Christianity around the world

Christianity in Russia

Russian Christianity is above all the story of Eastern Orthodoxy. It traces its origin to 988, when Prince Vladimir of Kyiv accepted Christianity and led the baptism of the Rus. Orthodox faith shaped Russian art, music, and identity for a thousand years, through a rich monastic tradition. The twentieth century brought fierce Soviet persecution, yet the church survived, and since the 1990s Orthodox Christianity has revived strongly, alongside smaller Catholic and Protestant communities.

How Christianity came to Russia

The defining moment is the year 988. According to the chronicles, Prince Vladimir of Kyiv, seeking a faith for his people, was drawn to the beauty of Byzantine Christian worship and accepted baptism, then led the baptism of the people of the Rus in the Dnieper. Eastern Orthodox Christianity, received from Constantinople, became the faith of the Slavic lands from which both Russia and Ukraine trace their Christian roots.

Over the centuries a deep monastic and spiritual tradition grew, shaped by saints such as Sergius of Radonezh, by the beauty of icons and the writings of the Church Fathers, and by the practice of the Jesus Prayer. Moscow eventually became a great center of Orthodoxy. The twentieth century brought catastrophe: the atheist Soviet state closed and destroyed churches, and countless clergy and believers were imprisoned or killed. Yet faith endured, often hidden.

The church here today

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian Orthodox Church has revived on a large scale, rebuilding churches and monasteries and returning to public life. Most religious Russians identify as Orthodox, though levels of active practice vary. There are also smaller Catholic and Protestant communities and, in some regions, significant Muslim and Buddhist populations. Orthodox worship, with its icons, chant, and long liturgies, remains one of the most beautiful and ancient forms of Christian prayer.

If you are seeking here

If you are living in Russia or of Russian heritage and quietly wondering about Jesus, you are not alone, and you are welcome. Faith is not a nationality or a family tradition you are locked into or out of; it begins wherever one person turns to Christ and asks. You can start today by reading a Gospel, by praying honestly in your own words, and by finding a community that follows Jesus near you.

Frequently asked questions

When did Russia become Christian?

In 988, when Prince Vladimir of Kyiv accepted Eastern Orthodox Christianity from Constantinople and led the baptism of the people of the Rus, from whom both Russia and Ukraine trace their Christian roots.

What is the Russian Orthodox Church?

It is the main Christian church of Russia, part of the Eastern Orthodox communion, known for its icons, chant, monastic tradition, and ancient liturgy. It survived Soviet persecution and has revived strongly since the 1990s.

Did Christianity survive the Soviet era?

Yes, though at great cost. The atheist Soviet state closed churches and persecuted believers, yet faith endured, often in secret, and the church has revived on a large scale since the fall of the Soviet Union.