed through the rapids, and the wind threw it onto a sandbank, which has been called Perun's Sandbank from that day on. After this Vladimir sent criers through the whole city, saying: “If anyone is not found at the river tomorrow — rich or poor, beggar or slave — he will stand against me as an enemy.” When the people heard this, they went gladly, rejoicing and saying: “If this were not good, the prince and the boyars would not have accepted it.” The next morning Vladimir went out to the Dnieper with the empress's priests and the priests of Korsun, and a countless number of people came together. They went into the water and stood — some up to the neck, others up to the chest, the young close in to the bank up to the chest, some holding babies in their arms, while the grown men waded further out — and the priests stood and said the prayers. It was a sight of great joy in heaven and on earth, so many souls being saved, and the devil groaned: “Woe to me! I am driven out of here! Here I meant to have my dwelling, for there is no apostolic teaching here, and they did not know God; they rejoiced in the service they served me. But now I am beaten by this ignorant man, not by apostles and martyrs, and I can no longer rule in these lands.”
When the people were baptized, each went to his own home. Vladimir was glad, because he himself and his people had come to know God. He looked up to heaven and said: “Great God, maker of heaven and earth! Look down on your new people. Grant them, Lord, to come to know you, the true God, as the Christian lands have known you. Confirm in them a right and unswerving faith. Help me, Lord, against my adversary, the enemy, so that, hoping in you and in your power, I may overcome his snares.” When he had said this, he ordered churches cut of timber and set up in the places where the idols had stood. He built the church of St. Basil on the hill where the idols had stood — Perun and the rest — and where the prince and the people used to make their sacrifices. He began to build churches and appoint priests through the towns, and to bring people to baptism in all the towns and villages. He sent out to take children from the leading families and set them to book-learning. The mothers wept over their children, for they were not yet firm in the faith, and mourned for them as for the dead.
When the children had been handed over to book-learning, the prophecy was fulfilled in the Rus' land: “In those days the deaf will hear the words of a book, and the speech of the stammerers will be made clear.” For they had not heard the words of books before, but by God's design and by his mercy God had pity on them, as the prophet said: “I will have mercy on whom I will.” He had mercy on us with “the washing of rebirth and the renewing of the Spirit,” by God's will and not by our works. Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved the new people, the Rus' land, and gave it light with holy baptism. So we fall down before him, saying: “Lord Jesus Christ! What can we give you in return for all you have given us, who are sinners? We cannot match your gifts.” “For great are you, and wonderful are your works, and there is no end to your greatness. Age after age we will praise your works,” saying with David: “Come, let us rejoice in the Lord and shout aloud to God our Savior. Let us meet his face with thanksgiving”; “giving thanks to him, for he is good, for his mercy lasts forever,” for “he has delivered us from our enemies,” that is, from the idol-worshipers.
And again we say with David: “Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name. Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations and his wonders among all peoples, for great is the Lord and greatly to be praised,” and “there is no end to his greatness.” What joy is this: not one, and not two, are being saved! For the Lord said: “There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.” Here not one and not two, but a countless multitude came to God, made bright by holy baptism. As the prophet said: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean from your idols and from your sins.” And again another prophet said: “Who is a God like you, who takes away sins and passes over unrighteousness? For he who wills it is merciful. He will turn again and have pity on us; he will sink our sins into the depths.”
For Paul says: “Brothers, all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. We were buried with him by baptism into death, so that, as Christ rose from the dead with the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in the renewal of life.” And again: “The old things have passed away; see, all has become new.” “Now salvation has drawn near to us; the night is spent, and the day is at hand.” “By faith we have found our access to this grace” — through our prince Vladimir — “in which we stand and glory.” “Now, set free from sin and made servants of the Lord, you have your fruit in holiness.” So we are bound to serve the Lord, rejoicing in him. David said: “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in him with trembling.” We cry out to our Lord God, saying: “Blessed be the Lord, who did not give us up as prey to their teeth. Their net was broken, and we were delivered” from the devil's deceit.
“His memory has perished with the noise, and the Lord endures forever,” praised by the sons of Rus', sung to in the Trinity, while the demons are cursed by believing men and devout women who have received baptism and repentance for the forgiveness of sins — the new Christian people, chosen by God.
Vladimir was enlightened himself, and his sons, and his land. He had 12 sons: Vysheslav, Iziaslav, Sviatopolk, Yaroslav, Vsevolod, Sviatoslav, Mstislav, Boris, Gleb, Stanislav, Pozvizd, and Sudislav. He seated Vysheslav in Novgorod, Iziaslav in Polotsk, Sviatopolk in Turov, and Yaroslav in Rostov. When Vysheslav, the eldest, died in Novgorod, he seated Yaroslav in Novgorod, Boris in Rostov, Gleb in Murom, Sviatoslav in the land of the Derevlianians, Vsevolod in Volodymyr, and Mstislav in Tmutorokan. Then Vladimir said: “This is not good: there are few towns around Kyiv.” And he began to build towns on the Desna, and on the Oster, and on the Trubizh, and on the Sula, and on the Stuhna. And he began to pick out the best men from the Slovenes, and from the Krivichians, and from the Chud, and from the Viatichians, and from these he settled the towns; for there was war from the Pechenegs. And he fought with them and overcame them.