The figure named as the Apostle of the Russians and Ukrainians is?

• A. St. Cyril
• B. Saint Basil
• C. St. Vladimir
• D. Saint Methodius

Answer: (C)

This question tests recognizing who first brought Christianity to the East Slavic lands and established the Christian church there. Saint Vladimir the Great, the Grand Prince of Kievan Rus', is the figure known for Christianizing the realm around 988. His decision to convert the state to Byzantine Christianity, his baptism, and his role in promoting churches and a church hierarchy across Rus' created the religious and cultural foundation that shaped what would become Russia and Ukraine for centuries. That impact is why he is regarded as the Apostle of the Russians and Ukrainians.

Cyril and Methodius are celebrated as missionaries to the Slavic peoples and for developing the Cyrillic script, but their work spans a broader Slavic world rather than focusing specifically on the Christianization of Russia and Ukraine. Saint Basil the Great is a prominent theologian and bishop, not the figure associated with converting Rus' and its successor states.