Russia's religious founder is honored by President Putin

ARDAILY

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia (L) speaks to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to the recently restored St. Prince Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church during celebrations marking the 1000-year anniversary of the canonisation of Great Prince Vladimir in Moscow on July 27, 2015. AFP PHOTO / RIA NOVOSTI / POOL / ALEKSEY NIKOLSKYI.

RUSSIA---Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday marked 1,000 years since the death of Prince Vladimir, the Orthodox saint credited with bringing Christianity to the country in the Middle Ages. "By stopping strife, crushing internal enemies, Prince Vladimir initiated the formation of a united Russian nation, in fact paving the way for the construction of a strong, centralised Russian state," Putin said at ceremony in the Kremlin alongside the head of Russia's Orthodox church. [link]