These are the Russian saints in my family tree:

1) Ruric or "Rurik" of Russia was not a saint but is the progenitor of Vladimir and Olga.

Rurik (or Ruric) of Russia was the reputed founder of Russia. Supposedly he led a band of Varangains who settled in Novgorod 862.  His heirs ruled Russia till 1598.  Ruric of Russia was the father of Saint Olga.  In the beginning she does not sound like a saint.

 

 

2) Vladimir The Great, the first Czar of Russia --

<<<<<< ----- Read more on Vladimir }

 

Among the Russian people, Vladimir's memory has been preserved through the centuries. Vladimir's grandmother Olga was also considerd a saint and founder of the first Russian internal revenue service. Like Charlemagne, Vladimir created schools and promoted Christianity. Vladimir rooted Christianity in Russia so deep and so fast that the people forgot he had done it at all.

When Vladimir died, his son Svyatopolk killed two of his brothers and was in pursuit of a third, Yaroslav. Each of Vladimir's sons had own their own army. When their armies finally met in the year of 1019 at sunrise, the two armies rushed at one another. The slaughter went on for the whole day. The sun was setting when the wounded Svyatopolk finally fled and died from his injury in Bohemia.

As he was fleeing, his biographer wrote "a devil came upon him and his bones were softened" so he could not ride. Although no one was in pursuit he would cry out loud, "run faster! They are after us!" Vladimir's son King Jaroslaus (Yaroslav) gave the first code of laws to Russia and lived in 1015 thru 1054 as is also a direct descendant.

3) Olga of Russia

<<<<<< ----- Read more on Olga }

The Following material comes from the book Vladimir The Russian Viking, by Vladimir Volkoff, pub. 1984:
Vladimir's grandmother St. Olga of Russia was very upset when her husband Igor was murdered.  Olga even avenged her husband's death.  Prince Drevlyan Mal who had been responsible for Igor's murder want to marry Olga and so proposed.  Olga told Mal that her followers would not let her come to him unless he sent his nobles lords to accompany her...The lords came. According to Russian tradition, they were offered a steam bath.  As soon as they had been ushered in, the bathhouse was locked and burned down.

St. Olga of Russia had been the mind behind founding the first IRS of Russia around the year of 947.

She ruled powerfully for 10 years and she then abandoned the proud faith of her forefathers and began to worship a crucified God.  She was suppose to have been baptized.  From then on no more atrocities are ascribed to her credit.  For years she tried to share her religious happiness with her son 'I have learned to know God.  It is such a joy!'  Svyatoslav smiled and shook his head firmly, Christianity seemed very stupid to him: 'Mother, my retinue will laugh at me if I become a do-gooder.  Yours is not a faith for soldiers and princes.'  Olga responded 'If you were to be converted, your subjects would follow your example, my son, and we should become a Christian nation, like the Greeks.  She prayed night and day, 'she prayed for her dear son and for her people: "If God wishes to have pity on my family and the land of Russia, let him lead my son's heart as he led mine."'

Died in 969, Duchess of Kiev, widow of Igor who died in 945, regent (945-57) for her son, Svyatoslav.  She promoted Christianity in Russia.  When Olga died on July 11, 969 she willed the entire village of Budutino to the Church.