Frederic P Miller

Religion in Ukraine Frederic P Miller

Publisher Marketing: Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Traditionally Ukraine was inhabited by pagan tribes, but by the turn of the first millennium AD Byzantine-rite Christianity was introduced. It is thought that Apostle Andrew came up to the site where the city of Kiev was built in his lifetime. However it was only by the 900s A. D that the emerging state, the Kievan Rus became influenced by the Byzantine Empire, the first known conversion was by the dutchess Saint Olga who came to Constantinople. Several years later, her son, Knyaz Vladimir baptised his people in the Dnieper River. This began a long history of the dominance of the Eastern Orthodoxy in Ruthenia that later was to influence Russia and Ukraine. Judaism was present on Ukrainian lands for approximately 2000 years when Jewish traders appeared in Greek colonies. At the same time the neighbouring Khazar Kaganate was influenced by Judaism. Since the 13th century the Jewish presence in Ukraine increased significantly. Later on in Ukraine was established new teaching of Judaism Hasidism. The Muslim religion was brought to Ukraine by a long history of controversies with Golden Horde and Ottoman Empire.