The "All-Annual" says: "On November 30, St. Ap. Let us praise the all-praised Andrew the First-Called and the champion of the Church: for this, as of old, come to Kiev, Smolensk, Novgorod, Druzino (Georgian) and Valaamo." Researchers point out that the oral and written traditions of Valaam assert that the Orthodox Faith of Christ was founded on Valaam by St. Ap. Andrey.

Whether Christianity on Valaam continued uninterruptedly until the time of the founding of the monastery there cannot be positively determined now. From the legends of the most ancient manuscript "Opoved", it is clear that on Valaam, after Ap. Andrew, there was and, perhaps, without interruption, a government organization, that there was its own veche, on the model of Novgorod, that Valaam was known in foreign lands and, in case of danger, sought salvation in it; that, finally, the stone cross of St. Ap.

St. Andrew's Church was preserved there, until the time of St. Sergius of Valaam, which indicates the existence of Christianity. In a word, Valaam, before the foundation of the monastery on it, belonged to the Slavs and, probably, was in a civil union with Novgorod, and on Valaam the traces of the Christian Orthodox Faith did not disappear before St. Sergius, although paganism was not yet interrupted side by side with Christianity.

The first of the Russian princes, according to legend, were the Kievan princes Askold and Dir (867 ). (Princes used to be the rulers of the Russian land). Almost a hundred years after them, the wise Russian princess Olga, seeing the pure life of the Kievan Christians, became convinced of the truth of their faith and accepted holy baptism (957 ). She traveled to Byzantium with a large retinue, and from the Patriarch of Constantinople himself she received holy baptism and was named Helena.

Returning home, she persuaded her son Svyatoslav to accept Christianity, but he, being a harsh warrior by nature, did not agree. God destined Prince Vladimir, the grandson of Olga, to enlighten the Russian land with Christianity. At first, Vladimir was a zealous pagan and led an impious life. During his reign two Christians, Theodore and John (father and son), were sacrificed to idols

, who were thus the first martyrs in Russia. But soon Vladimir felt all the emptiness of paganism and began to think about another, better faith. When it became known that the Russian prince was looking for another faith, various preachers began to come to him: Mohammedans, Jews, Germans and Greeks, and each offered his faith. But the strongest impression on Vladimir was made by the Greek Orthodox preacher, who, at the end of his conversation, showed a picture of the Last Judgment.

Vladimir said: "It is good for these righteous ones that are on the right side." "Be baptized and you will be with them," replied the preacher. Prince Vladimir consulted with the boyars and, on their advice, sent ten wise ambassadors to go to different countries and test on the spot whose faith was better. The ambassadors visited the countries from which the preachers came.

Returning to Kiev, they told the prince everything they had seen, and praised the Greek Orthodox faith. They said that there was no better Greek faith anywhere, no people. "When we stood, during the service, in the Greek church, we did not know where we were: on earth or in heaven," they said. And then they added that, having tasted sweet, they no longer wanted bitter, that is ,

, having learned the Orthodox faith of the Greeks, they do not want to serve their idol gods. At the same time, the boyars remarked to Vladimir: "If the Greek faith were not the best of all, then your grandmother, Princess Olga , the wisest of people, would not have accepted it." Then Prince Vladimir finally decided to accept the Orthodox faith. But, as a pagan, he considered it humiliating for himself to ask the Greeks for this. Therefore, soon after that (a year later)

he went to war against the Greeks and took the city of Korsun. (The city of Korsun or Kherson was located in the Crimea, while the Crimea at that time was part of the Greek Empire). After this, he demanded of the Greek emperors Basil and Constantine that they give his sister Anna in marriage to him. (At that time two brothers reigned in Constantinople together). The emperors replied that they could not marry their sister to a pagan.

Then Vladimir announced to them his desire to accept the Christian faith and asked them to send him Princess Anna, as well as a priest for his baptism. The emperors immediately sent priests to Korsun, and Princess Anna came with them. But at this time Prince Vladimir's eyes ached, so that he became blind. Princess Anna advised Vladimir to accept holy baptism as soon as possible.

Vladimir listened to the advice of the princess and was baptized with the name of Vasily. And as soon as he was baptized and began to come out of the font, it was as if a veil fell from his eyes, and he began to see. Vladimir regained his sight bodily and spiritually; and in joy he exclaimed, "Now I know the true God!" After that, Prince Vladimir married Princess Anna and returned to Kiev.

With them came to Kiev, a metropolitan, six bishops, many priests, and everything necessary for divine services was brought. This was in the year 988. At first, Vladimir offered his twelve sons to be baptized, and they were baptized. Following them, many boyars were baptized. Finally, Vladimir commanded all the inhabitants of Kiev to come on the appointed day to the Dnieper River, and there, in the presence of the prince, the sacrament of holy baptism was performed by the clergy.

Prince Vladimir, in joy and ecstasy, fixed his gaze on heaven, prayed to God that the Lord, Who created heaven and earth, would bless the Russian people, allowing them to know Him, the true God, and confirm in them the right faith... On this great day, the earth and the sky rejoiced. Having accepted Christianity, Vladimir changed in everything. From a coarse and cruel pagan, he became a pious and merciful Christian.