The Russian Old Orthodox Church is one of the directions of the Russian Old Believers. Currently operates in Russia and several other countries.
Church history
The basis of the ancient Orthodox church was originally made up of runaways. This is part of the Old Believers who took the priesthood, passing from the New Believers church. However, they did not recognize the Belokrinitskaya hierarchy.
In 1923, most members of the Old Orthodox Church recognized Saratov Archbishop Nicholas as their head. His contemporaries noted that the already elderly monk Nicola quite unexpectedly switched to the Renovationists. Many even believed that he had survived from the mind. He was disappointed in the Renovationists about a year later, but did not return to the Russian Orthodox Church, but switched to the Old Believers.
In 1929, another well-known clergyman, Bishop of Irginsky, joined the Old Orthodox Church.
Center of the Old Believers
Initially, the center of the Russian ancient Orthodox church was in Saratov, in 1924 it moved to Moscow. He began to be based at the St. Nicholas Church at the Rogozhsky cemetery.
In 1938, the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior Cathedral in Novozybkov was closed. Divine services in it were resumed only during the years of German occupation. Since then they have not stopped. But still in 1955, the center of the Old Believers, to which this article is dedicated, returned to Saratov.
Pressure from the authorities
The history of the Old Orthodox Church tells of a period of difficult relations with the official church and the authorities. The Soviets had a negative attitude to any religious organizations, the Old Orthodox were no exception.
In the late 1950s, a massive anti-religious campaign began, initiated by Khrushchev. One of the negative results of this was the aggravation of sentiment among the runners themselves.
As a result, in 1962, Bishop Epiphanius retired, citing ill health and old age. The new head of the church was Jeremiah, who moved the center to the Bryansk region.
After Khrushchev's oppression, about 20 parishes of the Old Orthodox Church remained. Mostly in Samara, Volsk, Novozybkov and Kursk.
Since 1988, the church began to rank saints. Such an honor was awarded to Andrei Rublev, Patriarch Germogen, Archpriest Avvakum.
Modern Ancient Orthodoxy
An important event in ancient Orthodoxy occurred in 1990. Then the Moscow community was transferred to the Intercession Cathedral, which is located in Zamoskvorechye. Since then, it has become the main metropolitan temple of this branch of the Old Believers.
In 1999, a split occurred in the church. Part of the laity did not agree with the official qualification, considering it identical with the one offered by the Russian Orthodox Church. Because of this disagreement, a separate association was formed, which is officially called the Old Orthodox Church of Russia. It is led by Bishop Apollinaris. Modern ancient Orthodoxy is experiencing an outflow of parishioners, in recent years they are becoming less and less.
In 2002, at a special Council, it was decided to restore the patriarchate in the Old Orthodox Church. Archbishop Alexander became the patriarch. From that moment, his residence is located in Moscow.
Interestingly, in 2010 several hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Temporary Higher Church Administration joined the Russian Orthodox Church. They renounced the heresies that they previously professed, including the ecumenical and the "Nikonian."
Relations with other faiths
Officially, the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church does not recognize the patriarchal title of rector of the Old Orthodox Church. In documents, he is referred to exclusively as archbishop.
An active dialogue between the two faiths has been ongoing since 2008. Since then, three representatives of the two churches have met for negotiations. In 2013, the next meeting was to be held, but representatives of the Old Orthodox Church did not attend. And soon they adopted a resolution at the Council, in which they announced that negotiations with the Russian Orthodox Church did not bring any result, they reached a dead end and lost any constructiveness. Therefore, they consider it inappropriate to continue them.
The Old Orthodox dialogue is conducted with the Russian Orthodox Old Believers Church. In particular, they collaborate in the field of book publishing, constantly exchange liturgical experience.
Cathedral of the Protection of the Holy Virgin
Since 2000, it is in this cathedral that the patriarch of the described church is based . Pokrovsky Cathedral is located in the capital at 38 Novokuznetskaya Street.
Active construction of Old Believer churches began in Russia after 1905. It was then that the manifesto on religious tolerance came out. Moscow was no exception. The land on which this temple is located today was acquired by Fedor Morozov in 1908. In the same year, October 12, the first stone was laid in the foundation of the church. The local Old Believer community began to look forward to completion.
The architect Desyatov worked on the building project. In total, 100 thousand rubles were required for these works. The grand opening of the temple took place in 1910. The first priest to conduct services was Mikhail Volkov, who had previously worked in the Polezhaev’s house church, which was located on Luzhnetskaya Street. Over the next 20 years, prayer meetings of Old Believers were regularly organized here.
In the early 30s, the deacon of the Intercession Cathedral Ferapont Lazarev was arrested. He was accused of counter-revolutionary activity, which he led in the Old Believer group. March 2, 1931 he was shot. Soon, the Soviet government finally closed the church. The last service took place in May 1932.
After that, the building housed the department of OSOAVIAHIM, the forerunner of modern DOSAAF. In the 70s, Metrostroy began to be based.
Only after the collapse of the Soviet Union the building was returned to the Russian Old Orthodox Church. This happened in 1990. In 2000, the chair of the primate moved from Novozybkov.
Old Orthodox Pomeranian Church
An important role in Russia is played by the Old Believer Pomeranian community of the Old Orthodox Pomeranian Church . Today it is the largest religious association of Old Believers of Pomeranian consent.
The beginning of this spiritual center was laid in 1694. Then on the river Vyg a mansion was founded. In 1706, a female appeared in Leksinsk.
They became famous for composing the famous Pomeranian answers, which became the factual basis for the protection of Old Orthodoxy. By the 19th century, Pomeranian communities had become a key economic center in the north of the country.
Community today
The modern history of the community dates back to 1989. Then the Russian Council of the Old Orthodox Church was created.
In 2006, the All-Russian Cathedral was held, which became the first since 1912. According to official figures, 50 religious organizations related to the Old Orthodox Church are now registered in Russia. Without registration, there are about two hundred similar groups and communities. At least 250 more communities work outside the country.
At the Old Orthodox Church, public organizations work. Magazines and other periodicals are published, and children's and youth summer camps are held. In St. Petersburg and Riga, even religious schools operate, in which seminarians are trained annually.