This circumstance is said to have enforced upon Ivan's attention the advisability of establishing printing-presses in Russia; though there is reason to believe that Maxim the Greek had, long before, suggested the idea to the Tzar.

Accordingly, the erection of a printing-house was begun in 1543, but it was only in April, 1563, that printing could be begun, and in March, 1564, the first book was completed--The Acts of the Apostles.

The first book printed in Slavonic, however, is the "Oktoikh," or "Book of the Eight Canonical Tones," containing the Hymns for Vespers, Matins, and kindred church services, which was printed in Cracow seventy years earlier; and thirty years earlier, Venice was producing printed books in the Slavonic languages, while even in Lithuania and White Russia printed books were known earlier than in Moscow.

After printing a second book, the "Book of Hours" (the Tchasosloff)--also connected with Vespers, Matins, kindred services, and the Liturgy, in addition--in 1565, the printers, both Russians, were accused of heresy, of spoiling the book, and were compelled to flee from Moscow.

In 1568 other printers produced in Moscow the Psalter, and other books.