Old Believers facts for kids

Detail of the painting Boyarynya Morozova by Vasily Surikov. The painting shows a defiant Old Believer during her arrest. Her holding up two fingers (instead of three) refers to the dispute about the proper way of cross-signing.

In the Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers ([старове́ры or старообря́дцы] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help), read starovery or staroobryadtsy) became separated after 1666-1667. They split from the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon. Old Believers continue liturgical practices which the Russian Orthodox Church followed before the reform. Russian-speakers refer to the schism itself as raskol (раскол). This word comes from a Russian word расколоться, that means "to cleave apart").

Background

Patriarch Nikon (1605-1681; 1651-1658 as patriarch) wanted to bring the Russian Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church closer together. For this reason, he changed a few rituals and texts in 1651. These changes were made to the Russian rituals to be closer to the Greek ones of Nikon's time. According to the Old Believers, Nikon did this without the support of the clergy. and without a council. When the changes were done, people who still practised the old rites were persecuted.

Images for kids

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  Boyaryna Morozova showing two fingers, painting by Surikov – detail, sketch 04 from Tretyakov gallery

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  6th-century icon, depicting Christ giving a blessing. Two digits appear straightened, three folded. The Old Believers regard this as the proper way of making the sign of the Cross.

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  Map of Old Believer settlements in Moscow Governorate, 1871

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  Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church paschal procession in Guslitsa, Moscow region, 2008

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  Lipovans (Russian Old Believers) during a ceremony in front of their church in the Romanian village of Slava Cercheză in 2004

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  The Uspensky cathedral in Belaya Krinitsa (beginning of the 20th century), the oldest centre of the priestly Old Believers

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  Boris and Gleb, the first Russian saints (early 14th century icon of the Moscow School). The Old Believers only recognize saints who were canonized before the Schism, although they do have their own saints, such as Archpriest Avvakum and Boyarynya Morozova.

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  Old Believer church outside of Gervais, Oregon, US

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  Inside an Old Believers church in McKee, Oregon, near Gervais and Woodburn in Oregon, US

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  Russian Old Believers in Woodburn, Oregon

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  Russian Old Believers Church in Nikolaevsk, Alaska, US

See also

In Spanish: Viejos creyentes para niños