MILLENNIUM OF RUSSIAN CHRISTIANITY The 3rd medal, the Millennium of Russian Christianity, commemorates the 1000 years of Russia's baptism into Christianity. In 988, Vladimir the Great, had the inhabitants of his capitol Kiev baptised. 1000 years later, Patriarch Pemin, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, sanctified the entire mintage of this series and presented the first two pieces of this medallion to President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev during the Moscow Summit May 30th 88