In the middle of the 17th century, during the reign of Alexei Tishaishy, the Russian Church underwent a split - the efforts of Patriarch Nikon, who sought to "match" the domestic liturgical order to the Greek, taken as a model, provoked fierce resistance from the zealots of antiquity.
The reforms initiated by the new patriarch destroyed centuries-old traditions, but what is especially important - these innovations themselves were based on the ancient custom of honoring and extolling Byzantium, from which Russia adopted the faith. But by the time of Nikon, 200 years had passed since the Ottoman Turks took Constantinople by storm, and Byzantium became the core of the Sublime Port.
We wanted the best
And how could the Third Rome be equal to the Second, if it had long ago turned into a Muslim Istanbul, and the oppressed Christians there even sewed robes according to the Turkish pattern? What traditions are there …
But the dim-witted Nikon stubbornly held a course for an ideal, far from reality, and his opponents, the Old Believers, were called schismatics until 1905. Although, in fact, the only schismatic was the patriarch himself!
Why did they burn not him, but Archpriest Avvakum, why did they execute the noblewoman Theodosia Morozov and other sufferers? The answer is simple: Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich supported Nikon, who dreamed of a second crown, with which he would be crowned for the expulsion of the Turks from the Byzantine lands. For this, the Quietest led the regiments of the new order, for this the first Russian frigate "Eagle" was built. His Majesty's dreams did not come true, but many thousands of Old Believers were persecuted.
Because of which? What is the difference between the Nikonian "version" of Orthodoxy from the faith that the Old Believers have cherished since Epiphany?
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Old Believers use two-fingered fingers at the sign of the cross (three folded fingers symbolize the Trinity, and two straightened ones - the two natures of Christ, divine and human. Moreover, the one that appears to be a symbol of humanity should be slightly bent - out of respect for divinity).
Only the eight-pointed Crucifixion is recognized by the Old Believers. A simple four-pointed cross is also revered by them, but the four-pointed crucifix is not, because it is considered Latin. They also write the name of Christ with one "and" - "Jesus". And so on, and on, and on.
Little things, say? Life is made up of little things …
It is interesting that 100 years before Nikon, during the life of Ivan the Terrible, no reforms would have passed. At the then Stoglava Cathedral, it was firmly declared: "If anyone does not bless two fingers, I am the skin and Christ … be damned!" Briefly and clearly.
A century passed, and the patriarch persuaded the crown-bearer to split, seducing him with accession to the conquered Constantinople …
Catherine II also nurtured the "Greek project", gaining victories over the Turks, but the empress did not dare to storm Istanbul. But "Mother Ekaterina" was the first to relax the Old Believers. By that time, the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church had grown stronger, its branches-directions, called "agreements," developed, and sects arose - Khlysty, Molokans, eunuchs and others.
Rogozhskaya became the richest and most influential among the Old Believer communities.
Rogozh community
They say that Rogozhskaya Sloboda owes its name to the drivers. From about the end of the 16th century, this place was chosen by cabbies busy with the delivery of the sovereign's mail ("Yamskaya gonboy"). From here, from the Rogozhskaya Zastava, a distant outskirts of Moscow, there was Vladimirsky tract (now the Entuziastov highway), and on the milestone was carved: "Two miles from Moscow."
When the persecution of the church and sovereign authorities "slowed down", the Old Believers began to slowly settle in the Rogozhskaya Sloboda - somewhere in the 1760s. They traded freely, founded factories, but they conducted their divine services in secret - the long years of vilification and mass executions were too memorable. After all, only 100 years have passed since the uprising in the Solovetsky Monastery, which almost broke out a religious war. And the churchmen were still thirsty for blood, demanding reprisals and deaths from the authorities. In 1685, the ruler Sophia published the notorious "12 articles", according to which thousands and thousands of Old Believers were burned alive, tortured, expelled or thrown behind bars …
This is not immediately forgotten. But, as they say, there would be no happiness, but misfortune helped.
In 1771, a “pestilence of pestilence” (plague epidemic) passed through Moscow. And the Old Believers showed themselves from the best side - they treated, and buried, and fought against unsanitary conditions, and merchants from the "schismatics" with their own money built barracks-hospitals for the plague. So Catherine had mercy - her then favorite, Count Orlov, allowed the "schismatics" to build a wooden chapel in the name of St. Nicholas near the Rogozhskoye cemetery. Well, you just had to start …
20 years later, the Old Believers built a summer cathedral according to the project of Matvey Kazakov and consecrated it in honor of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos - they believe that it is the patronage of the Mother of God that protects them from adversity.
True, it soon became clear that the Intercession Church is much larger than the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin, and at the behest of Catherine the cult building was "shortened", and instead of five chapters, only one was left. Nevertheless, the Intercession Cathedral remained the largest Orthodox church in Moscow for 200 years. It is curious that the cathedral is still lit with candles on silver chandeliers of Catherine's times!
The winter church of the Nativity of Christ in the pseudo-Gothic style was built at the very beginning of the 19th century. At the same time, the community became a real spiritual center of one of the most "advanced" branches (or interpretations) of the Old Believers - the priesthood of the Belokrinitsky Consent. The settlement was actively built up - two-story stone houses, nursing homes for the elderly, shelters for the mentally ill, an orphanage, two schools were erected - and the residence of the Old Believer Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia.
A missed chance?
Often, behind the history of the Old Believers, something more general is lost - the history of Russia. Look - the Reformation, one might say, was a trend in the 17th century. Protestants - Lutherans, Calvinists, Anglicans and others - were gaining strength, elevating severity of morals and diligence to the rank of virtue. That is, precisely those qualities that were inherent in our Old Believers, keepers of the "ancient Orthodox" covenants.
To this day, the list of the most prosperous and developed countries is headed by Protestant Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Great Britain.
And could not Russia also keep them company, if Nikon had been given a hand in time, would not have been allowed to destroy the ancient customs?
It is not in vain that the richest people of the Russian Empire come from Old Believers. The Mamontovs, Ryabushinsky, Tretyakovs, Prokhorovs, Maltsevs, Morozovs, Guchkovs - they are all adherents of the old rite.
When capitalism crushed Raseya under itself, Old Believers marched in the vanguard, becoming the main pillar of entrepreneurship. And if they were given free rein from the very beginning, what country would we live in now?
The eve of the "golden years"
According to various estimates, by the beginning of the 20th century, from 4 to 5 million people in the Russian Empire were Old Believers. This is all the more striking that the state and the "ruling" church were still hostile to the "schismatics." For example, weddings according to the old rite were not recognized, and until 1874 all the children of the Old Believers were considered illegitimate. They were prohibited from holding public office. In short, there was a kind of religious apartheid.
And on April 17, 1905, on Easter, the Imperial decree "On strengthening the principles of religious tolerance" was issued. The decree gave the Old Believers the right to create communities and arrange religious processions, have bells ringing and legally conduct divine services according to old printed books. It was a holiday!
In memory of the imperial decree within the Rogozh community, a stately and at the same time full of strict grace church-bell tower in the name of the Resurrection of Christ was erected, either the second, or the third highest in the Golden-domed - it is only one meter lower than the bell tower of Ivan the Great, building above which has been forbidden for centuries. True, many Old Believers are sure that the bell tower of the Rogozhskaya Sloboda is only one brick lower than the Kremlin one, or even even surpasses Fryazin's creation …
However, the Rogozhskaya Sloboda was decorated not only with temples: at the time described, the three-story Morozov hospital began to operate, a higher educational institution was opened - the Moscow Old Believer Teachers' Institute.
We can say that the decade between the significant Easter and the Great War was a golden time for the Old Believers. Plants and factories were built, railways were laid. Russia's GDP growth reached 19%!
But that's a completely different story …
Valery BOLSHAKOV