What do Old Believers believe and where did they come from? Historical reference
IN last years All large quantity our fellow citizens are interested in issues healthy image life, environmentally clean ways management, survival in extreme conditions, the ability to live in harmony with nature, spiritual improvement. In this regard, many turn to the thousand-year experience of our ancestors, who managed to develop the vast territories of present-day Russia and created agricultural, trade and military outposts in all remote corners of our Motherland.
Not least in this case we're talking about O Old Believers- people who at one time populated not only the territories Russian Empire, but also brought the Russian language, Russian culture and Russian faith to the banks of the Nile, to the jungles of Bolivia, the wastelands of Australia and to the snowy hills of Alaska. The experience of the Old Believers is truly unique: they were able to preserve their religious and cultural identity in the most difficult natural and political conditions and not lose their language and customs. It is no coincidence that the famous hermit from the Lykov family of Old Believers is so well known all over the world.
However, about themselves Old Believers not much is known. Some people believe that Old Believers are people with a primitive education who adhere to outdated farming methods. Others think that Old Believers are people who profess paganism and worship the ancient Russian gods - Perun, Veles, Dazhdbog and others. Still others wonder: if there are Old Believers, then there must be some kind of old faith? Read the answer to these and other questions regarding Old Believers in our article.
Old and new faith
One of the most tragic events in history Russia XVII century became schism of the Russian Church. Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov and his closest spiritual companion Patriarch Nikon(Minin) decided to carry out a global church reform. Having begun with seemingly insignificant changes - a change in the folding of fingers during the sign of the cross from two to three fingers and the abolition of prostrations, the reform soon affected all aspects of the Divine Service and the Rule. Continuing and developing to one degree or another until the reign of the emperor Peter I, this reform changed many canonical rules, spiritual institutions, customs of church government, written and unwritten traditions. Almost all aspects of the religious, and then cultural and everyday life of the Russian people underwent changes.
However, with the beginning of the reforms, it became clear that a significant number of Russian Christians saw in them an attempt to betray the doctrine itself, to destroy the religious and cultural structure that had developed for centuries in Rus' after its Baptism. Many priests, monks and laity spoke out against the plans of the tsar and the patriarch. They wrote petitions, letters and appeals, denouncing innovations and defending the faith that had been preserved for hundreds of years. In their writings, apologists pointed out that the reforms not only forcibly reshape traditions and legends, under pain of execution and persecution, but also affected the most important thing - they destroyed and changed the Christian faith itself. Almost all defenders of the ancient church tradition wrote that Nikon’s reform was apostate and changed the faith itself. Thus, the holy martyr pointed out:
They went astray and apostatized from the true faith with Nikon, an apostate, a malicious, pernicious heretic. They want to establish faith with fire, the whip, and the gallows!
He also called not to be afraid of torturers and to suffer for “ old Christian Faith" A famous writer of that time, a defender of Orthodoxy, expressed himself in the same spirit Spiridon Potemkin:
Striving for the true faith will be damaged by heretical pretexts (additions), so that faithful Christians will not understand, but may be seduced into deception.
Potemkin condemned the Divine services and rituals performed according to the new books and new orders, which he called “evil faith”:
Heretics are those who baptize into their evil faith; they baptize blaspheming God into the One Holy Trinity.
The confessor and martyr Deacon Theodore wrote about the need to defend the fatherly tradition and the old Russian faith, citing numerous examples from the history of the Church:
The heretic starved the pious people who suffered from him for the old faith in exile... And if God vindicates the old faith with a single priest before the whole kingdom, all the authorities will receive shame and reproach from the whole world.
The monastic confessors of the Solovetsky Monastery, who refused to accept the reform of Patriarch Nikon, wrote to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in their fourth petition:
Commanded, sir, that we should be in our same Old Faith, in which your father the sovereign and all the noble kings and great princes and our fathers died, and the venerable fathers Zosima and Savatius, and Herman, and Metropolitan Philip and all the holy fathers pleased God.
So gradually it began to be said that before the reforms of Patriarch Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, before church schism there was one faith, and after the schism there was another faith. The pre-schism confession began to be called old faith, and the post-schism reformed confession - new faith.
This opinion was not denied by the supporters of Patriarch Nikon’s reforms themselves. Thus, Patriarch Joachim, at a famous debate in the Faceted Chamber, said:
First a new faith was established; with the advice and blessing of the most holy ecumenical patriarchs.
While still an archimandrite, he stated:
I don’t know either the old faith or the new faith, but I do whatever the leaders tell me to do.
So gradually the concept “ old faith", and people professing it began to be called " Old Believers», « Old Believers" Thus, Old Believers began to call people who refused to accept the church reforms of Patriarch Nikon and adhere to church institutions ancient Rus', that is old faith. Those who accepted the reform began to be called "newovers" or " new lovers" However, the term new believers" did not take root for long, but the term “Old Believers” still exists today.
Old Believers or Old Believers?
For a long time, in government and church documents, Orthodox Christians who preserved ancient liturgical rites, early printed books and customs were called “ schismatics" They were accused of being faithful to church tradition, which allegedly entailed church schism. Long years schismatics were subjected to repression, persecution, and infringement of civil rights.
However, during the reign of Catherine Great attitude things began to change towards the Old Believers. The Empress believed that the Old Believers could be very useful for settling the uninhabited areas of the expanding Russian Empire.
At the suggestion of Prince Potemkin, Catherine signed a number of documents granting them rights and benefits to live in special areas of the country. In these documents, the Old Believers were not named as “ schismatics", but as " ", which, if not a sign of goodwill, then undoubtedly indicated a weakening of the state’s negative attitude towards the Old Believers. Old Orthodox Christians, Old Believers However, they did not suddenly agree to use this name. In apologetic literature and the resolutions of some Councils it was indicated that the term “Old Believers” was not entirely acceptable.
It was written that the name “Old Believers” implies that the reasons for the church division of the 17th century lie in the same church rituals, and faith itself remained completely intact. Thus, the Irgiz Old Believer Council of 1805 called co-religionists “Old Believers,” that is, Christians who use old rituals and old printed books, but obey the Synodal Church. The resolution of the Irgiz Cathedral read:
Others retreated from us to the renegades, called Old Believers, who, like us, keep old printed books and conduct services from them, but have no shame in communicating with everyone in everything, both in prayer and in eating and drinking.
In the historical and apologetic writings of the ancient Orthodox Christians of the 18th - first half of the 19th century centuries, the terms “Old Believers” and “Old Believers” continued to be used. They are used, for example, in " Stories of the Vygovskaya desert"Ivan Filippov, apologetic work" Deacon's answers"and others. This term was also used by numerous New Believer authors, such as N.I. Kostomarov, S. Knyazkov. P. Znamensky, for example, in “ A Guide to Russian History The 1870 edition says:
Peter became much stricter towards the Old Believers.
At the same time, over the years, some Old Believers began to use the term “ Old Believers" Moreover, as the famous Old Believer writer points out Pavel Curious(1772-1848) in his historical dictionary, Name Old Believers more inherent in non-priest agreements, and “ Old Believers"—to persons belonging to the concords that accept the fleeing priesthood.
And indeed, the agreements accepting the priesthood (Belokrinitsky and Beglopopovsky), by the beginning of the 20th century, instead of the term “ Old Believers, « Old Believers" began to be used more and more often " Old Believers" Soon the name Old Believers was enshrined at the legislative level by the famous decree of Emperor Nicholas II “ On strengthening the principles of religious tolerance" The seventh paragraph of this document reads:
Assign a name Old Believers, instead of the currently used name of schismatics, to all followers of rumors and agreements who accept the basic dogmas of the Orthodox Church, but do not recognize some of the rituals accepted by it and conduct their worship according to old printed books.
However, even after this, many Old Believers continued to be called Old Believers. The non-priest consents especially carefully preserved this name. D. Mikhailov, author of the magazine “ Native antiquity", published by the Old Believer circle of zealots of Russian antiquity in Riga (1927), wrote:
Archpriest Avvakum speaks about the “old Christian faith,” and not about “rites.” That is why nowhere in all the historical decrees and messages of the first zealots of ancient Orthodoxy is the name “ Old Believer.
What do Old Believers believe?
Old Believers, as the heirs of pre-schism, pre-reform Rus', they try to preserve all the dogmas, canonical provisions, ranks and successions of the Old Russian Church.
First of all, of course, this concerns the main church dogmas: the confession of St. Trinity, the incarnation of God the Word, two hypostases of Jesus Christ, his atoning Sacrifice on the Cross and Resurrection. The main difference between confession Old Believers from other Christian confessions is the use of forms of worship and church piety characteristic of the ancient Church.
Among them are immersion baptism, unison singing, canonical iconography, and special prayer clothing. For worship Old Believers They use old printed liturgical books published before 1652 (mainly published under the last pious Patriarch Joseph. Old Believers, however, do not represent a single community or church - over the course of hundreds of years they were divided into two main directions: the priests and the non-priests.
Old Believers-priests
Old Believers-priests, in addition to other church institutions, they recognize the three-tier Old Believer hierarchy (priesthood) and all the church sacraments of the ancient Church, among which the most famous are: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Priesthood, Marriage, Confession (Repentance), Blessing of Anointing. In addition to these seven sacraments in Old Believers There are other, somewhat less well-known sacraments and sacred rites, namely: tonsure as a monk (equivalent to the sacrament of Marriage), the greater and lesser Consecration of water, the consecration of oil on Polyeleos, the priestly blessing.
Old Believers without priests
Old Believers without priests They believe that after the church schism caused by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the pious church hierarchy(bishops, priests, deacons) disappeared. Therefore, some of the church sacraments in the form in which they existed before the schism of the Church were abolished. Today, all Old Believers without priests definitely recognize only two sacraments: Baptism and Confession (repentance). Some non-priests (Old Orthodox Pomeranian Church) also recognize the sacrament of Marriage. The Old Believers of the Chapel Concord also allow the Eucharist (Communion) with the help of St. gifts consecrated in ancient times and preserved to this day. Also, the chapels recognize the Great Blessing of water, which on the day of Epiphany is received by pouring into new water water that was blessed in the old days, when, in their opinion, there were still pious priests.
Old Believers or Old Believers?
Periodically among Old Believers of all agreements, a discussion arises: “ Can they be called Old Believers?? Some argue that it is necessary to call ourselves exclusively Christians because no old faith and old rituals exist, as well as a new faith and new rituals. According to such people, there is only one true, one right faith and only one true Orthodox rituals, and everything else is heretical, unorthodox, crooked Orthodox confession and wisdom.
Others, as mentioned above, consider it absolutely obligatory to be called Old Believers, professing the old faith, because they believe that the difference between the Old Orthodox Christians and the followers of Patriarch Nikon is not only in the rituals, but also in the faith itself.
Still others believe that the word Old Believers should be replaced with the term " Old Believers" In their opinion, there is no difference in faith between the Old Believers and the followers of Patriarch Nikon (Nikonians). The only difference is in the rituals, which among the Old Believers are correct, while among the Nikonians they are damaged or completely incorrect.
There is a fourth opinion regarding the concept of Old Believers and the old faith. It is shared mainly by the children of the Synodal Church. In their opinion, between the Old Believers (Old Believers) and the New Believers (New Believers) there is not only a difference in faith, but also in rituals. They call both old and new rituals equally honorable and equally salutary. The use of one or another is only a matter of taste and historical and cultural tradition. This is stated in the resolution of the Local Council of the Moscow Patriarchate of 1971.
Old Believers and Pagans
At the end of the 20th century, religious and quasi-religious cultural associations began to appear in Russia, professing religious views that have nothing to do with Christianity and, in general, with Abrahamic and biblical religions. Supporters of some such associations and sects are proclaiming a revival religious traditions pre-Christian, pagan Rus'. In order to stand out, to separate their views from the Christianity received in Rus' during the time of Prince Vladimir, some neo-pagans began to call themselves “ Old Believers».
And although the use of this term in this context is incorrect and erroneous, the view began to spread in society that Old Believers- these are truly pagans who revive old faith in the ancients Slavic gods- Perun, Svarog, Dazhbog, Veles and others. It is no coincidence that, for example, the religious association “Old Russian Inglistic Church of the Orthodox” appeared Old Believers-Ynglings" Its head, Pater Diy (A. Yu. Khinevich), was called “Patriarch of the Old Russian Orthodox Church Old Believers", even stated:
Old Believers are supporters of the old Christian rite, and Old Believers are the old pre-Christian faith.
There are other neo-pagan communities and Rodnoverie cults that may be mistakenly perceived by society as Old Believer and Orthodox. Among them are the “Veles Circle”, “Union of Slavic Communities of the Slavic Native Faith”, “Russian Orthodox Circle” and others. Most of these associations arose on the basis of pseudo-historical reconstruction and falsification of historical sources. In fact, apart from folklore popular beliefs, no reliable information about the pagans of pre-Christian Rus' has been preserved.
At some point in the early 2000s, the term " Old Believers"became very widely perceived as a synonym for pagans. However, thanks to extensive explanatory work, as well as a number of serious trials against the “Yingling Old Believers” and other extremist neo-pagan groups, the popularity of this linguistic phenomenon has declined today. In recent years, the overwhelming majority of neo-pagans still prefer to be called “ Rodnovers».
G. S. Chistyakov
More than three centuries have passed since the church schism of the 17th century, and most still do not know how the Old Believers differ from Orthodox Christians. Do not do it this way.
Terminology
The distinction between the concepts of “Old Believers” and “Orthodox Church” is quite arbitrary. The Old Believers themselves admit that their faith is Orthodox, and the Russian Orthodox Church is called New Believers or Nikonians.
In the Old Believer literature of the 17th - first half of the 19th centuries, the term “Old Believer” was not used.
Old Believers called themselves differently. Old Believers, Old Orthodox Christians...The terms “orthodoxy” and “true Orthodoxy” were also used.
In the writings of Old Believer teachers of the 19th century, the term “true Orthodox Church” was often used. The term “Old Believers” became widespread only towards the end of the 19th century. At the same time, Old Believers of different agreements mutually denied each other’s Orthodoxy and, strictly speaking, for them the term “Old Believers” united, on a secondary ritual basis, religious communities deprived of church-religious unity
Fingers
It is well known that during the schism the two-finger sign of the cross was changed to three-finger. Two fingers are a symbol of the two Hypostases of the Savior (true God and true man), three fingers are a symbol of the Holy Trinity.
The three-finger sign was adopted by the Ecumenical Orthodox Church, which by that time consisted of a dozen independent Autocephalous Churches, after the preserved bodies of the martyrs-confessors of Christianity of the first centuries with folded fingers of the three-finger Sign of the Cross were found in the Roman catacombs. There are similar examples of the discovery of the relics of saints of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.
Agreements and rumors
The Old Believers are far from homogeneous. There are several dozen agreements and even more Old Believer rumors. There is even a saying: “No matter what a man is, no matter what a woman is, there is agreement.” There are three main “wings” of the Old Believers: priests, non-priests and co-religionists.
Jesus
During the Nikon reform, the tradition of writing the name “Jesus” was changed. The double sound “and” began to convey the duration, the “drawn-out” sound of the first sound, which in Greek is indicated by a special sign, which has no analogy in the Slavic language, therefore the pronunciation of “Jesus” is more consistent with the Universal practice of sounding the Savior. However, the Old Believer version is closer to the Greek source.
Differences in the Creed
During the “book reform” of the Nikon reform, changes were made to the Creed: the conjunction-opposition “a” was removed in the words about the Son of God “born, not made.”
From the semantic opposition of properties, a simple enumeration was thus obtained: “begotten, not created.”
The Old Believers sharply opposed the arbitrariness in the presentation of dogmas and were ready to suffer and die “for a single az” (that is, for one letter “a”).
In total, about 10 changes were made to the Creed, which was the main dogmatic difference between the Old Believers and the Nikonians.
Towards the sun
By the middle of the 17th century, a universal custom had been established in the Russian Church to perform a procession of the cross. The church reform of Patriarch Nikon unified all rituals according to Greek models, but the innovations were not accepted by the Old Believers. As a result, New Believers perform anti-salt movements during religious processions, and Old Believers perform religious processions salt.
Ties and sleeves
In some Old Believer churches, in memory of the executions during the Schism, it is forbidden to come to services with rolled up sleeves and ties. Popular rumor associates rolled up sleeves with executioners, and ties with gallows. Although, this is only one explanation. In general, it is customary for Old Believers to wear special prayer clothes to services (with long sleeve), and you can’t tie a tie to a shirt.
Question of the cross
Old Believers recognize only the eight-pointed cross, while after Nikon’s reform in Orthodoxy four and six-pointed crosses were recognized as equally honorable. On the crucifixion tablet of the Old Believers it is usually written not I.N.C.I., but “King of Glory.” Old Believers do not have an image of Christ on their body crosses, since it is believed that this is a person’s personal cross.
A deep and powerful Hallelujah
During Nikon's reforms, the pronounced (that is, double) pronunciation of “halleluia” was replaced by a triple (that is, triple). Instead of “Alleluia, alleluia, glory to you, God,” they began to say “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to you, God.”
According to New Believers, the triple utterance of alleluia symbolizes the dogma of the Holy Trinity.
However, Old Believers argue that the strict utterance together with “glory to Thee, O God” is already a glorification of the Trinity, since the words “glory to Thee, O God” are one of the translations into Slavic language the Hebrew word Alleluia (“praise God”).
Bows at the service
At services in Old Believer churches, a strict system of bows has been developed; replacing prostrations with bows from the waist is prohibited. There are four types of bows: “regular” - bow to the chest or to the navel; “medium” - in the waist; small bow to the ground - “throwing” (not from the verb “to throw”, but from the Greek “metanoia” = repentance); great prostration (proskynesis).
Throwing was banned by Nikon in 1653. He sent out a “memory” to all Moscow churches, which said: “It is not appropriate to do throwing on your knees in church, but you should bow to your waist.”
What are the differences between Orthodoxy and the Old Believers?
Priest Afanasy Gumerov, resident of the Sretensky Monastery, answers:
The Old Believers arose in the mid-17th century in response to the unification of worship and church texts undertaken by Patriarch Nikon in 1653-56. Having adopted Christianity through Byzantium, Rus' adopted worship and statutory texts from the Church of Constantinople. Over the course of 6.5 centuries, many discrepancies in texts and ritual differences arose. Newly printed Greek books were taken as the basis for the new Slavic text. Then variants and parallels from the manuscripts were given. As for the ritual, the changes actually affected only a few minor elements: the two-fingered sign of the cross was replaced by a three-fingered one, they began to write “Jesus” instead of “Jesus”, walking towards the sun, and not “salting”, along with the eight-pointed cross, they began to recognize the four-pointed one. We can agree that these steps were taken without sufficient preparation and the necessary flexibility, sometimes even abruptly. However, it must be said decisively that there was nothing heretical in these church events to bring the terrible accusation of loss of grace to the Church. It is impossible to avoid fundamental questions: did Archpriest Avvakum and his followers believe that the changes made deprived people of the opportunity to be saved in the Church. If he thought so, then it means he suffered from ritualism - a serious spiritual illness that blinded and destroyed the Jewish leaders during the time of the Savior. If I didn’t think so, then why did I cause a schism in the Church, which the holy fathers always considered a grave sin. There were very difficult periods in the history of the Byzantine Church. Sometimes the patriarchal throne was occupied by heretics (monothelite Sergius, iconoclast Anastasius, etc.). With the support of some emperors, this sometimes continued for many years, but the fighters for Orthodoxy did not think of causing a schism. Having a deeply ecclesiastical consciousness, they knew well that this always turns into a tragedy. Saint John Chrysostom says that breaking the unity and completeness of the Church is no less evil than creating heresy.
Living tree must bear fruit. Since the purpose of the Church is to lead its children to salvation, it must be assessed by the spiritual gifts that members of the church community have acquired. The host of saints is the fruit of the Church. Holiness clearly proves that the life of the Church is grace-filled, that the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit operates in it. Lamps cannot be hidden under a bushel. Our saints are known to Orthodox, Old Believers and even non-church people. Why are there no such saints in the Old Believers as Tikhon of Zadonsk, Mitrofan of Voronezh, Seraphim of Sarov, John of Kronstadt, the great Optina elders, Ksenia of Petersburg and Matrona of Moscow and many other wondrous saints of God?
At the end I would like to give an example. I have long known an Orthodox woman who was born into an Old Believer family. Many years ago she began visiting Orthodox churches. Her sister (already deceased) remained a non-church person: she did not pray either in the Old Believer church or in the Orthodox one. When she became seriously ill (liver cancer) and before her death wished to confess and receive communion, her sister Marina literally carried her into the Old Believer church in her arms. We looked at the lists there. Irina was not listed in them. They categorically refused to confess and receive communion. The sisters returned home. Opportunities to lead in Orthodox church was no longer there. Marina went alone. The first person she turned to was Father Konstantin (I have known this priest for several years). He was busy, but he left his business and went. Only on the way did Marina decide to tell the priest that she was taking him to her sister, who had been baptized in the Old Believers. Without any hesitation, he continued on his way, confessed and gave communion to the dying Irina.
The Old Believers arose in the mid-17th century in response to the unification of worship and church texts undertaken by Patriarch Nikon in 1653-56. Having adopted Christianity through Byzantium, Rus' adopted worship and statutory texts from the Church of Constantinople. Over the course of 6.5 centuries, many discrepancies in texts and ritual differences arose. Newly printed Greek books were taken as the basis for the new Slavic text. Then variants and parallels from the manuscripts were given. As for the ritual, the changes actually affected only a few minor elements: the two-fingered sign of the cross was replaced with a three-fingered one, instead of “Jesus” they began to write “Jesus”, walking towards the sun, and not “salting”, along with the eight-pointed cross, they began to recognize the four-pointed one. We can agree that these steps were taken without sufficient preparation and the necessary...
More than three centuries have passed since the church schism of the 17th century, and most still do not know how the Old Believers differ from Orthodox Christians. Let's figure it out.
Terminology. The distinction between the concepts of “Old Believers” and “Orthodox Church” is quite arbitrary. The Old Believers themselves admit that their faith is Orthodox, and the Russian Orthodox Church is called New Believers or Nikoninans.
In the writings of Old Believer teachers of the 19th century, the term “true Orthodox Church” was often used. The term “Old Believers” became widespread only towards the end of the 19th century. At the same time, Old Believers of different consents mutually denied each other’s Orthodoxy and, strictly...
How is the Old Believer Church different from the Orthodox Church?
The liturgical reform of Patriarch Nikon in the 1650s-1660s caused a schism in the Russian Orthodox Church, as a result of which clergy and laity who disagreed with the new rules of liturgical life separated from the bulk of believers. The Old Believers began to be considered schismatics and were persecuted, often brutally. In the twentieth century, the position of the Russian Orthodox Church in relation to the Old Believers softened, but this did not lead to the prayerful unity of believers. The Old Believers continue to consider their doctrine of faith to be true, classifying the Russian Orthodox Church as heterodox.
What is the Old Believer and Orthodox Church
The Old Believer Church is a set of religious organizations and movements that arose in the mainstream Orthodox Church, but separated from it due to disagreement with the reforms carried out by Patriarch Nikon.
The Orthodox Church is an association of believers belonging to the eastern branch of Christianity, accepting dogmas and...
The cross - a symbol of the atoning sacrifice of Christ - not only marks our belonging to Christianity, but through it the saving Grace of God is sent down to us. Therefore he is the most important element faith. Whether it is an Old Believer cross or one of those accepted in the official church, they are equally blessed. Their difference is purely external, and is due only to the established tradition. Let's try to figure out what it is expressed in.
The departure of the Old Believers from the official church
In the middle of the 17th century, the Russian Orthodox Church experienced a severe shock caused by the reform carried out by its primate, Patriarch Nikon. Despite the fact that the reform affected only the external ritual side of worship, without touching the main thing - religious dogma, it led to a schism, the consequences of which have not been smoothed out to this day.
It is known that, having entered into irreconcilable contradictions with the official church and separated from it, the Old Believers did not remain united for long...
Apparently not everyone knows that the Russian Orthodox Church already took such steps a quarter of a century ago. At the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1971. The decision of the Patriarchal Holy Synod of April 23/10, 1929 was approved. about “the recognition of old Russian rites as salutary, as well as new rites, and equal to them... about the rejection and imputation, as if not former, of disparaging expressions relating to the old rites and, in particular, to double-fingered, wherever they are found and whoever they are spoke...about the abolition of the oaths of the Moscow Council of 1656. and the Great Moscow Council of 1667, imposed by them on the old Russian rites and on the Orthodox Christians who adhere to them, and consider these oaths as if they had not been…”
Thus, the Russian Orthodox Church turned its face to the Old Believers in an effort to overcome the schism that arose 300 years ago.
Everyone knows that the cause of the schism was the church reforms carried out by Patriarch Nikon. What caused them?...
Differences in the faith of Old Believers and Old Believers
Very often, Old Believers are confused with Old Believers, attributing to them the same worldview. However, there are a large number of differences between Old Believers and Old Believers. Confusion in these concepts is created by the media, which, without knowing Russian terminology, interpret the definitions with incorrect concepts.
Old Believers are the custodians of the old faith of their ancestors - the pre-Christian faith, faith in the Orthodox Vedas. Old Believers are representatives of the old Christian rite and refuse to accept the innovations of the Christian Church.
There is also a second reason why there is now confusion in the concept of Old Believers and Old Believers. In 1653, under the leadership of Tsar Alexei Romanov, church reforms were launched, which met strong resistance from supporters of the old rituals. All Old Believers were declared apostates and excommunicated from the church. Under pain of physical harm (at this time there was...
The tragedy of the schism of 1661 was caused by the Nikon Council, which brought a number of changes to the Russian Orthodox Church regarding canons, liturgics, rituals and readings sacred prayers, canons and even Holy Scripture. All these changes were caused, in fact, by an unfounded desire to completely imitate the Church of Constantinople without understanding that those changes that had already taken place in the Church of Constantinople before 1661, in fact, were the result of constant pressure from both Catholicism and Monophysitism and even Islam.
The desire of Patriarch Nikon to introduce all these “innovations” of the Church of Constantinople could not but cause unrest in the ranks of ordinary laymen and many clergy who, not wanting to put up with dubious innovations, were forced to move away from the unity of the church. This is how the Old Believers appeared.
The main canonical differences (the most important ones are highlighted in black), after Nikon’s innovations, were:
three-fingered instead of two-fingered. (Before…
russian7.ru 09/3/2015 Alexey Rudevich.
More than three centuries have passed since the church schism of the 17th century, and most still do not know how the Old Believers differ from Orthodox Christians. Do not do it this way.
Terminology
The distinction between the concepts of “Old Believers” and “Orthodox Church” is quite arbitrary. The Old Believers themselves admit that their faith is Orthodox, and the Russian Orthodox Church is called New Believers or Nikonians.
In the Old Believer literature of the 17th - first half of the 19th centuries, the term “Old Believer” was not used.
Old Believers called themselves differently. Old Believers, Old Orthodox Christians...The terms “orthodoxy” and “true Orthodoxy” were also used.
In the writings of Old Believer teachers of the 19th century, the term “true Orthodox Church” was often used. The term “Old Believers” became widespread only towards the end of the 19th century. At the same time, Old Believers of different agreements mutually...
What are the differences between Orthodoxy and the Old Believers?
Priest Afanasy Gumerov, resident of Sretensky Monastery
The Old Believers arose in the mid-17th century in response to the unification of worship and church texts undertaken by Patriarch Nikon in 1653-56. Having adopted Christianity through Byzantium, Rus' adopted worship and statutory texts from the Church of Constantinople. Over the course of 6.5 centuries, many discrepancies in texts and ritual differences arose. Newly printed Greek books were taken as the basis for the new Slavic text. Then variants and parallels from the manuscripts were given. As for the ritual, the changes actually affected only a few minor elements: the two-fingered sign of the cross was replaced with a three-fingered one, instead of “Jesus” they began to write “Jesus”, walking towards the sun, and not “salting”, along with the eight-pointed cross, they began to recognize the four-pointed one. We can agree that these steps have been taken...
Ksenia Koncarevic (Belgrade)
ABOUT SOME ASPECTS OF THE COMMUNICATIVE CULTURE OF THE OLD BELIEVERS
A lot has been written about the Old Believers... and very little. The extensive library consists of theological works aimed at canonical, dogmatic, church-historical denunciation or justification of the Old Believer doctrine, liturgical practice, culture, and everyday life. Quite a large bibliography of cultural studies scientific works about the Old Believers - works of archaeographers, historians, works devoted to the study of the philosophical content of Old Believer thought (its ontological, epistemological, historiosophical, aesthetic concepts). But the study of the linguistic aspects of the Old Believers, with the exception of the question of “Nikon’s Law”, mainly in its historical and textual aspects, practically did not develop from its very rudimentary state, despite the fact that, in essence, the schism in the Russian Orthodox Church was caused precisely by philological considerations - different...
"RUSSIAN COMPOUND"
In issue No. 13 of the newspaper “Knowledge-Power” for 2000, an article was published “The Slavic Priesthood in the Global Management Structure”, which talked about the “Global Predictor” and the role and place of the Slavic Priesthood in the secret, “shadow” Old Believer structure of the “Russian Compound” "in the Global Social Management System of the "Global Predictor".
The article was prepared by the newspaper's editors based on materials I transmitted to them. But due to the natural limitations of the newspaper, which is published in paper form, in terms of the volume of information published, a lot of what was transmitted was not included in the article. And yet, according to the newspaper's editors, the article aroused some interest among readers. Therefore, I continue to publish information about the “Russian Compound”. And not only about him...
Old Believers and Old Believers.
Ancient history...
What does modern civilized society know about Old Belief and...
What do Old Believers believe and where did they come from? Historical reference
In recent years, an increasing number of our fellow citizens are interested in issues of a healthy lifestyle, environmentally friendly methods of farming, survival in extreme conditions, the ability to live in harmony with nature, and spiritual improvement. In this regard, many turn to the thousand-year experience of our ancestors, who managed to develop the vast territories of present-day Russia and created agricultural, trade and military outposts in all remote corners of our Motherland.
Last but not least, in this case we are talking about the Old Believers - people who at one time settled not only the territories of the Russian Empire, but also brought the Russian language, Russian culture and Russian faith to the banks of the Nile, to the jungles of Bolivia, the wastelands of Australia and to the snow-capped hills of Alaska . The experience of the Old Believers is truly unique: they were able to preserve their religious and cultural identity in the most difficult natural and political conditions, without…
Old Believers
Myths and truth about church schism.
When did the Old Believers arise and what was its essence?
The schism arose under Tsar Alexei Romanov and his friend Patriarch Nikon in the mid-17th century. The church reform was preceded by a hundred years of isolation of the Moscow Metropolis, which until the end of the reign of Ivan the Terrible did not receive recognition from the Eastern patriarchs. After the restoration of church ties with the East, the Greek and Russian traditions already revealed contrasting differences. Rus' increasingly looked to the West as an object of imitation. But Nikon’s struggle with Italian icons was not understood by the people - when the patriarch in the Kremlin Cathedral pierced the non-canonical image of the Mother of God with a knife, he was recognized as a harbinger of the end of the world. Therefore, the Old Believers arose both as personal opposition to the patriarch and as a struggle to preserve the usual order of things. The isolated Old Believers felt themselves to be the center of world Christianity, and the state persecution that began only strengthened them in this...
Nowadays, most people are unlikely to give a clear answer to the question of who the Old Believers are, because today the concept of “Old Believers” is associated with something dense, very ancient, left somewhere far in the past. Of course, today on the streets of the city you can no longer meet men with a special bowl haircut and a thick beard, and even women in long skirts with a scarf tied under the chin cannot be found. But there are adherents of the Old Believers, and there are quite a few of them in different cities of Russia.
Features of the Old Believers
Let's look at people like Old Believers, who they are and what they do. These are communities of people who have supported the traditions of the Orthodox Church since the baptism of Rus', and remain faithful to this day to the ancient church rites.
In fact, there are no special differences between the new and old faiths, but the teachings of the Old Believers are much stricter than the Orthodox. Besides this, there are a few more differences, namely:
Old Believers cross themselves with two fingers. The name of Christ on the icons of the Old Believers is written “Jesus”, with one “I”….
In the 17th century, Patriarch Nikon carried out reforms that were caused by the need to bring the liturgical practice of the Russian Church to a single model. Some of the clergy, along with the laity, rejected these changes, saying that they would not deviate from the old rituals. They called Nikon’s reform “a corruption of the faith” and declared that they would preserve the previous charters and traditions in worship. It is difficult for an uninitiated person to distinguish an Orthodox from an Old Believer, since the difference between representatives of the “old” and “new” faith is not so great.
Who are Old Believers and Orthodox Christians?
Old Believers – Christians who left the Orthodox Church due to their disagreement with the reforms carried out by Patriarch Nikon.
Orthodox Christians - believers who recognize the dogmas of the Orthodox Church.
Comparison of Old Believers and Orthodox Christians
What is the difference between Old Believers and Orthodox Christians?
Old Believers are more detached from the world than Orthodox Christians. In their everyday life, they preserved ancient traditions, which, in essence, became a certain ritual. The life of Orthodox Christians is devoid of many religious rituals that burden it. The main thing that should never be forgotten is prayer before every task, as well as keeping the Commandments.
In the Orthodox Church, the three-fingered sign of the cross is accepted. It means the unity of the Holy Trinity. At the same time, the little finger and ring finger are pressed together into the palm and symbolize faith in the divine-human nature of Christ. Old Believers put their middle and index fingers together, professing the dual nature of the Savior. The thumb, ring finger and little finger are pressed against the palm as a symbol of the Holy Trinity.
It is customary for Old Believers to proclaim “Alleluia” twice and add “Glory to Thee, O God.” This, they claim, was what the ancient church proclaimed. Orthodox Christians say “Alleluia” three times. This word itself means “praise God.” Pronunciation three times, from the point of view of the Orthodox, glorifies the Holy Trinity.
In many Old Believer movements, it is customary to wear clothes in the Old Russian style to participate in worship. This is a shirt or blouse for men, a sundress and a large scarf for women. Men tend to grow a beard. Among Orthodox Christians, a special style of clothing is reserved only for the priesthood. Lay people come to the temple in modest, not provocative, but ordinary secular clothing, women with their heads covered. By the way, in modern Old Believer parishes there are no strict requirements for the clothing of worshipers.
During worship, Old Believers do not hold their arms at their sides, like the Orthodox, but crossed over their chests. For both some and others, this is a sign of special humility before God. All actions during the service are performed synchronously by the Old Believers. If you need to bow, then everyone present in the temple does it at the same time.
Old Believers recognize only the eight-pointed cross. This is the form they consider perfect. Orthodox, in addition to this, also four-pointed and six-pointed.
During worship, Old Believers bow to the ground. Orthodox Christians wear belts during services. Earthly ones are performed only in special cases. Moreover, on Sundays and holidays, as well as Holy Pentecost, bowing to the ground is strictly prohibited.
Old Believers write the name of Christ as Jesus, and Orthodox Christians write it as I And sus. The topmost marks on the cross are also different. For the Old Believers, this is TsR SLVY (King of Glory) and IS XC (Jesus Christ). On the Orthodox eight-pointed cross it is written INCI (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews) and IIS XC (I And sus Christ). There is no image of the crucifixion on the eight-pointed cross of the Old Believers.
As a rule, eight-pointed crosses with gable roof, the so-called cabbage rolls, are a symbol of Russian antiquity. Orthodox Christians do not accept crosses covered with a roof.
TheDifference.ru determined that the difference between Old Believers and Orthodox Christians is as follows:
Adherents of the old faith are more detached from the world in everyday life than Orthodox Christians.
Old Believers make the sign of the cross with two fingers, Orthodox Christians make the sign of the cross with three fingers.
During prayer, the Old Believers usually shout “Hallelujah” twice, while the Orthodox say it three times.
During worship, Old Believers keep their arms crossed on their chests, while Orthodox Christians keep their arms down at their sides.
During the service, the Old Believers perform all actions synchronously.
As a rule, to participate in worship, Old Believers wear clothes in old Russian style. The Orthodox have a special type of clothing only for the priesthood.
During worship, Old Believers bow to the ground, while Orthodox worshipers bow to the ground.
Old Believers recognize only the eight-pointed cross, the Orthodox - eight-, six- and four-pointed.
Orthodox and Old Believers have different spellings of the name of Christ, as well as the lettering above the eight-pointed cross.
On the pectoral crosses of the Old Believers (eight-pointed inside a four-pointed one) there is no image of the crucifixion.
