Byzantine Saint Stories for Little Ones
Vladimir the Great, Equal to the Apostles- July 15
Saint Vladimir lived in Kiev, a city in modern day Ukraine, 1,000 years ago. He was a prince, but worshipped items that were made by men instead of the one God who made everything. He decided to send messengers all over the world to report on the various world religions and the way other peoples worshipped. When they returned to Kiev, they told him all about their travels and what they experienced. They described in detail all the different religions of the world one by one. Finally, they talked about their experience in Constantinople, at Hagia Sophia, the mother church of our Byzantine faith. They had attended an exquisitely sung Divine Liturgy in the stunning temple.
They told Vladimir that it was so beautiful that they didn’t know if they were in heaven or on earth.
Upon hearing this, he learned about our Byzantine faith, was baptized, destroyed all the man-made idols in the land, and began to build the churches in which our Byzantine ancestors worshipped and received the One, True God.
Friday, July 9 –
