www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Old-Ritualists Forum Why the fascination?

I have seen here, and on other sites, that there is a fascination with the Old-Believers. Why is that? What is what they do, or don't do, so intriguing?

UC,

Interesting you should ask, because I was talking abought this with a friend just yesterday.

I think that, regardless of whether one considers the reaction of the Old Ritualists/Old Believers to the Nikonian reforms to have been proper or to have been misguided zealotry, there is a certain fascination with the fact that they were prepared to sacrifice all for their beliefs.

Like the Amish, the Mennonites, the Hutterites, and others of those Western communities that we term 'Plain Peoples', the Old Ritualists and Believers generally live a life of relative simplicity. I doubt that you or I, nor most of us, could ever imagine plunging ourselves into such an environment and I suspect that many of us envy them, whether we admit it or not.

Too, they retain and maintain traditions that offer insights into another time - insights deeper than what can be had from books alone, because they are living, breathing peoples, out there practicing those traditions.

In truth, my best guess is that there are about a dozen active members here with a strong interest in the Old Ritualists and Old Believers. Most of us would probably be classed as being Russophilic (at least as regards certain aspects of liturgical praxis, etc), even though a few are Ukrainians and, on other matters Russian, are nowhere near Russophilic. For most other forum members, I imagine that their interest or curiousity is piqued by individual topics, but that they have no overriding fascination - however, just now looking at the number of views per thread, they are fairly respectable given that most are not discussion-oriented threads.

That John affords us a distinct subforum for the topic is a testament to his generosity (as is this site in its entirety). That Tom/Polish American, with a background of teaching history, has hit on this subject as one of great research interest to him in his retirement, has provided us with a wealth of material.

Many years,

Neil

Why am I fascinated with the Old Believers? Partly because of my interest in Russian history which dates back to my graduate school studies. At first, I thought of the O.B. as a quaint, exotic religious group which was driven into near extinction by Soviet persecution. Then, in the early 1970s, I started teaching at a small college in northwest Pennsylvania and learned that there was a priestless Russian Old Believer church in Erie. So, one Sunday morning at the crack of dawn I visited it. That was an experience I will never forget!

Hundreds of Erie O.B. walked to church in old Russian-style clothing. The two-hour service began in darkness as altar servers lit candles in front of old icons on three walls. The nastavnik (elder and prayer leader) entered, the singing in Old Church Slavonic began, and I was transported back in time to 17th century Russia. I was enthralled and enraptured! I could not believe that Old Belief had appeared and survived in America.

In the succeeding weeks and months, I returned again and again to sit and talk with the nastavniks (and later Old Rite priests) and some of the members. They were friendly to me and answered all my questions. I learned that their ancestors emigrated to Erie, Detroit, Marianna PA and Millville NJ from Poland in the early 20th century. In the 1980s, the Erie congregation split into a new priested Old Rite church (ROCOR) and a remaining priestless church, each of which continues today. In 2007, on a trip to Poland, I visited some of the O.B. in and near Suwalki and spoke with their nastavnik and some of their members. I still go to Erie once a year to visit each of the O.B. churches.

I think Neil's entry explains very well how some of us feel about O.B. We love the elements of sacrifice, simplicity, and tradition in Russian Old Belief. I enjoy the research and sharing of information from the internet. But, most of all, I am interested in the intense effort that Old Believers have made to preserve and practice their religious beliefs through years of persecution, moves, and now Americanization. It is an example for all of us.

I have asked this same question to myself. Absolutely excellent responses. Thank you both.

Jim

Since the Union of Brest occurred before the Nikonian reforms, and thus our Kyivan liturgical tradition (as contained in the service books of St. Peter Mohyla and predecessors) is highly influenced by pre-Nikonian usage, the interest is certainly understandable amongst some Ukrainian Greek Catholics in understanding our own liturgical heritage. Also Metropolitan +Andrey of blessed memory had great pastoral concern for the Old Ritualists who came under his omophorion during the first three decades of the 20th century.

Thank you all for your answers. The preservation of their lifestyle and religious beliefs is admirable, like that of the Amish or Mennonites. I've seen a few videos on youtube of the ROCOR Erie parish and it is a different style of worship, singing, praxis, etc., unlike anything I've seen in the Eastern world.