Old Believers

Old Believers, also known as Old Ritualists, are various religious communities.

They maintain the liturgical and ritual practices of the Russian Orthodox Church. These practices represent the traditions used before the reforms of Patriarch Nikon. Nikon introduced these changes between 1653 and 1656. His goal was to align Russian customs with Greek Orthodox practices. He sought to eliminate differences between the two traditions. However, many followers saw these changes as a violation of sacred tradition. This disagreement led to a major split in the Russian Church.

The mechanism of this religious schism was both ritualistic and theological. The reforms changed hundreds of specific details in the liturgy. One major difference is the manner of making the sign of the cross. Old Believers use two fingers, folding the thumb, ring, and little fingers together. The reformed rite uses three fingers to symbolize the name of Jesus Christ.

Other ritual differences include the number of prosphora used during liturgy. Old Believers use seven, while the reformed rite uses five. They also insist on baptism by triple full immersion. They reject baptism by pouring, which is allowed in the new rite. Even the spelling of the name of Christ differs in their texts. They use "Isus" instead of the reformed "Iisus."

Old Belief is divided into several distinct types of communities. The main division is between the "popovtsy" and the "bezpopovtsy." The popovtsy, or "priestly" groups, are relatively conservative. They use renegade priests from the state church to maintain sacraments. The bezpopovtsy, or "priestless" groups, are more radical. They rejected the validity of the new ordinations entirely. Because of this, they dispense with priests and use lay leaders instead. Within these groups, various subdivisions known as "accords" emerged. These range from the hierarchical Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church to the anarchistic Fugitives.

The history of the movement is marked by intense struggle and migration. After the reforms, the old rite and its followers were anathematized in 1667. This meant they were formally excluded from the church. Many followers believed the reforms heralded the End of Days. They viewed the Russian state and church as servants of the Antichrist. To escape government persecution, they fled to remote areas or neighboring countries. They rejected the Westernization efforts of Peter the Great. This allowed them to preserve traditional Russian culture. They maintained customs like wearing long, untrimmed beards for men.

The significance of the movement is reflected in its large numbers. In the early 20th century, demographers estimated there were 10 to 20 million Old Believers. They gained nearly complete tolerance under Catherine the Great in the mid-18th century. During this time, large urban centers emerged with influential members. However, persecution returned under Alexander I and Nicholas I after 1820. Total religious freedom was only granted after the 1905 Russian Revolution. The Stalin era caused massive destruction to these communities. This led to a wave of refugees establishing new centers in the West. Today, over 1 million Old Believers reside globally.

They live in Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, and the United States.

Old Believers also maintain unique artistic and cultural traditions. Their religious music uses the monophonic Znamenny chant. This style uses its own distinct notation and avoids Western-influenced part songs. In icon painting, they preserve a medieval, otherworldly style. They avoid the realistic perspective and natural colors of Western art.

Some icons even include styles that the established church had banned. Their traditional clothing also serves as a mark of identity. Men often wear knee-long kaftan coats and embroidered shirts. Women wear sleeveless sarafan dresses and kokoshnik head coverings. These garments are often required for church services even in modern times.

Finally, the movement is deeply connected to ideas of apocalypticism. Many early followers believed they were living in the end times. They held two different views regarding the Antichrist. The "material" doctrine suggested the Antichrist would be a specific person. The "spiritual" doctrine viewed the Antichrist as an evil presence in the world.

This belief influenced how radical groups acted during times of persecution. Some groups even engaged in mass suicide as a form of martyrdom. This deep distrust of authority remains a characteristic of the movement. It connects their religious practice to a broader sense of preserving a sacred past.