Popovtsy
Encyclopedia
The Popovtsy, or Popovschina (Поповцы, Поповщина in Russian
; this name could be translated as "priested ones"), were one of the two principal movements (along with the Bezpopovtsy) of the Old Believers
, which was formed by the end of the 17th century in Russia
.
, the so-called Beglopopovtsy
who rejected this hierarchy, the Belovodskaya hierarchy, etc.).
The Popovtsy represented the more moderate conservative opposition, who strove to continue religious and church life as it had existed before the reforms of Patriarch Nikon
. They recognised ordained priests from the new style Russian Orthodox church who joined the Old Believers and who had denounced the Nikonian reforms. Popovtsy have priests, bishops and all sacraments, including the Eucharist.
on the Sozh River, in Starodub
, along the Irgiz River
, in monasteries of the province of Nizhny Novgorod
along the Kerzhenets River
, although they were scattered throughout Russia and even far beyond its boundaries. In the late 18th - early 19th century their spiritual centre was located in Moscow
at the Rogozhskoye cemetery
.
(who had been removed under Turkish pressure) to become an Old Believer and to consecrate three Russian Old Believers priests as bishops. In 1859, the number of Old Believer bishops in Russia had reached ten, and they established their own episcopate, the so-called Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy
.
of 1917. For some time (in the early 1920s), the Soviet regime was rather tolerant towards the Old Believers
as a whole, but in the 1930s, Old Believers too were subjected to severe repressions. Most of their churches were confiscated or demolished. During the Soviet period, the social strata which had been traditionally the backbone of the Old Believer population - peasants, cossacks, craftsmen, artisans, merchants and entrepreneurs, were practically extinguished. Nowadays Old Believers' churches are restored and recognized by the State.
of the Russian Orthodox State Church, on condition that they would be allowed to use the old books and rites. They came to be known as Edinovertsy and are generally not regarded as Old Believers, but rather Old-Ritualists.
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
; this name could be translated as "priested ones"), were one of the two principal movements (along with the Bezpopovtsy) of the Old Believers
Old Believers
In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
, which was formed by the end of the 17th century in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Historical backgrounds
As none of the bishops joined the Old Believers (except Bishop Paul of Kolomna, who was executed), ordained priests of the Old Rite would have soon become extinct. Two responses appeared to this dilemma: the priested Old Believers (поповцы, Popovtsy) and the priestless Old Believers (беспоповцы, Bezpopovtsy). As opposed to the Bezpopovtsy, the Popovtsy recognised the validity of the priesthood of clergy ordained by the State Church, receiving them into their fold, creating their own ecclesiastical structure, which would later break into a number of smaller movements (e.g., those who accepted the priesthood of the Belokrinitskaya hierarchyBelokrinitskaya Hierarchy
Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy is the first full and stable church hierarchy created by the Old Believers.The hierarchy was created in 1846 by acceptance of the Greek Metropolitan Ambrose...
, the so-called Beglopopovtsy
Beglopopovtsy
Beglopopovtsy was one of the denominations among the Popovtsy, who belonged to the Old Believers....
who rejected this hierarchy, the Belovodskaya hierarchy, etc.).
The Popovtsy represented the more moderate conservative opposition, who strove to continue religious and church life as it had existed before the reforms of Patriarch Nikon
Patriarch Nikon
Nikon , born Nikita Minin , was the seventh patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church...
. They recognised ordained priests from the new style Russian Orthodox church who joined the Old Believers and who had denounced the Nikonian reforms. Popovtsy have priests, bishops and all sacraments, including the Eucharist.
Spiritual Centres of the Popovtsy
In the 18th - 19th centuries, the Popovtsy lived in communities on the Vetka IslandVetka Island
Vetka Island is an island in the Sozh River near the Belarus town of Vetka. The island is known for a large Old Believers community which lived there for a long time in the 18th and 19th centuries...
on the Sozh River, in Starodub
Starodub
Starodub is a town and the administrative center of Starodubsky District of Bryansk Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Babinets River , southwest of Bryansk. Population: 16,000 .-History:...
, along the Irgiz River
Irgiz
Irgiz may refer to:* Bolshoy Irgiz River, a river in Russia* Maly Irgiz River, a river in Russia* Irgiz River , a river in Kazakhstan* Irgiz, Kazakhstan, a town in Kazakhstan...
, in monasteries of the province of Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
along the Kerzhenets River
Kerzhenets River
Kerzhenets River is a river in the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast in Russia. It is a left tributary of the Volga, joining the Volga near Lyskovo, about 70 km east of Nizhny Novgorod.-History:...
, although they were scattered throughout Russia and even far beyond its boundaries. In the late 18th - early 19th century their spiritual centre was located in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
at the Rogozhskoye cemetery
Rogozhskoye Cemetery
Rogozhskoe cemetery in Moscow, Russia, is the spiritual and administrative center of the largest Old Believers denomination, called the Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church. Historically, the name cemetery was applied to the whole Old Believer community, with living quarters, cathedral, almshouses,...
.
Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy
In 1846, the Popovtsy convinced Amvrosii (Popovich, 1791-1863), a deposed Greek Orthodox bishop of BosniaBosnia Province, Ottoman Empire
The Bosnia Vilayet was an Ottoman vilayet, mostly based on the territory of the present-day state of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as most of Slavonia, Lika and Dalmatia in present-day Croatia. It bordered Kosovo Vilayet to the south. Before the administrative reform in 1864, it was called the...
(who had been removed under Turkish pressure) to become an Old Believer and to consecrate three Russian Old Believers priests as bishops. In 1859, the number of Old Believer bishops in Russia had reached ten, and they established their own episcopate, the so-called Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy
Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy
Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy is the first full and stable church hierarchy created by the Old Believers.The hierarchy was created in 1846 by acceptance of the Greek Metropolitan Ambrose...
.
Beglopopovsty; Novozybkovskaya Hierarchy
Not all priested Old Believers recognised this hierarchy. These dissenters were called беглопоповцы (beglopopovtsy) and obtained their own hierarchy in the 1920s. The priested Old Believers are thus represented by two churches that have the same beliefs, but treat each other's hierarchies as illegitimate.Modern Situation
The Popovtsy were hostile towards the October RevolutionOctober Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
of 1917. For some time (in the early 1920s), the Soviet regime was rather tolerant towards the Old Believers
Old Believers
In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
as a whole, but in the 1930s, Old Believers too were subjected to severe repressions. Most of their churches were confiscated or demolished. During the Soviet period, the social strata which had been traditionally the backbone of the Old Believer population - peasants, cossacks, craftsmen, artisans, merchants and entrepreneurs, were practically extinguished. Nowadays Old Believers' churches are restored and recognized by the State.
Edinovertsy
Around 1800, a group of Popovtsy, mainly merchants from Moscow seeking the abrogation of discriminating legislation which obstructed their commercial activities, offered to acknowledge the leadership of the SynodSynod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of the Russian Orthodox State Church, on condition that they would be allowed to use the old books and rites. They came to be known as Edinovertsy and are generally not regarded as Old Believers, but rather Old-Ritualists.
Popovtsy Churches
The two churches of the Popovtsy are:- Belokrinitskaya HierarchyBelokrinitskaya HierarchyBelokrinitskaya Hierarchy is the first full and stable church hierarchy created by the Old Believers.The hierarchy was created in 1846 by acceptance of the Greek Metropolitan Ambrose...
, also known as Belokrinitskoe SoglasieBelokrinitskoe SoglasieBelokrinitskoe soglasie is the largest and one of the most 'temperate' and 'optimistic' denominations among the Popovtsy Old Believers. The name derives from the name of the village Belokrinitsa, where the full hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Oldrite Church was established.From the end of 1840,...
, officially called Russian Orthodox Oldritualist Church, has its centre situated at the Rogozhskoe cemetery in MoscowMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. It is the largest popovtsy church in modern Russia. In the 19th century, the Belokrinitskaya HierarchyBelokrinitskaya HierarchyBelokrinitskaya Hierarchy is the first full and stable church hierarchy created by the Old Believers.The hierarchy was created in 1846 by acceptance of the Greek Metropolitan Ambrose...
was subject to a schismSchism (religion)A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
of Okruzhnyy Raskol.
- Novozybkovskaya Hierarchy, officially known as the Russian Old-Orthodox ChurchRussian Old-Orthodox ChurchThe Russian Old Orthodox Church is an Eastern Orthodox Church of the Old Believers tradition, born of a schism within the Russian Orthodox Church during the 17th century . This jurisdiction incorporated those Old Believer groups which refused to accept the authority of Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy,...
, former beglopopovtsyBeglopopovtsyBeglopopovtsy was one of the denominations among the Popovtsy, who belonged to the Old Believers....
.