Theodore the Varangian and his son John

Lore & Background

According to the Primary Chronicle under the year 6491 (983), after prince Vladimir conquered the Yatvingians and returned to Kiev, he and his people made sacrifice to idols. The elders and boyars proposed casting lots on boys and girls to determine a human sacrifice. The lot fell upon the son of a Varangian who had immigrated from Greece and adhered to the Christian faith. The father refused to surrender his son, declaring the pagan idols to be mere wood that would rot, while the God of the Greeks made heaven and earth.

Reader's Guide

The story of Theodore and John is recorded in the Primary Chronicle as an early example of Christian martyrdom in Kievan Rus', occurring during the pagan reign of prince Vladimir the Great before his conversion. The chronicle presents their deaths as a persecution by the pagan establishment, and later traditions suggest their courage may have influenced Vladimir's decision to become a Christian. Despite this, Martin C. Putna (2021) noted that they have a surprisingly meagre following compared to other early Rus' martyrs. The exact date of their death is uncertain, with traditional accounts placing it on July 12, 978, while some historians argue for summer 983 during a revolt of the Gentiles.

Did You Know?

• The lot for human sacrifice fell on the son, described as 'fair in face and in heart'.
• No one knows where they are buried, according to the chronicle.