Page:The Greek and Eastern churches.djvu/390

364 Justinian in the Roman Empire, Vladimir gave himself enthusiastically to building operations, and left his mark on his country for all time in the lasting records of public architecture. His first building was the church of St. Basil at Kiev, planted on the very mound that had formerly been sacred to the god Perun, and from which the national deity's image had been hurled down in the enthusiasm of the popular conversion. These churches were all of the Byzantine order, although subsequently the style was Orientalised, being modified under Persian, and much more under Mongolian influences, to which are to be attributed its characteristic bulbous domes.

But Vladimir was more than a church builder. He saw that his churches were supplied with priests; he also established schools and eagerly promoted the education of the children of the boyars. The bishops, not less zealous in pushing forward their missionary enterprises, penetrated into the interior of Russia as far as the cities of Rostoff and Novgorod, so that Christianity was rapidly spread over a considerable area of Russia. This however must be regarded as little more than the scattering of seed broadcast. Moreover, seeing that it was done in some degree as a measure of State policy, it must have been characterised at first by the superficiality which is always seen in missionary work carried on with the aid of this tempting but delusive assistance. Neither Constantine, nor Clovis, nor Vladimir could really convert a nation by court influence.

This new Christian movement in Russia, which had originated in Constantinople, continued for a considerable time to look to the Greek capital for its sustenance and guidance. Michael, a Syrian by birth, is reckoned the first metropolitan in Russia; he died before the cathedral at Kiev was completed, and was succeeded by a Greek named Leontius, whom the patriarch of Constantinople had appointed. In the year 993, Leontius solemnly consecrated the building, and Vladimir celebrated the occasion by making a grant to the Church out of all dues and fines, customs and taxes, crops and cattle throughout his