www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Old-Ritualists Forum Dress of Old Believers

I was visiting the website of the Erie community of Old Rite Russian Orthodox (Old Believers) last night and found an interesting picture (http://tour.churchofthenativity.net/images/church.jpg). Do all the men and women wear white tops when attending the Old Believer Liturgy? And, if so, why is this? Thanks!

Pax tecum,

Adam

Adam, actually there is embroidery around the neck, cuffs, and down the lapel on the front. This shirt is called a rubashka and is worn out, never tucked in, with a brightly embroidered belt called a poyas put on over the rubashka.

Yes, this is special "Sunday best" for the Old Believer anytime he goes to a service. He will also wear it at home when there is an Imenennya or name day celebration.

Dear Adam,

And Ukrainians too, the traditional ones, will wear their embroidered shirts and blouses to Church.

The material that is used to make these shirts is actually the white cloth that is used to cover the baby at Baptism "Kryzhmo."

It is the ancient white baptismal robe that catechumens wore all week during Bright Week and at some other times following their Baptism, Chrismation and Holy Communion.

So the white embroidered shirts, rubashkas, what have you, are a form of the baptismal robe that early lay Christians wore over their secular clothing when they went to Church.

Some say that the first robe our priests put on when they vest for the Divine Liturgy is also a form of the baptismal robe (?).

The belt or poyas with tassles recalls the fringes that Jews wore and wear for worship and every day.

The fringes symbolize the dripping "Oil of Gladness" of Divine Grace.

Alex

Alex - who said all of the Old Believers were Russians? I wear my sorochka (how's that?) to many festal events.

Dear Diak,

I didn't say all Old Believers were Russians - some of my best friends are Ukrainian Old Believers!

I meant to say "Ukrainian Nikonians . . ."

Alex

Thanks, you all, for the clarification!

Pax tecum,

Adam

Adam,

Actually, the picture which you linked above is the first page of a "virtual tour" of the Old Believer temple.

Anyone who wishes to take the photo tour can do so by going to http://tour.churchofthenativity.net/[/b] [tour.churchofthenativity.net] and clicking on Start the Tour.

Unfortunately, the Continue icon on the next page doesn't work and the following pages lack links that will advance one thru the pics. However, if you replace the number in the web address of each page with the next successive number (see example below), and then hit Enter on your keyboard, you can complete the tour.

Example:

[b] http://tour.churchofthenativity.net/1.html

Replace the number 1 with a 2, to move on; continue to do so through 7.

(The "Tour" is not to be confused with the "Photographs" link [churchofthenativity.net] on the main page, which offers an entirely different set of pictures.)

Many years,

Neil

Is it possible to order a custom "rubashka" in the U.S.? I have several plain varieties (without embroidery, purchased in Ukraine & Romania) which I wear in Poland & the U.S. But the neck is too small now

Stojgniev

Dear Stoyjniev,

Yes, the Ukrainian Old Believers in Kyiv have a shop where you can buy the special pillows for placing one's hands during prostrations, woven belts for the rubashka et al.

It's "Old-Rite Shop" or something, perhaps Diak would have their URL.

Write to Taras and tell him "Olesh Roman" sent you!

Alex

Or here in the diaspora you can shop online at an old-believer shop at https://securehost7.hrwebservices.net/~cotn/shopping/ or from Nikolaevsk, Alaska's Russian Old Believer Community at http://www.russiangiftsnina.com/

In Christ,
Deacon Nikolai

Dear Father Deacon Nikolai,

Is there no end to your talents?

Thank you!

You should stay here - who knows, you may even pick up a few converts. Some of our suffering traditional RC's may want to speak to you at some time . . . Could you do a Divine Liturgy for them in Latin?

Alex

Dear Alex,

My only talents are those that God Himself has blessed me with. I only pray that I use them properly for His glory.

During Bright Monday when the Gospel is read in many languages, our Protopriest read the Gospel in Latin among other languages, so maybe they would be happy with us after all. :-)

In Christ,
Deacon Nikolai

Many thanks, Alex and Deacon Nikolai!

Stojgniev

Are you an Old Believer, Diak?

Certainly in spirit. Many years ago (I won't say how long :rolleyes: ) when in college I very nearly left everything to join the Nikolaevsk community in Alaska.