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The years of 988 and 989 are mentioned by
the Chronicle as the time when Kievan Rus officially became a Christian state.
But even before that many Russians embraced the new religion. We know that some
of Igor's emissaries and close associates took the oath in accordance with the
Orthodox faith in 944; while Byzantine sources mentioned Christian Russians as
early as 866. Igor's widow, princess Olga was converted to Christianity in 957
when she visited the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus in Constantinople. She
did not mind at all that her son Svyatoslav (945-972), who succeeded his father
and to whom she acted as regent, remained pagan. Igor was killed in a battle
with the Drevliane. Olga was probably the first of those energetic women who
from time to time played important roles in Russia. Olga was a peasant girl
from the village of Vibuta, not far from Pskov. Prince Igor met her on one of
his hunting trips and later married her. The Russian church did not forget
services that Olga rendered to the Orthodox faith, and she was ultimately
canonized.
For more information on Olga and Svyatoslav please go to
Kievan princes - Geneological chart and
brief biographies. or to the entry on
Olga.
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