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Old Believers use two fingers while making the sign of the cross (two fingers straightened, three folded) while new-style Orthodoxy uses three fingers for the sign of cross (three fingers straightened, two fingers folded). Old Ritualists generally say the Jesus Prayer with the Sign of the Cross, while New Ritualists use the Sign of the Cross as a Trinitarian symbol. This makes for a significant difference between the two branches of Russian Orthodoxy, and one of the most noticeable. Old Believers reject all changes and emendations of liturgical texts and rituals introduced by the reforms of Patriarch Nikon. Thus they continue to use the older Church Slavonic translation of the sacred texts, including the Psalter, striving to preserve intact the "pre-Nikonian" practices of the Russian Church. Old Believers only recognize performing baptism through three full immersions, and reject the validity of any baptismal rite performed otherwise (for example through pouring or sprinkling, as the Russian Orthodox Church has occasionally accepted since the 18th century). Old Believers in principle oppose ecumenism, despite many instances of good relationships and collaboration with other Eastern Orthodox churches. Old Believers and new-style Orthodoxy have a lot of small, but essential differences in their respective church services. The very style and atmosphere of the services differs:
Old Believers perform the Divine Liturgy with seven prosphora, not five, as in new-style Orthodoxy. Old Believers chant the alleluia verse after the psalmody twice, not three times. Old Believers do not use polyphonic singing, but only monophonic (unison) chant. They also have their own way of writing down music: not with linear notation, but with special signs � kryuki or znamena ("hooks: or "banners" in English translation; see Znamenny Chant). Old Believers practice several different types of Znamenny Chan]: znamenny raspev, stolpovoy raspev, pomorsky raspev (or khomovoe singing), demestvenny raspev, etc. Old Believers use only icons of old Russian or Byzantine iconography; they do not believe in venerating realistic images of Christ, the Theotokos and the saints as icons (which has wide acceptance in new-style Orthodoxy). Old Ritualists do not accept photographic or printed reproductions of icons in their worship. Old Believers do not kneel while praying, but in comparison with new-style Orthodoxy, they perform more bows and prostrations. While making prostrations, Old Believers use a special little rug called a podruchnik, placing their hands on it. The fingers used to make the Sign of the Cross must remain clean during the prayers. On average the Old Believers' services last two to three times longer than in new-style Orthodoxy. In general, the Old Believers insist on following the rubrics to the letter, and refrain from shortening the Psalter readings and hymnography. They also tend to combine several services together, sometimes redundantly. Thus, a typical Old-Rite "vigil service" (vsenoschnoe bdenie) would include shortened ("small") vespers, a solemn ("great") vespers, compline, midnight office, matins and the First Hour. While saying repetitive prayers, Old Believers use a special type of beads called lestovka. Old Believers who have ordained priests use a more strict preparation before Communion � with very strict fasting within the week before Communion. This explains in part why Communion among laity is common only during the Lent and other long fasts. It is common after each confession to have some epitimia. Usually, it is certain number of bows, which are counted with the help of a lestovka. Old Believers do not venerate saints that appeared in Orthodoxy after 1666. For example, they do not venerate St. Seraphim of Sarov, one of the most well-known Russian saints of the 19th century. On the other hand, many Old Believers' ecclesial bodies have canonized a number of saints who are not recognized by the Russian Orthodox Church, e.g. Avvakum and others. Old Believers use cast (silver, bronze) and carved (wooden) icons as well as painted ones. The new-style Orthodoxy prohibited the veneration of icons in relief. In Old Believer circles the practice continued and became very popular, since Old Believers had often to hide their religious implements. Cast icons of small size (and often also folding; see skladen) proved very useful in that respect. Old Believers also have unique daily-life practices. They consider shaving one's beard a sin, though some modern denominations of Old Believers show more tolerance towards shaven chins. Some Bespopovsty denominations prohibit drinking coffee and tea. Smoking or any other use of tobacco counts as a dire sin. The most strict and eschatological Bespopovsty have practices of refraining from contact with the outer world. That may include prohibitions on sharing meals with people of other faiths, on using their belongings and wares, etc.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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The Russian Orthodox Old-Ritualist Church, currently headed by Metropolitan Cornelius, is probably the largest Old-Ritualist community and continues to grow (and to publish excellent books).
One important distinction between this Church and the Russian State Church - in blatant violation of the Holy Canons, the State Church for two hundred years did not (and could not) hold a Council of all its own hierarchs. Instead it was a department of the Russian Imperial Goveernment, administered by a "Holy Governing Synod" appointed by the Tsar and controlled by a lay "Over-Procurator" also appointed by the Tsar.
The Imperial Government fiercely persecuted the Old-Ritualists and sought to deny them clergy - when, in the Tsar's despite, the Russian Old-Ritualist Orthodox Church succeeded in regaining the three-fold hierarchy, the Tsar's wrath knew no bounds.
The survival of the Church in both the Imperial period and the Soviet period might demonstrate that it is possible for a Churh to live without the dubious benevolence of the Tsar or the Commissar.
Fr. Serge
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Joined: Apr 2004
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May they survive and thrive. God grant them many years. Having gone through that much persecution, it is good to see them standing their ground. Whether I agree with them or not is irrelevant. I respect them and wish them well.
Tim
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According to the Old Rite, before the vigil we have Small Vespers and Compline. The vigil proper consists of Great Vespers, Matins and the First Hour. The Midnight Office is chanted before the Hours, Typika and Liturgy in the morning. All in all the services are in three aggregates.
The vigil contains patristic homilies, which are no longer part of Nikonian services, equally the rite of forgiveness.
In the New Rite, vigils are used to a greater extent, often at the pastors discretion, whereas the ustav/typikon is very clear about when vigils are appointed and whether feasts are 'grozny, sredny or maly'. This maintains the feeling of feasts since the vigil may last six or seven hours, easily. Small communities, especially the priestless/bezpopovtsy often split vespers and matins, though counting them as part of one festal service. This makes life far easier when chanters are few and far between.
Also in Old Rite Orthodoxy we use Old Slavonic, not the New Slavonic of the New Rite Slav communities.
Spasi Khristos - Mark, unworthy monk.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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Spasi Khristos, and welcome back Otche Mark!
Another (and there are, of course, others) distinction in the Old Rite Horologion is the three Complines - Great, Middle and Small. The Nikonian practice only recognizes Great and Small. FDRLB
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... and only recognises one akathist hymn.
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