As Prince Constantine Baptized Muromtranslated

On the high left bank of the Oka River stands the city of Murom. It stood there a thousand years ago as well. Then, in that city lived the descendants of the Muromi — an ancient Finno-Ugric tribe, and Slavs who came to these lands from the south. Customs interwove, languages mixed, but faith remained unchanged, pagan: people offered sacrifices to idols, listened to sorcerers, and feared invisible forces of the forest and water.

The Christians among them, of course, had heard about Christ. They knew that their city was part of Rus', that a prince sent from Kiev should rule over them in Murom as well. But they did not want a Christian to reign over them. His faith was foreign to them.

And so, in 1092, the princely city of Kiev sent Prince Constantine Svyatoslavich with an army to Murom. He was a grandson of Yaroslav the Wise and a great-grandson of Vladimir the Great!

The prince's retinue stopped not far from the city. Now they had to decide what to do next…

The Messenger at the Gates

…The morning was calm and cool, through the mist the dark walls of Murom barely emerged. The fires in the prince's camp were still smoldering, smoke mingled with damp grass.

Prince Constantine stood for a long time, looking at the palisade and towers. Then he ordered his eldest son to be woken — the young prince…