Religious Sites in Kiev During the Reign of Volodimer Sviatoslavich Author(S): PETRO P

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Religious Sites in Kiev During the Reign of Volodimer Sviatoslavich Author(s): PETRO P. TOLOCHKO and Marko Carynnyk Source: Harvard Ukrainian Studies, Vol. 11, No. 3/4 (December 1987), pp. 317-322 Published by: Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41036278 . Accessed: 29/09/2014 16:23

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This content downloaded from 67.210.62.232 on Mon, 29 Sep 2014 16:23:58 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions ReligiousSites in Kiev Duringthe Reign of VolodimerSviatoslavich

PETRO P. TOLOCHKO

The date of theofficial introduction of Christianityas thestate religion of Kievan Rus' is rightfullyconsidered to be 988. Many scholarshave inter- pretedthis event, which is undoubtedlyof greathistorical importance, as an almostsimultaneous and generalenlightenment of the Rus' people that came in thewake of Volodimer's own enlightenment.For thechroniclers, 988 dividedthe history of theEastern Slavs intotwo periods:the heathen period,when the Rus' people werein totaldarkness and ignorance;and the Christianperiod, when the lightof spiritualityand cultureappeared. The ' thesisof 'darknessand light"does makesense, but it mustnot be takenas absolutenor, especially, simplified. Christianity began to penetrateinto Rus', at firstinto Kiev, more than a hundredyears before the reign of Volo- dimer. Paganismsurvived among the populace even two hundredyears afterthe official baptism of Rus'.1 The reignof Volodimerwas themost complex in termsof theformation of an ideologicalsystem. The rightsolution was not foundimmediately. The firstattempts to createsuch a system,as is so oftenthe case, consisted of patchingthe old ratherthan introducing the new. Realizingthat the unity of Rus' could not be based merelyon the militarymight of the central government,Volodimer tried from the outsetto make the idea of unity importantfor all theEast Slavs. For thispurpose he builton the hills of Kiev,outside the princely court, a newpagan temple with a pantheonof the six chiefgods of KievanRus' - Perun,Khors, Dazhboh, Stryboh, Symarhl, and Mokosha. Wherewas thistemple and sacrificialaltar located? Ever since V. V. Khvoika's discovery,it has been identifiedwith the remainsof a stone shrinein thecenter of themost ancient settlement. The structureconsisted of various-sizedslabs of sandstonemixed with clay and it had an ellipsoid shape (withdimensions of 4.2 by 3.5 meters).Four-cornered projections (0.7 to 0.8 meters)emerging from the four sides of thetemple were oriented

1 P. P. Tolochko,Drevniaia Rus' : Ocherkisotsial 'no-politicheskoi istorii (Kiev, 1987).

This content downloaded from 67.210.62.232 on Mon, 29 Sep 2014 16:23:58 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 318 PETRO P. TOLOCHKO to thefour points of thecompass.2 The discoveryexcited great interest and attractedthe attentionof manyscholars. The mostthorough studies were by K. V. Bolsunovs'kyiimmediately after the completionof Khvoika's excavationsand by M. K. Kargerafter the monument was reexaminedin 1937. Withoutquestioning the religiousnature of the building,scholars have interpretedits specificpurpose variously. Bolsunovs'kyi connected theopen altarwith the cult of the Slavic god Svitovyd.3Following A. A. Dintses,Karger believed that it was at thetemple of Perunthat Oleg, Igor' and Sviatoslavswore oaths.4 Kargerthought that Bolsunovs'kyi 's connection,which was based on a comparisonof thefour projections of theKiev templewith the four faces of thewell-known Zbruch idol, was naive. It does notstrike me as such. But perhapswe shouldtalk not about Svitovyd, who was a deityof theWestern Slavs, but about his EasternSlavic equivalent,Rod, as B. O. Rybakov demonstrated.5In any case, thereis everyreason to believethat Igor' and Sviatoslavdid not swear oathsat thisaltar. Of particularinterest in this respectis a chronicleentry for 945 whichdiscusses the arrival of a Byzan- tinemission in Kiev: "3ayTpa npH3BaHropb cjibi, h npHfleHa xojimt>,r^e cTOHineIlepyHt, h noKJia^ouiaopyacbe cBoe, h iijhtbih 3ojioto,h xo^hHropb porfc."6A literalreading of the chroniclesuggests that the missionfirst wentto PrinceIgor' 's residenceand then,together with Igor' and his reti- nue,to thetemple of Perun,which stood on a "hill." We learnwhere this "hill" was locatedfrom a chronicleentry for 980: "H nocraBH[Volodi- mer]KyMHpw Ha xonMybhì flBopaTepeMHaro: IlepyHa flpeBÄHa, a rjiaBy ero cpeöpneHy,a ycL 3Jian>,h Xi>pca,flaacbôora, h CTpnôora,h CnMapbrjia,h "7 MoKOHIb. . . H OCKBepHHCH KpOBbMH 3CMJIHPyCKa H XOJIMT>TT>. The conclusionthat the old Kiev templeceased to functionin the first halfof thetenth century and was movedto a new place, outsidethe oldest fortifications,has beenconfirmed by archaeological excavations. In 1975,in thecourse of excavationsby theKiev ArchaeologicalExpe- dition,the foundationsof a mysteriousstructure were discoveredbeneath thebuilding at 3 Volodymyrs'kaStreet. Trenches had been dug beneathit in the loess to a depthof 60 to 90 centimeters.The trencheswere filled with large stones,broken pieces of thin,large bricks,pieces of slate,

2 V. V. Khvoika,Drevnie obitateli Srednego Podneprov'ia i ikhkul'tura (Kiev, 1913),p. 66. 3 K. V. Bolsunovskii(Bolsunovs'kyi), Zhertvennik Germesa - Svetovida(Kiev, 1909), pp. 5-12. 4 M. K. Karger,Drevnii Kiev, vol. 1. (Kiev, 1959),p. 112. 5 B. A. Rybakov,¡azychestvo drevnykh slavian (Moscow, 1981),pp. 458-61 . 6 Povest'vremennykh let, vol. 1 (Moscow and Leningrad,1950), p. 39. 7 PVL, pt. l,p. 56.

This content downloaded from 67.210.62.232 on Mon, 29 Sep 2014 16:23:58 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions RELIGIOUS SITES IN KIEV 3 19 fractionsof lime-waterwith admixtures of groundbrick, and othermaterials datingto the tenthcentury. The plan was an elongatedrectangle 1.75 meterswide and extending7 metersfrom north to south. Projectingout fromthe rectangle's northern, southern, and easternsides weresix rounded symmetricalprojections shaped like flowerpetals. The two largeprojec- tionswere close to 2 metersin diameter;the four smaller ones were 1 meter in diameter.8 The unusualconfiguration of thefoundations of the structure,precisely orientedwith the pointsof the compass,as well as the presenceof early material,leads us to concludethat these are theremains of a religiousstruc- turefrom the pre-Christian era. Theycould well be theremains of thetemple thatis mentionedin thechronicle entries for 945-980. The six petal- shapedprojections could have servedas pedestalsfor idols of thesix Slavic gods, namely,Perun, Khors, Dazhboh, Stryboh,Symarhl, and Mokosha. This is supportedby the discoveryon the southernside of a largeashpit locatedin a cup-likedepression close to 3 metersin diameter.It contained layersof coals and ash, burntclay, and a largequantity of animalbones, mostlyof bulls. A studyof the stratigraphyof the ashpitconfirms that it was formedby theburning of a ritualfire. This findingfits in well withthe Hustyn'Chronicle, which reports that an eternalfire was maintainedbeside the templeof Perun. In naturethis ashpit resembles the sacrificialpost discoveredby Khvoikain 1908 besidethe temple at thecenter of theoldest partof thecity. Thattemple was surroundedby smallround pits filled with ashes,coals, and shardsof tenth-centuryceramic pottery. Similar ashpits werediscovered in thenineteenth century when Volodimers'ka Street was beinglaid out,and during S. S. Hamchenko'sexcavations in 1926. Observationsof theway in whichthe foundation trench was filledindi- cate thatthe structure was deliberatelydestroyed. We knowfrom the Pri- maryChronicle that this could have happenedin 988. Althoughthe chronicle, whichso dramaticallydescribes the overthrow of theidols, contains no referenceto thefate of thepagan temple,we can assumethat Volodimer destroyedit just as he destroyedthe idols. Iakov Mnikh's"Pokhvala knia- ziu Volodymyru"reports that he dug up and smashedpagan templesand brokeup theiridols. It is difficultto say anythingcertain about the exteriors of thetwo pagan templeson Starokyivs'kaHill. The saga of Ólafr Tryggvasoncontains wordsthat describe the pagan templeof the tenthcentury as a shrinein whichidols werekept. "Ólafr," thesaga says,"never respected the idols and always triedto act accordingly.Nevertheless he frequentlyaccom-

8 P. P. Tolochko,Drevnii Kiev (Kiev, 1983),pp. 40-42.

This content downloaded from 67.210.62.232 on Mon, 29 Sep 2014 16:23:58 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 320 PETRO P. TOLOCHKO paniedthe konungr to thetemple, and yetnever went inside but stood outside the door," presumablywhile Volodimer made sacrificesto his gods. The testimonyof the saga has not been confirmedby archaeologicalevi- dence. A secondpagan temple stood in thePodil, or lowertown. This was the templeof Veles, "the cattlegod," patronof merchantsand traders.The "Zhitie Volodymyra"states that the Kiev prince"Bojioca HflOJia,ero ace Ha3biBaJiHCKOTbHM 6oroM, noBejieji b üoHaöHy peicy cõpocHTb." The precise locationof theshrine to Veles is unknown,but since Veles was replacedin theChristian era by St. Vlasii, also a patronof cattle,we can assumethat theChurch of St. Vlasii was erectedon thesite of thepagan temple. That churchwas locatedon NyzhniiVal Street,on theborder between the Podil and theObolon' districts,where the cattleof Kiev were pastured.In the tenthcentury the present-day Voloshs'ka Street in thePodil wentpast the templeof Veles to theObolon' pasture.In thelate MiddleAges thestreet was also called "Skotoprohonna." Volodimer's attemptto revivepaganism did notbring the results that he hopedfor. The pantheonof six godson theStarokyivs'ka Hill did notmake Kiev intothe ideologicalcenter of pagan Rus', nor did it eliminatelocal autonomisttendencies. Today, a thousandyears later,it is evidentthat Volodimerand his followersmade a seriouspolitical blunder. As a state religion,paganism was outdated.For mostof the countriesneighboring Rus', itwas a stageleft behind. In Rus' Christianityhad been establishingitself for more than a century. - In some periods- thereigns of Askold,01' ga, and especiallyIaropolk it attainednoticeable results. E. E. Golubinskii,the prominentchurch his- torian,believed that during the reignof Igor', Christiansprevailed over pagansnumerically, morally, and politically.9Written sources, both foreign and native,indicate from the end of theninth to theend of thetenth centu- ries,two ideologicalsystems - the pagan and the Christian- coexistedin Kiev. Whileeternal sacrificial fires for pagan gods burnedin Kiev, Chris- tianshrines were being built. The PrimaryChronicle speaks in detail only about the Churchof St. Elias, whichwas the city cathedral.It was here thatthe Christiansin Igor' 's retinueswore oaths to upholdthe Rus'-Byzantium treaty of 944. We can assumethat the church survived the pagan revivalin thereign of Volodimer.It stoodnot far from the port on thePochaina River, no doubt on the siteof thepresent Church of St. Elias in thePodil. The namingof

9 E. E. Golubinskii,Istoriici russkoi tserkvi, vol. 1 (Moscow, 1880),p. 68.

This content downloaded from 67.210.62.232 on Mon, 29 Sep 2014 16:23:58 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions RELIGIOUS SITES IN KIEV 32 1 shrinesafter shrines previously located in thesame place was a traditionof theRus' church. CitingJoakim's Chronicle, V. Tatishchevspoke aboutthe foundingof the Cathedralof St. Sophia by PrincessOl'ga.10 This is supportedby an entryin one of the fourteenth-centuryApostles, according to which St. Sophiawas sanctifiedin 952. The cathedralwas destroyedduring the reign of Sviatoslav. Joakim'sChronicle relates that after his defeatbeside the Danube, Sviatoslavblamed the Christiansand senthis men to Kiev with ' orders 'xpaMbi xpHCTHaHpa30pHTb h cace^b, h caM BCKopenoineji, acejian Bcex xpHCTHaHnoryÕHTb." After Volodimer accepted Christianity as theofficial state religion,the Sophia cathedralwas rebuiltand a monasterywas foundedbeside it. This was confirmedby Thietmarof Merseburgin 1018: "The archbishopof this city [Kiev] with relics of saints and various ecclesiasticaladornments arranged for Boleslav and Sviatopolka meetingat the monasteryof St. Sophia, which,unfortunately, accidentally burned down last year."11In place of the wooden Sophia, Iaroslav the Wise erecteda newstone edifice, which has survivedto ourtime. The firstreligious building erected immediately after the baptism of Rus' was the Churchof St. Basil. It was builton Perun'shill in honorof its patron,Prince Volodimer: "H ce peKT>,noBejit pyõHTH uepicBH h nocTaBJiHTH noMtcTOMt, Hfle ace cTonxy KyMHpn. H nocTaBHiiepKOBb cBHToro BacHJibH Ha xojintb,H,ne «e cTomnekvmhpt> Ilepyirb h npoHHH."12The preciselocation of theChurch of St. Basil has notbeen established.Archaeological studies of thefoundations of thepagan templehave notrevealed traces of a later woodenedifice. The stoneChurch of St. Basil thatwas builtin 1183 in Iaroslav's GreatCourt was locatedabout a hundredmeters southeast of the temple.It is difficultto say on whichof thesetwo sites, located in thesame district,Volodimer' s Churchof St. Basil stood. The centralChristian shrine in thereign of VolodimerSviatoslavich was theChurch of theAssumption of theVirgin, or theTithes Church. Accord- ingto thechronicle, it was foundedin 989 and completedin 996: "IIoceMb ace BojioflHMepi>acHBHine bt> saKOHt xpecTbflHCTt,noMbicjiH co3flaTHiiepKOBb npecBHTbiH EoropoflHija, h nocjiaB'b npHBHfleMacTepw ott> Fpeirb."13 When constructionwas completed,the church was decoratedwith icons, crosses, and utensils.To maintainhis churchVolodimer designated a tenthof his

10 V. N. Tatishchev,Istoriici rossiiskaia, vol. 1 (Moscow and Leningrad,1962), p. Ill; see also vol. 3 (1963), p. 241, note241. 1! Sbornikmaterialov dlia istoricheskoitopografii Kieva, pt. 2 (Kiev, 1874),pp. 1-2. 12 PVL.VO1.l,p. 81. 1J PVL, 'ol l,p. 83.

This content downloaded from 67.210.62.232 on Mon, 29 Sep 2014 16:23:58 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 322 PETRO P. TOLOCHKO incomefrom his realm,hence its alternate name, the Tithes Church: "flaw IjepKBH Ceíí CBHTÍH BoropO^HIiH OTT> HMtHbfl MOerO H OTT> rpaflT> MOHXT» " 14 aecHTyio nacTb. The TithesChurch was builton thesite of a formergraveyard, beside the oldestfortifications, which had lostimportance by theend of thetenth cen- turyand had been levelled. The locationof thechurch next to theprince's courthas led researchersto regardit as his shrine.Later, after St. Sophia had been constructed,this was obviouslythe case, but at firstthe Tithes Churchwas thecity cathedral and theresidence of themetropolitan. A second site of Christianityin tenth-centuryKiev was the regionof Askold's grave. Here, accordingto the PrimaryChronicle, stood the Churchof St. Nicholas,built by a certainOlma on the grave of Prince Askold. The Kiev Synopsis(1674) says thatthe church was builtby Prin- cess Ol'ga. Both chronicleaccounts had theirproponents and opponents, butit is generallythought that the second account is themore reliable. As a newlybaptized Christian, Ol'ga would have foundit naturalto build a churchon thegrave of thefirst Christian prince. It is notimpossible, how- ever,that she rebuilta churchin theUhors'ke Urochyshche, since a chapel could have stoodhere since the time of Askold. In thereign of Sviatoslav, as Joakim'sChronicle reported, the church on Askold'shill was destroyed. We have no reliableevidence to supportthe claim thatVolodimer rebuilt theChurch of St. Nicholasafter he acceptedChristianity, but at the same timethere is nothingto contradictthe claim. The extensivechurch con- structionthat Volodimer undertook after 988 is attestedto by the most ancientchronicles. The locationof religioussites in Kiev duringthe reignof Volodimer Sviatoslavichreflected the complex ideological situation in Kiev in thetime beforethe officialintroduction of Christianityin Rus' and in the first decades afterits introduction.Both pagan and Christianreligious shrines appearedand disappearedin Kiev and itsenvirons, according to thesuccess of one or theother religious system. The beliefshad varyingsuccess even in thereign of VolodimerSviatoslavich. At firstpaganism had the upper hand,and thisled to thedestruction of Christianshrines. Later, Christianity gotthe upper hand, and it was thepagan shrinesand templesthat were destroyed. Academyof Sciences of the Ukrainian S.S.R., Kiev

Translatedfrom Ukrainian by Marko Carynnyk

14 PVL, vol. l,p. 85.

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