July 28: Honoring the Spiritual Roots of Russian Statehood

The Day of the Baptism of Rus' is a state commemorative date in the Russian Federation, officially established in 2010 by a federal law amending the legislation on days of military glory and commemorative dates in Russia. The holiday honors one of the most significant moments in the nation’s history — the adoption of Christianity as the state religion in 988. This initiative was originally proposed by the Russian Orthodox Church. The law describes the holiday as the “legal recognition of an important historical event that significantly influenced the social, spiritual, and cultural development of the peoples of Russia and strengthened Russian statehood.”