I'm sure many of us have heard of the Old Believers.Frequent mention of them in literature and journalism.Perhaps the most vivid cinematic story about them is contained in the epic by director Alexander Proshkina "Mikhail Lomonosov", which vividly and truthfully describes the events of those years.But everyone knows why there were Old Believers, or as they are called, conservatives?Who are they?
origins of the Old Believers
Long ago, in 1650, Patriarch Nikon, the manager then Russian Church, decided to make a change in the ritual tradition, taken at the time in Russia.The purpose of these changes - average Russian and Greek tradition.This progressive, in general, the reform has caused the split of the Russian Church, and marked the beginning of the Old Believers currents.The stumbling block was essentially the key differences in the tradition of imposing sign of the cross, then adopted by the direction of the procession and some others.
Conservatives - the story of the martyrdom of
Not all Russian Christianity adopted these innovations.Many openly opposed the innovations imposed on them and have been harassed.Among those who staunchly defended the Ancient Orthodox piety, were the monk Epiphanius, a deacon Fedor, Lazarus and the priest Avvakum.They were exiled to Pustozersk (Arkhangelsk region).Everyone except Habakkuk, were cut languages and chopped off the right hand, that they could not preach either verbally or in writing.Long fourteen years they spent in a damp pit, but did not renounce their faith.Finally, April 14, 1682 they were taken to the area where the frame was prepared for cremation and was executed.All four of them firmly and happily accepted their fate, until recently, remained true to their ideals.
Wonders of resistance shown and the monks of the Solovetsky monastery for eight years to withstand the siege of the royal troops.When the January 22, 1676 the defense collapsed and the troops broke into the monastery, they were tortured and executed about four hundred men: someone hanged, someone cut off his head, someone drowned in the hole.Miraculously survived only fourteen people.The bodies lay unburied for almost six months, until the king ordered not to bring them to the ground.After the new monastery inhabited by the monks, who accepted Nikon's reforms.However, resentment of the Church were tested for not only the conservatives.Who were the social status?
Although most of them are ordinary people and priests who refused to accept the new faith, among them were people close to the royal court.In the fall of 1675 in prison from torture and starvation died Princess Evdokia Prokopevna Urusova and noblewoman Theodosius Prokopevna Morozov sisters who refused to accept the new faith.The sisters had access to the royal court, but for the sake of faith despised the fame and fortune, and were martyred.
wave of killings rolled across Russia for a long time, accurate data, of course not, but the researchers claim that as a result of Nikon's repression left more than a million people.In December 1666 Patriarch Nikon was convicted and banished to the Ferapontov Monastery, his place was appointed as the new patriarch - Ioasav II, continue to reform its predecessor.
Modern conservatives.Who are they?
Nowadays no one persecuted for their religious beliefs.Conservatives Siberia and other regions of Russia and live in peace, as a rule, separately, its well-established way of life.Their life is based on religion, mutual and permanent labor.They do not try to remake the world, and draw everyone in their faith.They simply live as they see the right, without worrying about the opinions of others.Therefore it is not so easy to answer the questions: "Who are the conservatives? Are they religious fanatics, heroes, crazy?"Everyone has the right to decide for itself, but in any case these people in the days of Nikon, and now deserve respect for that firm in their faith.And that most of us do not have enough!
