Theodore the Varangian and his son John
Theodore the Varangian and his son John (10th century) were the first known martyrs in Rus'.
Biography
Born in the 10th century, Theodore served in Byzantium for a long time, where he took holy baptism. He then moved to live in the city of Kiev. He had a son John, who also professed Christianity. He was one of the best prince combatants.
In ancient manuscripts are the following writing pagan named of Theodore: Tur (Scandinavian Thor) or Utor (Scandinavian Ottar).
St Nestor the Chronicler in his Primary Chronicle reports "And the elders and boyars said: 'let us cast lots upon the boys and girls. Upon whichever one it falls, that one we shall slaughter in sacrifice to the gods'". The lots thrown by the pagan priests, evidently not by chance, fell upon the Christian John. When the messengers told Theodore that his son "had been chosen by the gods themselves to be sacrificed to them", the old warrior decisively answered: “This is not a god, but wood. Today it is, and tomorrow it rots. They do not eat, nor drink nor speak, but are crafted by human hands from wood. God however is One, and the Greeks serve and worship Him. He created heaven and earth, the stars and the moon, the sun and man, and foreordained him to live upon the earth. But these gods, what have they created? They themselves are made. I shall not give my son over to devils.”
The exact date of the death of Theodore and John is unknown. According to the basic version, their demise came July 12, 978, the day after the first period pagan celebrations in Kiev, associated with a campaign Vladimir of Kiev and its ccession to the throne July 11, 978 accompanied by the ascension of thanksgiving to the gods and committing human sacrifices. His march to Kiev in the year in addition to military and political objectives pursued also religious problem: it was an attempt to Variagian-Russian paganism to suppress nascent Christianity in Kiev. It is also believed that this event could happen later - in the summer of the year 983, during the revolt of the Gentiles throughout the Slavic-Germanic world.
It is believed that the events associated with the death of Theodore and John to some extent influenced the decision of Vladimir to become a Christian. It shocked him what had happened, namely the courage with which the Theodore alone stand against the crowd of angry pagan people, which could be revealed only in the protection of the right things.
Sources
- Martyr Theodore and his son of Kiev
- The Holy Martyrs Theodore (Feodor) the Varangian and his son John