When at the end of winter we willingly and joyfully celebrate Shrovetide - eat golden pancakes, burn a scarecrow of Winter and dance around the fire, call out Spring - few of us think that we are mixing the customs and traditions of Pagan Rus and Christian Russia. The last week before Lent on the Orthodox Christian calendar is called "cheese". You can’t eat meat anymore. But you can eat dairy products - butter, sour cream, cheese. But butter and sour cream are perfectly combined with pancakes, according to pagan tradition symbolizing the sun. The ritual burning of Winter, the invocation of Spring with special song-cries, is also an echo of paganism.
But such a peaceful and blissful unity of paganism and Christianity was far from always. 988 became a milestone in the history of Russia and split the country into supporters of innovation and its opponents. The struggle was long and furious. Converts of the new faith destroyed the idols worshiped by the Gentiles, and those, in turn, burned the erected temples and killed Christians. But progressively minded people of that time understood what the significance of the adoption of Christianity by Russia was. And it really was huge.
The main, perhaps, was the political significance of the adoption of Christianity in Russia. The reform carried out by Prince Vladimir of Kiev became the first "window to Europe." Before this event, Russia lived in a confined space, having an idea of strangers only as enemies. The constant defensive wars with the eastern nomadic tribes and the western invaders taught the Russians to think that we are in the ring of enemies and the more reliable we are, the better. Isolation, however, led to an even greater decline in the economy and culture. After the baptism of Russia, the country began to develop and strengthen external relations. First of all, a stream of goods, objects of culture and science from Byzantium went to us. This country with two thousand years of culture has had a huge impact on Russia. The significance of the adoption of Christianity in Russia was also manifested in the fact that a new, spiritual component appeared in the government of the country. The hierarchs of the Orthodox Church, along with the princes (and later the kings), exerted a powerful influence on the formation of public opinion, and, ultimately, on politics.
Along with the development of political ties, economic and trade ties were strengthened. Overseas fabrics, dishes, and other household items appeared in Russia. The princely chambers began to be built taking into account the peculiarities of Byzantine architecture, the decoration of the interiors of churches and princely chambers with artistic painting, jewelry came into use.
The cultural significance of the adoption of Christianity in Russia proves all the subsequent development of the country. Thanks to the influence of Greek culture, we have the Cyrillic alphabet, the first alphabet, the first manuscript books. After all, it was the figures of the Christian church that Byzantium supplied us that became the first authors of books - annals, teachers of Russian ministers of the church. These were the most enlightened people who brought the light of knowledge to a developing country. The historical significance of the adoption of Christianity is that Russia has realized itself as part of world culture. She eagerly absorbed everything new that came to us from neighboring states, combining her own, original, with foreign. From this combination of cultures of different nations, a great Russian culture will subsequently be formed, which itself will exert influence on other countries.
Among other turning points in the history of our country, the importance of adopting Christianity in Russia cannot be overestimated. It is no accident that the people recognized Prince Vladimir, who took this step, as equal to the apostles, disciples and followers of Christ, and gave him the nickname Equal-to-the-Apostles.