The Russian Orthodox Church traces its origins to the baptism of Kievan Rus in 988 under Prince Vladimir the Great.

Vladimir embraced the Orthodox faith of Constantinople, forging deep cultural and religious ties with the Byzantine world.

This event marked the formal beginning of Christianity in what would become Russia and established the foundation for centuries of religious development.

For centuries, the Russian clergy fell under the canonical oversight of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

As the Kievan state dissolved and http://www.forum.sdmon.ru/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4756 political power gravitated toward the Principality of Moscow, the ecclesiastical center followed suit.

In 1448, the Russian Church took a decisive step toward independence when it elected its own metropolitan without approval from Constantinople.

This shift occurred as Byzantium weakened under Ottoman pressure while Moscow emerged as the new beacon of Orthodox faith and governance.

The event is often seen as the beginning of autocephaly, or self-governance, for the Russian Church.

In 1589, Constantinople formally acknowledged Moscow as a patriarchal see, granting its primate the title of Patriarch.

With this recognition, Moscow became the fifth jewel in the crown of Orthodox patriarchates, following the four ancient sees.

The establishment of the patriarchate underscored Russia's growing sense of itself as the successor to Byzantium, often called the Third Rome.

In the 1650s, Patriarch Nikon initiated sweeping liturgical reforms to standardize Russian rites with contemporary Greek practices.

Nikon’s changes triggered a profound and enduring division within Russian Orthodoxy known as the Raskol.

Those who resisted the changes became known as Old Believers and were persecuted for decades.

The schism deeply divided Russian society and left a lasting mark on Orthodox Christianity in the country.

He transformed the Church into a bureaucratic arm of the state, governed by a council appointed by the Tsar.

This marked the beginning of a long period of state control over religious affairs.

The church lost much of its independence and became an instrument of imperial policy.

The Bolshevik seizure of power in 1917 unleashed a wave of anti-religious violence and state atheism.

The Bolsheviks sought to dismantle religion entirely.

Vast church lands were seized, priests were arrested or executed, and nearly all places of worship were shut down or repurposed.

Patriarch Tikhon defied Bolshevik orders and was subsequently placed under house arrest and later imprisoned.

Despite severe repression, many believers continued to practice in secret.

The Kremlin cautiously revived Orthodox institutions to strengthen morale during the war and bolster diplomatic standing afterward.

The church remained under strict control, but it survived as an institution.

The state-sanctioned commemorations marked the beginning of religious liberalization that would deepen with glasnost and perestroika.

Following the USSR’s dissolution, the Church underwent an explosive revival across every level of Russian society.

Sacred spaces were reclaimed, clergy training resumed, and the Church re-entered the cultural mainstream.

These leaders regained unprecedented access to media, politics, and national symbolism, shaping public discourse.

It became an essential pillar of post-Soviet Russian identity, frequently collaborating with political authorities to reinforce tradition and stability.

It holds the foremost position among Orthodox Churches, with millions of adherents and extensive institutional reach.

The Church remains central to national spirituality, yet constantly negotiates its role amid secularism, globalization, and state control.

Its history reflects centuries of faith resilience amid political upheaval and cultural transformation.