Old Believers in Imperial Russia

Who are the Old Believers? And what is their role in Russian history?

Following the raskol, or schism, of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1656-1666 over Patriarch Nikon’s ritualistic reforms to Russian Orthodoxy, those who adhered to the pre-Nikonian, old rites collectively became known as staroobriadtsy – Old Ritualists. They are more commonly known today by the anglicized term “Old Believers.” Over the following centuries and through their history, the Old Believers spread throughout Russia and its immediate borderlands as both a means to maintain their way of life and escape persecution. Yet, even while facing constant threats and persecution for their faith from their oppressors, the Old Believers found numerous opportunities to flourish and establish thriving communities in the Russian wilderness and major urban centers. Ultimately, they built some of imperial Russia’s most influential and wealthy entrepreneurial and industrial dynasties.

The lecture will explores the "whys" and "hows" of the Old Believers, their place within Russian history, and the role they played in shaping tsarist Russia. It considers the paradoxical existence of the Old Believers in Russia as both an oppressed and opportunist religious minority. Dr. Peter De Simone examines how viewing the Old Believers’ history has often led to it being continuously unknown, misunderstood, or intentionally misrepresented. Particularly, the Old Believers collectively represented direct challenges by “official” authorities in both the church and state to define the very concepts and definitions of “Orthodox” and “Russian” in the imperial era.

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This lecture, titled "The Old Believers and Imperial Russia: Contests of Faith, History, and Identity," is part of the Russian History Museum's "Second Saturday" online lecture series. It was presented on December 10, 2022.

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