Why did the Russian's adopt the eastern orthodox religion?

Answer 1

The Christian community that became the Russian Orthodox Church is traditionally said to have been founded by the Apostle Andrew, who is thought to have visited Scythia and Greek colonies along the northern coast of the Black Sea. According to one of the legends, Andrew reached the future location of Kiev and foretold the foundation of a great Christian city.[11][12] The spot where he reportedly erected a cross is now marked by St. Andrew's Cathedral.

By the end of the first millennium AD, eastern Slavic lands started to come under the cultural influence of the Eastern Roman Empire. In 863-869, Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius translated parts of The Bible into Old Church Slavonic language for the first time, paving the way for the Christianization of the Slavs. There is evidence that the first Christian bishop was sent to Novgorod from Constantinople either by Patriarch Photius or Patriarch Ignatios, circa 866-867 AD.

By the mid-10th century, there was already a Christian community among Kievan nobility, under the leadership of Greek and Byzantine priests, although paganism remained the dominant religion. Princess Olga of Kiev was the first ruler of Kievan Rus to convert to Christianity, either in 945 or 957. Her grandson, Vladimir the Great, made Kievan Rus' a Christian state.

As a result of the Christianization of Kievan Rus' in 988, Prince Vladimir I of Kiev officially adopted Byzantine Rite Christianity - the religion of the Eastern Roman Empire - as the state religion of Kievan Rus'. This date is often considered the official birthday of the Russian Orthodox Church. Thus, in 1988, the Church celebrated its millennial anniversary. It therefore traces its apostolic succession through the Patriarch of Constantinople.

A related story tells about Vladimir's envoys to 3 main religious centers: Byzantium (constantinopole), Islam (Baghdad) and Judaism (Jehrusalem). The envoys to the Muslims came back and reported that what they saw was not inspiring or even worthy of consideration; the ones that had visited the Jews reported similar things, due to the highly legalistic nature of their religious practices. The envoys to Constantinopole came back and remarked: "During the liturgy in Hagia Sophia, we felt that for that time we were transported to the heavens and did not want to come back; it was the most powerful experience...". naturally, prince Vladimir chose Eastern Orthodoxy for his expanding country.