NOVOGOROD. 
35 
intreated him to send a bishop among them, which chap. 
was accordingly done. Evagrius Scholasticus 1 > 
has related this circumstance, as recorded by 
Procopius. Rut by Tanais is said to be intended 
the stream which runs out of the Mceotis into 
the Euxine ; that is to say, the Cimmerian Bos- 
phorus, or Straits of Taman. The arrival of a 
bishop so invited, and under such patronage, 
might be followed by the establishment of a 
church; and it is probable, from existing docu- 
ments, as well as the traditions of the people, 
that this really happened, either on the Asiatic 
or the European side of those Straits, about that 
time. The jurisdiction of the province after- 
wards annexed to the crown of Russia by 
Svetoslaf the First, father of Vladimir the Great, 
included the Isle of Taman, and the Peninsula of 
Kertchy. In those districts, therefore, we might 
be allowed to place the first tabernacles of 
Christian worship ; although, in the distant 
period of their introduction, the foundation of 
the Russian Empire had scarcely been laid. 
It is pleasing to bring scattered portions of 
history to bear upon any one point; particularly 
when, by so doing, the obscurity of some of 
them may be elucidated. The journey of Olga, 
wife of Igor, son of Ruric, to Constantinople, 
(0 Lib. iv. c. 23. 
D 2 
