How do Old Believers differ from Orthodox Christians? How do Old Believers differ from Orthodox in reality (2 photos). Is it possible for Old Believers to go to the Orthodox Church and is it possible to be baptized with two fingers

(OLDERS)- the general name of the followers of religious movements in Russia, which emerged as a result of church reforms carried out by Patriarch Nikon (1605-1681). The S. did not accept Nikon's "innovations" (correction of service books, change of rituals), interpreting them as anti-Christ. Sami S. preferred to call themselves "Old Believers", emphasizing the antiquity of their faith and its difference from the new faith, which they considered heretical.

At the head of S. was Archpriest Avvakum (1620 or 1621 - 1682). After condemnation at a church council in 1666-1667. Avvakum was exiled to Pustozersk, where 15 years later he was burned by the tsar's decree. The S. began to be severely persecuted by the church and secular authorities. Self-immolations of Old Believers began, which often took on a mass character.

At the end of the 17th century. S. divided into popovtsev and bespopovtsev... The next step was the division into numerous agreements and interpretations. In the XVIII century. many S. were forced to flee from Russia, fleeing persecution. This situation was changed by a decree issued in 1762 and allowing the Old Believers to return to their homeland. Since the end of the 18th century. there were two main centers of Old Believer communities - Moscow, wherenon-popovtsylived on the territory adjacent to the Preobrazhensky cemetery, andpriests- to the Rogozhsky cemetery, and Petersburg. At the end of the XIX century. the main Old Believer centers of Russia were Moscow, with. Guslitsy (Moscow region) and the Volga region.

In the first half of the XIX century. increased pressure on the Old Believers. In 1862 g.Belokrinitskaya hierarchycondemned the idea of ​​the enthronement of the Antichrist in her "District Epistle".

In years Soviet power S. continued to be persecuted. Only in 1971 the anathema of the Old Believers was lifted by the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. There are currently S. communities in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, the Baltic countries, South America, Canada, etc.

Literature:

V.V. Molzinsky Old Believer movement second half of XVII v. in Russian scientific and historical literature. SPb., 1997; Ershova O. P. Old Belief and Power. M, 1999; F. E. Melnikov 1) Modern requests to the Old Believers. M., 1999; 2) Short story Old Orthodox (Old Believer) Church. Barnaul, 1999.

V last years growing in our country interest in Old Believers... Many secular and ecclesiastical writers alike publish material on the spiritual and cultural heritage, history and the modern day of the Old Believers. However, himself the phenomenon of Old Believers, his philosophy, worldview and peculiarities of terminology are still poorly studied. On the semantic meaning of the term " Old Believers"Read in the article" What is Old Belief?».

Schismatics or Old Believers?

This was done because the Old Russian Old Believer church traditions, which had existed in Russia for almost 700 years, were recognized as non-Orthodox, schismatic and heretical at the New Believer councils of 1656, 1666-1667. The term " Old Believers"Arose involuntarily. The fact is that the Synodal Church, its missionaries and theologians called the adherents of pre-schismatic, pre-Nikonian Orthodoxy nothing else than schismatics and heretics.

In fact, such a great Russian ascetic like Sergius of Radonezh was recognized as non-Orthodox, which caused an obvious deep protest among the believers.

The Synodal Church took this position as the main one and used it, explaining that the supporters of all the Old Believer accords, without exception, fell away from the "true" Church because of their firm unwillingness to accept the church reform, which they began to bring to life. Patriarch Nikon and continued to one degree or another by his followers, including the emperor Peter I.

On this basis, everyone who does not accept the reforms was named schismatics, shifting onto them the responsibility for the schism of the Russian Church, for the alleged separation from Orthodoxy. Until the beginning of the 20th century, in all the polemical literature published by the dominant church, Christians professing pre-schismatic church traditions were called “schismatics”, and the spiritual movement of the Russian people in defense of paternal church customs was called “schism”.

This and other even more offensive terms were used not only to denounce or humiliate the Old Believers, but also to justify persecution, massive repression against the adherents of the ancient Russian church piety. In the book "The Spiritual Sling", published with the blessing of the New Believer Synod, it was said:

“The schismatics are not sons of the church, but sheer heralds. They are worthy of the tradition of being to the punishment of the city court ... worthy of any punishment and wounds.
And after not healing, and mortal killing ".

In Old Believer literatureXvii - the first half of the 19th century, the term "Old Believers" was not used

And most of the Russian people, unwittingly, began to be called offensive, turning upside down the essence of the Old Believers, term. At the same time, internally disagreeing with this, the believers - supporters of pre-schismatic Orthodoxy - sincerely strove to achieve an official name differently.

For self-identification, they took the term “ ancient Orthodox Christians"- hence the naming of each Old Believer consent of their Church: Ancient Orthodox... Also used the terms "Orthodoxy" and "True Orthodoxy". In the writings of the 19th century Old Believers, the term “ true orthodox church».

It is important that among believers "in the old way" the term "Old Believers" was not used for a long time because the believers did not call themselves that. In church documents, correspondence, everyday communication, they preferred to call themselves "Christians", sometimes "Old Believers." The term " Old Believers", Legalized by secular authors of the liberal and Slavophilic tendencies in the second half of the 19th century, was considered not entirely correct. The meaning of the term "Old Believers" as such indicated the sheer primacy of rituals, while in reality the Old Believers believed that the Old Faith was not only old rites, but also the totality of church dogmas, ideological truths, special traditions of spirituality, culture and everyday life.

Changing attitudes towards the term "Old Believers" in society

However, to late XIX century, the situation in society and the Russian Empire begins to change. The government began to pay great attention to the needs and demands of the ancient Orthodox Christians; a certain generalizing term was needed for a civilized dialogue, normative acts and legislation.

For this reason, the terms “ Old Believers"," Old Believers "is becoming more widespread. At the same time, Old Believers of various accords mutually denied each other's Orthodoxy, and, strictly speaking, for them the term “Old Believers” united, on a secondary ritual basis, religious communities devoid of church-confessional unity. For the Old Believers, the internal inconsistency of this term consisted in the fact that, using it, they combined in one concept the truly Orthodox Church (i.e., their own Old Believer agreement) with heretics (i.e., Old Believers of other agreements).

Nevertheless, the Old Believers at the beginning of the 20th century positively perceived that in the official press the terms “schismatics” and “schismatics” were gradually replaced by “Old Believers” and “Old Believers”. The new terminology was not negative, and therefore Old Believer accords began to actively use it in the public and public spheres.

The word "Old Believers" is accepted not only by believers. Secular and Old Believer publicists and writers, public and state leaders are increasingly using it in literature and official documents. At the same time, conservative representatives of the Synodal Church in pre-revolutionary times continue to insist that the term "Old Believers" is incorrect.

"Recognizing existence" Old Believers", - they said, - we will have to admit the presence of" new believers", That is, to admit that the official church uses not ancient, but newly invented rites and rituals."

According to the new believer missionaries, such self-exposure could not be allowed in any way.

And yet the words "Old Believers", "Old Believers" over time became more and more firmly rooted in literature and in everyday speech, displacing the term "schismatics" from the colloquial circulation of the overwhelming majority of supporters of "official" Orthodoxy.

Old Believers' teachers, synodal theologians and secular scholars about the term "Old Believers"

Reflecting on the concept of "Old Belief", writers, theologians and publicists gave different assessments. Until now, the authors cannot come to one opinion.

It is no coincidence, therefore, even in the popular book, the dictionary “Old Believers. Persons, Objects, Events and Symbols ”(Moscow, 1996), which was published in the publishing house of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, there is no separate article“ Old Believers ”that would explain the essence of this phenomenon in Russian history. The only thing here is only noticed that this is "a complex phenomenon that unites under one name both the true Church of Christ and the darkness of delusions."

The perception of the term "Old Believers" noticeably complicates the presence of divisions into "consent" among the Old Believers ( Old Believer churches), which are divided into supporters of a hierarchical structure with Old Believer priests and bishops (hence the naming: priests - Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church , Russian Ancient Orthodox Church) and on those who do not accept priests and bishops - bespopovtsy ( Ancient Orthodox Pomeranian Church,Hourly consent, runners (wanderer consent), Fedoseevsky consent).

Old Believers—bearers of the old faith

Some Old Believer authors believe that not only the difference in rituals separates the Old Believers from the New Believers and other confessions. There are, for example, some dogmatic differences in attitudes towards church sacraments, deep cultural differences in attitudes towards church singing, icon painting, church canonical differences in church administration, holding councils, and in relation to church rules. Such authors argue that the Old Believers contain not only old rituals, but also Old Faith.

Consequently, such authors argue, it is more convenient and correct from the point of view of common sense to use the term “old belief”, Implicitly implying everything that is the only true for those who accepted pre-schism Orthodoxy. It is noteworthy that initially the term "Old Belief" was actively used by the supporters of the pop-free Old Believer consents. Over time, it has taken root in other agreements.

Today, representatives of New Believers' churches very rarely call Old Believers schismatics; the term “Old Believers” has taken root both in official documents and in church journalism. However, the New Believers' authors insist that the meaning of the Old Believers lies in the exclusive adherence to the old rituals. Unlike the pre-revolutionary synodal authors, the current theologians of the Russian Orthodox Church and other New Rite churches do not see any danger in the use of the terms "Old Believers" and "New Believers". In their opinion, the age or the truthfulness of the origin of this or that ceremony does not matter.

The Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1971 recognized old and new rites absolutely equal, equitable and equally salvage. Thus, in the ROC, the form of the rite is now given secondary importance. At the same time, New Believer authors continue to teach that Old Believers, Old Believers are part of the believers, seceded from the Russian Orthodox Church, and therefore from all of Orthodoxy, after the reforms of Patriarch Nikon.

What is the Old Believers?

So what is the interpretation of the term " Old Believers»Is the most acceptable today both for the Old Believers themselves and for the secular society, including scientists studying the history and culture of the Old Believers and the life of modern Old Believer churches?

So, firstly, since at the time of the church schism of the 17th century, the Old Believers did not introduce any innovations, but remained faithful to the ancient Orthodox church tradition, one cannot call them “separated” from Orthodoxy. They didn't go anywhere. On the contrary, they defended Orthodox traditions in their unchanged form and abandoned reforms and innovations.

Secondly, the Old Believers represented a significant group of believers in the Old Russian Church, consisting of both the laity and the clergy.

And, thirdly, despite the divisions within the Old Believers, which occurred due to severe persecution and the impossibility of organizing a full-fledged church life over the centuries, the Old Believers retained common ancestral church-social characteristics.

With that said, the following definition can be proposed:

Old Belief (or Old Belief) Is the common name of the Russian Orthodox clergy and laity, striving to preserve the church institutions and traditions of the ancient Russian Orthodox Church andrefusedaccept the reform undertaken inXviicentury by Patriarch Nikon and continued by his followers, up to PeterIinclusive.

The material is taken here: http://ruvera.ru/staroobryadchestvo

Old Believers and Old Believers - how often these concepts are confused. They were confused before during conversations, they are confused today, even in the media. Every educated person who respects the culture of his people is simply obliged to understand what is the difference between these two different categories of people.

Old Believers include people who adhere to the old Christian rituals. During the reign of A.M. Romanov, under the leadership of Patriarch Nikon, a religious reform was carried out. Those who refused to obey the new rules united and they immediately began to be called schismatics, since they, as it were, split the Christian faith into old and new. In 1905 they began to be called Old Believers. The Old Believers became widespread in Siberia.


The main differences between new and old rituals include:

• The Old Believers write the name of Jesus, as before, with a small letter and one “i” (Jesus).
• The three-fingered sign introduced by Nikon is not recognized by them, and therefore they are still baptized with two fingers.
• Baptism takes place according to tradition the old church- immersive, because this is exactly how they baptized in Russia.
• During the recitation of the prayer according to the old rituals, specially designed clothes are used.

The Old Believers are not people of the Christian faith, they are those who adhere to the one that was in Russia before it. They are the real keepers of the faith of their ancestors.


Their worldview is Rodnoverie... The Slavic Native Faith has existed since the first tribes of the Slavs began to appear. It is her that the Old Believers keep. The Old Believers believe that no one has a monopoly on truth, namely, all religions claim it. Each nation has its own faith and each is free to communicate with God, as he considers it necessary and in the language that he considers correct.

According to the Native Faith, a person, through his perception of the world, creates his own understanding of the world. A person is not obliged to accept as faith someone's idea of ​​the world. For example, tell me who: we are all sinners, the name of God is just that and you need to address him like this.

Differences

Old Believers and Old Believers really often try to attribute one worldview, despite the fact that there are huge differences between them. These confusion are created by people who do not know Russian terminology and interpret the definitions in their own way.

Old Believers primordially believe in their own family, and at the same time do not belong to any religion. The Old Believers adhere to the Christian religion, but the one that was before the reform. On one side, they can even be called a variety of Christians.

To distinguish them from each other is simple:

1. Old Believers have no prayers. They believe that prayer humiliates both the one to whom it is addressed and the one who performs it. There are their own rites among the clan, but they are known only to a specific clan. Old Believers pray, their prayers are similar to those that can be heard in Orthodox churches, but they are performed in a special garment and end with the fact that they are baptized according to the old rituals with two fingers.
2. The rituals of the Old Believers and their ideas about good, evil, way of life are not written anywhere. They are inherited by word of mouth. They can be recorded, but each genus keeps these records secret. Old Believer religious scriptures make up the first Christian books. 10 commandments, bible, old testament. They are in the public domain and knowledge is passed on freely, not based on generic ties.
3. Old Believers have no icons. Instead, their house is full of photographs of their ancestors, their letters, awards. They honor their family, remember it and are proud of it. The Old Believers also have no icons. Although they adhere to the Christian faith, their churches are not filled with impressive iconostases, there are no icons even in the traditional “red corner”. Instead, in churches, they make holes in the form of holes, since they believe that God is not in icons, but in heaven.
4. The Old Believers have no idolatry. Traditionally, there is a main living element in religion, which is worshiped and which is called God, his son or a prophet. For example, Jesus Christ, the prophet Muhammad. Rodnoverie praises only the surrounding nature, but not considering it a deity, but considering itself a part of it. Old Believers lift up Jesus, the biblical hero.
5. In the Native Faith of the Old Believers, there are no specific rules that must be followed. Each person is free to live in harmony with his own conscience. It is not necessary to participate in any rituals, wear robes and follow one consensus. Things are different with the Old Believers, because they have a clearly defined hierarchy, a set of rules and clothing.

Is there anything in common?

Old Believers and Old Believers, despite their different Faiths, have something in common. First, they were connected by history itself. When persecutions began against the Old Believers, or as the schismatics of the Russian Orthodox Church said at that time, and it was just at the time of Nikon, they went to Siberian Belovodye and Pomorie. The Old Believers lived there, who gave them shelter. Of course, their faith was different, but nevertheless, they were all Russians by blood and tried not to let it be taken from them.

A person with little or no church knowing history Orthodoxy is sometimes difficult to distinguish from the new believers (Nikonian). Sometimes a passer-by accidentally enters a temple and tries to perform prayer and ritual actions "in a new style" (for example, rushes to kiss all the icons in a row), but it turns out that this temple is an Old Believer and similar customs here not approved... An uncomfortable, embarrassing situation may arise. Of course, you can ask the gatekeeper or the candle-maker about the belonging of the temple, however, in addition to this, you need to know some of the signs that distinguish Old Believer temple.

External architecture of the Old Believer church. Bezpopov temples

External architecture Old Believer church in the overwhelming majority of cases, it does not differ in any way from the architecture of the New Believers, Uniate and other churches. It can be a building built in the Novgorod or Novorussian styles using elements of classicism, or maybe even at all small house or even an impromptu temple in a wooden trailer.

The exceptions are Old Believers bezpopov temples... Some of them (mainly in the Baltic States, Belarus and Ukraine) do not have an altar apse, since there is no altar itself.

The eastern part of such Old Believer churches does not have an altar ledge and ends with an ordinary wall. However, this is not always visible. There is an altar or not - you can definitely tell only when you are inside the temple. In Russia and some other places, the Bezpop people continue to build temples with apses, maintaining the tradition of antiquity.

Concerning internal view, then in bezpopovskih churches, in all without exception, there is no altar. The iconostasis covers the wall, but not the altar; the throne is placed on the solea. In some bezpopov churches in the center of Solea, opposite the royal gates, there is a large altar cross.

The doors to the altar are decorative and cannot be opened. However, in most of the bezpop temples there are no royal or deacon doors at all. There are several bezpop temples, the buildings of which were built in antiquity, in such altars there are, but they are used as additional premises: baptisms, small prayer houses, storage of icons and books.

Eight-pointed cross

All Old Believer churches have eight-pointed bezos crosses. any decorations... If there is a cross of some other shape on the temple, incl. and with a "crescent", "anchor", then this temple not old believer... And the point here is not that the Old Believers do not recognize the four-pointed or other forms of crosses, but that, due to the persecution of the eight-pointed cross, it was he who received an advantageous position in the Old Believers.

Inside the Old Believer Church. Candles and chandeliers

Once inside the Old Believer church, you need to look around. Electric light is practically not used in Old Believer churches during divine services (with the exception of the kliros). Lamps in candlesticks and chandeliers burn with natural vegetable oil.

Candles for use in Old Believer churches are made from pure wax of a natural color. The use of colored candles - red, white, green, etc. - is not allowed.

Inside the Old Believer Church. Icons

An important feature of the Old Believer church is its special icons: copper cast or handwritten, painted in the so-called. "Canonical style".

If the church contains icons of famous New Believer saints - Tsar Nicholas II, Matrona, Seraphim of Sarov, then the temple is definitely non-Old Believer. If there are no such icons, then you should take a closer look at the headdresses of the monks and saints depicted on the icons. If they are crowned with black or white hoods in the shape of "buckets", then this temple is clearly not Old Believer. Such hoods became fashionable after the reforms of Patriarch Nikon; in the Old Russian Church, monks and saints wore completely different headdresses.

Inside the Old Believer Church. Handcuffs

In Old Believer churches you can also find handcuffs- special rugs for bowing to the ground. As a rule, cuffs are stacked in neat piles on the benches of the Old Believer church.

Contrary to popular belief, allegedly in Old Believer churches there are never chairs or seats (as in Catholics or Uniates), in fact, such seats are available in many (but not all) Old Believer bezpop churches in the Baltic countries.

Singing in unison and the clothing of believers

If a divine service takes place in the church, then the Old Believer church can be easily distinguished by its characteristic unison singing... Chords, triads and, in general, any harmonic modes in the Old Believer Divine Service are prohibited. Also, certain information about the belonging of the temple can be provided by the clothing of believers, which is distinguished by its severity.

Old Believers are a collection of certain religious movements that were formed as a result of the Schism of the Russian Orthodox Church, which took place in 1650-1660. The reason was the reform carried out by Patriarch Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. In Russia then the goal was set - to unify the conduct of rituals with the Greek tradition. Also, certain changes were organized in relation to the existing ranks, the foundation was created for the intervention of the state in church affairs. Since some of the believers refused to accept the new rules, proclaiming only the old faith as true, it soon became known as the "Old Believers". This term itself indicates the importance of customs and traditions in the resulting conflict.

It should be noted that the movement of the Old Believers soon began to split. In particular, the existence of several directions is officially recognized - bespopovskogo (its representatives are also known as “bezpopovtsev”, but this is an erroneous spelling) and, in fact, priestly. The differences between them lie in the absence or in the presence of priesthood. For example, the former believe that after Nikon's reform "real ordination" was not carried out. Consequently, temples, most of the rituals and sacraments are not recognized by them. There is a small organization in Poland. The second group is mostly represented in Russia, it has an internal structure.

The concept of co-religionists is also encountered. They have preserved the prayers and culture in general, recognized by the Old Believers, but at the same time submit to the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. Many of those who did not accept Nikon's reform considered them traitors. Breakaway.

It is worth noting that despite the fact that the Schism itself is already a matter of history, there is still often confusion with concepts. In short, those who did not accept the reform began to be called Old Believers, chronologically earlier. And the term "Old Believers" itself was decided diplomatically (for her time) to introduce Catherine II. She condemned the actions of Patriarch Nikon, accusing him of what had happened. In addition, the empress believed that this part of the faithful would be useful in the development of certain lands. As a result, she stopped the persecution of the Old Believers and even provided them with some benefits, however, on condition of living in sparsely populated and remote areas.

Finally, this term was consolidated by Nicholas II, who decided to grant freedom of religion. In his opinion, the persecution of fugitive Old Believers in Russia had to be ended. It should be noted that the Old Believers themselves did not accept such a definition for a long time. They considered themselves "true Orthodox", and those who accepted the reform - Nikonians. So the above concepts may practically not differ, it all depends on who exactly and what has invested in them. However, the issue of terminology itself periodically becomes a matter of principle. Especially considering the fact that today few of the uninitiated understand such moments.

What is the difference between the Old Believers and the Orthodox?

There is a certain difference, which has only intensified since the time of the reform, because the development went in different directions. So, the most famous is the use of two fingers (two-fingered version) at the sign of the cross, and not three. In addition, the icons of the Old Believers are still made according to strict canons that existed even before Nikon. And if you carefully listen to the text of the prayer, you can find out that the word "Jesus" is pronounced here, speaking about the Savior, and not "Jesus". The addition of the letter was done to bring the pronunciation closer to the Greek version.

The cross is also different. For the Old Believers, it is exclusively eight-pointed, for the Orthodox it can be both four- and six-pointed. Inscriptions on back side also differ. In addition, the Old Believers preserved the custom of wearing pectoral crosses exclusively without the image of the Son of God on it. The Orthodox walk in a procession against the sun, while the Old Believers walk along the sun. However, the old believers bespopovtsy generally refused this, as well as most of everything connected with temples.

There is a certain difference between how many beads there should be on a rosary. Among the Orthodox - 33, those who adhere to the old faith - 109. The form has also changed, and not only the quantity. The Orthodox also beat bows in the waist, the Old Believers - earthly. Its specificity is also present in how exactly the Baptism is carried out. For the breakaway, it implies complete immersion. The Old Believers in the Urals also adhered to this, even in the cold season. Prayers have undergone fewer changes, not only in relation to the name of the Son of God, but also in the text.

Household features

Its specificity also exists in relation to everyday life. Men do not shave, but let go of their beards. Women do not cut their hair, do hairstyles for long hair, mostly different braids. Be sure to learn prayers with the children, often by heart. In general, much attention is paid to the religious side of education. They try to preserve what is left of grandfathers and great-grandfathers: family stories, legends, albums, in a word, memory. Such things are considered very important, especially given the fact that these people are used to living on suitcases, because the persecution could begin at almost any time. Very often I had to literally drop everything and move to another place in order to start all over again there.

But this approach made the community very much appreciated and family ties... It is difficult to imagine within the collective itself that someone could take it and just leave. It's about your own closed universe. This often helps to cope with even the most difficult tasks: Old Believers are known for their tremendous adaptability and ability to establish a good life in places where even not everyone can survive.

Divine service

All prayers are gathered in a special house, where those who come are actively involved in the process. Since most of them are quite well-versed in religious matters, there is no need to educate what and how to do. The Old Believers themselves consider such an order their dignity: now even the patriarch does not indicate to them, they themselves will figure it out. It is believed that the responsibility is taken by the people (a specific community, for example). What frankly pleases many: there is no sense of constant control.

And one more thing: if someone is sick, overworked, very busy, then no one bothers to pray at home. They will not check, because the relationship with God is considered sacred. But if the deception is revealed, then such a person risks losing the trust of the community.

Seniors are held in high esteem, both by age and by kinship within the family. Departure from such a rule presupposed not only the strictest ecclesiastical condemnation, but also social impact. Moral and moral issues are resolved very strictly, no premarital intimate liberties, even between the betrothed. Although here a lot already depends on which direction we are talking about. If about bespopovtsy, then they have the wedding itself (in some groups) as such was absent. Others decided to recognize as the conclusion of an alliance actions performed by civilians, that is, the registry office in the present. As you can see, there is no single point of view on this issue.

A curious moment with clothes: if we managed to keep the women's, then everything is complicated with the men's. Most often we are talking about something rather conventional, rather stylized than really old. It is very difficult to recreate what was worn almost 4 centuries ago. But you can see a general trend: wide shirts, huge headscarves for women, behind which it is difficult to accurately determine even the height, not to mention the color of the hair.

Headdresses are often decorated with feathers of wild birds. Quite often, amber was used, all kinds of beaded jewelry, including complex multi-piece ones. The belt played a special role in the decoration: it not only supports clothes, but is also able to serve as a talisman. Old hats have also survived. It is worth noting that she also had a hand in such conservatism. Russian empire... So, Peter I pointed out that this category of the population does not need to abandon the old fashion. Men had to wear a zipun, this became a distinctive feature, helping to find the Old Believer even in the crowd. This is how the authorities fought against tax evasion, because the breakaways, according to the law, had to pay more than everyone else.

It should be noted that the reforms aimed at planting everything Western, by order of Peter I, did not affect the Old Believers. Nobody forced them to shave their beards and / or wear their old outfits. And since the era of palace coups began after the death of the emperor, they were safely forgotten for some time, right up to Catherine the Great. But she did not interfere in everyday life, so here more and more a closed society was formed, separated from everyone else, living by its own rules.

Critics point out that the Old Believer's everyday life is characterized by a strong, almost petty regulation of every little thing. A lot needs to be done only in a certain way, innovation is not highly valued here. In general, conservatism is inherent in the Old Believers. But certain trends of modern times still reach here.

Many people ask the question: "Who are the Old Believers, and how do they differ from Orthodox believers?" People interpret Old Belief in different ways, equating it either with religion or with a variety of sects.

Let's try to understand this extremely interesting topic.

Old Believers - who are they

Old Belief emerged in the 17th century as a protest against changes in old church customs and traditions. A schism began after the reforms of Patriarch Nikon, who introduced innovations in church books and church order. All who did not accept the changes and cared for the preservation of old traditions were anathema and persecuted.

A large community of Old Believers soon split into separate branches that did not recognize the sacraments and traditions of the Orthodox Church and often had different views on the faith.

Avoiding persecution, the Old Believers fled to unsociable places, settling in the North of Russia, the Volga region, Siberia, settled in Turkey, Romania, Poland, China, reached Bolivia and even Australia.

Customs and traditions of Old Believers

The current way of life of Old Believers practically does not differ from that which their grandfathers and great-grandfathers used several centuries ago. In such families, history and traditions passed down from generation to generation are honored. Children are taught to honor their parents, brought up in severity and obedience, so that in the future they will become a reliable support.

From an early age, sons and daughters are taught to work, which the Old Believers hold in high esteem. They have to work a lot: Old Believers try not to buy groceries in the store, so they grow vegetables and fruits in their gardens, keep cattle in perfect cleanliness, and do a lot for the house with their own hands.

They do not like to tell strangers about their lives, and even have separate dishes for those who come to the community "from the outside."

To clean the house, only clean water from a consecrated well or spring is used. The bathhouse is considered an unclean place, so the cross must be removed before the procedure, and when they enter the house after the steam room, they must wash themselves with clean water.

The Old Believers pay great attention to the sacrament of baptism. They try to baptize the baby within a few days after his birth. The name is chosen strictly according to the calendar, and for a boy - within eight days after birth, and for a girl - in the range of eight days before and after birth.

All the attributes used during baptism are kept in running water for some time so that they become clean. Parents are not allowed to christening. If mom or dad witnesses the ceremony, then this bad sign who threatens divorce.

As for wedding traditions, relatives up to the eighth generation and relatives "on the cross" have no right to go down the aisle. There is no wedding on Tuesday and Thursday. After marriage, a woman constantly wears a shashmura headdress; it is considered a great sin to appear in public without it.

Old Believers do not wear mourning. According to custom, the body of the deceased is washed not by relatives, but by people chosen by the community: a man is washed by a man, a woman is washed by a woman. The body is placed in a wooden coffin with shavings at the bottom. Instead of a cover - a sheet. At the commemoration, the deceased is not commemorated with alcohol, and his things are distributed to those in need as alms.

Are there Old Believers in Russia today?

In Russia today there are hundreds of settlements in which Russian Old Believers live.

Despite different trends and branches, they all continue the way of life and way of life of their ancestors, carefully preserve traditions, bring up children in the spirit of morality and ambition.

What is the cross of the Old Believers

In church rituals and divine services, Old Believers use an eight-pointed cross, on which there is no image of the Crucifixion. In addition to the horizontal bar, there are two more on the symbol.

The upper one depicts a tablet on the cross where Jesus Christ was crucified, the lower one implies a kind of "scale" that measures human sins.

How Old Believers are baptized

In Orthodoxy, it is customary to make the sign of the cross with three fingers - three fingers, symbolizing the unity of the Holy Trinity.

Old Believers cross themselves with two fingers, as was customary in Russia, saying twice "Alleluia" and adding "Glory to Thee, God."

For divine services they put on special clothes: men put on a shirt or kosovorotka, women - a sundress and a scarf. During the service, Old Believers cross their arms over their chests as a sign of humility before the Almighty and bow down to the ground.

Where are the settlements of the Old Believers

In addition to those who remained in Russia after Nikon's reforms, Old Believers who have lived in exile outside its borders for a long time continue to return to the country. They, as before, honor their traditions, raise livestock, cultivate the land, and raise children.

Many took advantage of the program of resettlement to the Far East, where there is a lot of fertile land and there is an opportunity to build a strong economy. Several years ago, Old Believers from South America returned to Primorye thanks to the same voluntary resettlement program.

In Siberia and the Urals, there are villages where Old Believer communities are firmly established. There are many places on the map of Russia where the Old Believers flourish.

Why the Old Believers were called bespopovtsy

The split of the Old Believers formed two separate branches - priesthood and bezpopovshchina. Unlike the Old Believers-priests, who, after the schism, recognized the church hierarchy and all the sacraments, the Old Believers-priests began to deny the priesthood in all its manifestations and recognized only two sacraments - Baptism and Confession.

There are Old Believers who also do not deny the sacraments of Marriage. According to bespopovtsy, the Antichrist has reigned in the world, and all modern clergy is heresy, from which there is no sense.

What is the Bible of the Old Believers

The Old Believers believe that the Bible and the Old Testament in their modern interpretation are distorted and do not carry the original information that should carry the truth.

In their prayers, they use the Bible, which was used before Nikon's reform. Prayer books of those times have survived to this day. They are carefully studied and used in worship.

How do Old Believers differ from Orthodox Christians?

The main difference is this:

1. Orthodox believers recognize church rites and sacraments of the Orthodox Church, believe in its teachings. Old Believers consider old pre-reform texts to be true Sacred books without acknowledging the changes made.
2. Old Believers wear eight-pointed crosses with the inscription "King of Glory", there is no image of the Crucifixion on them, they cross with two fingers, and bow down to earth. In Orthodoxy, three fingers are accepted, crosses have four and six ends, mostly they bow in the waist.
3. Orthodox rosary - these are 33 beads, Old Believers use the so-called ladovki, consisting of 109 knots.
4. Old Believers baptize people three times, completely immersing them in water. In Orthodoxy, a person is doused with water and partially immersed.
5. In Orthodoxy, the name "Jesus" is written with a double vowel "and", the Old Believers are faithful to traditions and write it as "Jesus".
6. There are more than ten different readings in the Symbol of Faith of Orthodox and Old Believers.
7. Old Believers prefer copper and pewter icons to wooden ones.

Conclusion

A tree can be judged by its fruit. The purpose of the Church is to lead her spiritual children to salvation, and it is possible to assess her fruits, the result of her labors, according to the gifts that her children have acquired.

And the fruits of the Orthodox Church are a host of Holy martyrs, saints, priests, prayer books and other wondrous Benevolers of God. The names of our Saints are known not only to Orthodox, but also to Old Believers, and even to non-church people.