According to the primary chronicle how did Vladimir choose byzantine Christianity?

Answer 1

According to the Primary Chronicle Prince Vladimir chose Byzantine Christianity through a multi-part process. Vladimir was first visited by emissaries from 4 different religions, Roman Christianity, Byzantine Christianity, Islam and Judaism. They each told him about their religion with the Byzantine Christians coming last. After hearing what each had to say about their own and the other religions Vladimir then sent his men to the Roman (German), Muslim (Bulgar) and Byzantine areas to see how each religion was practiced. When the men returned from Germany they claimed that the Roman church worshiped with no joy. Of the Muslim Bulgars they came back complaining of the stench and claiming that the Muslims washed their beards with water that they had used to wash their genitalia and anuses. Also the Muslim abstention from alcohol was not pleasing to the Kievian prince. The Jewish Khazars were not given a chance to show their religion as both Christian groups and the Muslims claimed that God punished the Jews and kicked them out of Jerusalem. When the Rus went to the Byzantine Church the Byzantine emperor and the Patriarch of Constantinople went out of their way to show the Rus a good service. The Rus returned to Kiev with stories about not knowing whether they were on earth or in heaven and this pleased Vladimir and he decided that he would chose Byzantine Christianity, but not right away. First he would conquer the city of Chersonesus. After he did this he held the city ransom for the hand of the Emperors sister in marriage. He then promised to convert so that she would not be marrying a Pagan. But he stalled again and was then blinded. Then he finally was baptized and a miracle happened and he was healed. And that is a shortened paraphrase of what the chronicles say as to how Vladimir chose Byzantine Christianity.