Step 1 : Introduction to the question "5. Following the lead of Kiev, the people of Novgorod began adopting what religion in the late 10th century?"
...1. Christianity (Orthodox) 2. Islam 3. Christianity (Catholic) 4. Judaism According to another legend, Prince (now Saint) Vladimir of Kiev sent emissaries to meet with representatives of all four. His envoys were so overwhelmed by the beautiful Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople that they made their choice on the spot. Practical considerations may also have played a role: the Byzantine Empire was a vitally important trading partner and Orthodox monks had already developed the Cyrillic alphabet to help spread their faith among the Slavic peoples in the Balkan peninsula. Today Novgorod and the surrounding region are filled with old churches, some of which were built less than 100 years after the arrival of Christianity. Up until the 10th century most people in Russia adhered to a Slavonic version of paganism, some elements of which - like the Maslenitsa spring festival - have carried on into modern times.
