This Page Last Updated October 24^th, 2008 (new style reckoning)

 

The Beloved Russian Old Ritualist Believers

from  http://www.russianartgallery.org/famous/morozova.htm

The above picture, painted in western style, is error, in that Boyarina was a young woman, not elderly.

 

I have found that the traditional Old Believers of Russia are worth taking a good look at. It was about 1000 years after Christ that the ruler of Russia took it upon himself and his resources to seek out the one Faith which the Lord has always been giving to the human race for Life. This ruler, Vladimir the Great, spared no expense, giving the task to the most qualified in his kingdom. Such a good thing is rarely done for so many by one man of mortal means. After traveling the entire known world these duty bound specialists returned with this account; that they had been to something so astonishing, so extraordinary and so wondrous that they did not know if they had been in heaven or on earth. They had encountered precisely that, heaven on earth. This was at Constantinople, the New Rome, Byzantium to some.

Sadly, the New Rome fell to the mongoloid muslims and Russia was then accepted as being the Third Rome, a forth there never shall be. There has not been another faithful Christian believing empire on earth since Holy Russia. In the 17th century the wicked Russian patriarch Nikon and the rather new Romanov dynasty began contradicting the good teachings of the Lord. Peter the Great, in his love affair with Western Europe, continued the spiral downwards. The good people of Russia who took courage and held strong to the established Faith were more valiant than we can even imagine. This precious little flock of the pure Old Slavonic speaking people are now scattered all around this world. They called themselves Staro-obriatsi, or Keepers of the Old Rites, the term is sometimes translated Old Believers. The Old Believers are also known in Russian as zavolzhskie startsy. None of the Nikonian Latin reforms were accepted by the faithful and strict Old Believers.

The state church called the Old Believers schismatic, but as the Old Believers were the ones to keep the faith unchanged, it is actually the other way around. How sad things are, the Holy Russian Empire consequently died the miserable death of antichrist ecumenism, satanic freemasonry and atheistic communism, losing Orthodoxy and falling into the Great Apostasy with the remainder of the earthly impostor churches. The gross Nikonian practices have led to this state of affairs. Many of those who claim to be Old Believers, who had for centuries and generations accepted the temporary priestless existence, have now gone to modern minded false orthodoxy for fake priesthood. This new orthodoxy has been a lie since it started. What a terrible time to now accept this style of impostor orthodoxy, it is worse than ever. The faith and practices of the traditional Old Believers is nearly being destroyed and their way of life is all but extinct because of the threat of modern ideals.

Today capitalism, commercialism, modern democracy, industrialization and overall moderation spiritually distract us from what is right. Humanity, generally speaking, is very unable to understand what it is missing. The times we are in have affected the very last remaining expression of the true good old days. We should not be so surprised, for the Lord explained that when He returns there will be no Faith to speak of. That it would be like the days of Noah, when one man and his family were the only ones to rise above the destruction. And it will be better for Sodom and Gomorrah than for those in the end, for lonely Lot lost his wife to worldly pride. And don't forget the many other examples which speak so loudly, such that even the deaf could hear, should they care enough to bother to be keeping on always seeking what is right.

Twelve years ago I heard of the Old Believers and I continue a dedicated and thoughtful study. Any input would be appreciated, for I do not know everything. I will do what I can to place references to this topic for other interested parties. Below are links to pages with further information.

I lean toward those of the more strict and traditional “priestless” Old Believers. I might also add that the term “priestless” is a misnomer and is not fair for people to be using. It is said by many that this persecuted group rejects the priesthood. Nothing could be further from the truth. All their clergy were murdered by the Nikonian Russian Orthodox state church. The good family of traditional Old Believers earnestly wants and hopes for a good option to the condition this world finds itself in now. In a short time this might be rectified. Taking on a false priesthood, as some have done, is only more corruption. Grace does not cease to exist even in a world like we are in. In the ancient Church the laity were understood as being part of the Royal Priesthood of all believers, they would baptize those who were worthy, if they were far from a priest. The final priestly duties would be fulfilled later, at whatever time the opportunity might arrive. Those who found themselves baptized in such a way would not be thought of as any less Christian. Those who would die in faith without baptism, say as martyrs, are explained as having had a baptism in their own blood, their desire having made them worthy (Axios). Here is something else I found along these lines:

If someone is preparing for Baptism, or is favorably disposed in this way, and if there is danger of their dying before he/she can be baptized, any lay man or woman “has the right, and indeed the duty, to perform the rite by thrice repeated immersion, or even by aspersion, or by pouring of water on the bed, with the words, ‘the servant (or handmaiden) of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.’ Such a baptism is entirely valid, as far as it goes. Later on, the priest does not repeat the rite, but only completes it by saying the omitted prayers and performing the omitted rites, then enters it into the church register.”  (From – A Manual of the Orthodox Church's Divine Services)

I see the traditional Old Believer stand, those who continue in the strict and straight way, as properly retaining the authentic Faith. God is more than able to complete and fulfill anything that might be lacking in them. They clearly explain how the strict Old Believer condition of having no earthly clergy was foretold by Holy Daniel as the, “sanctuary that is desolate”. I have added this page for more information Self-Immolator Saints & Sacraments Without Clergy

 

General Information Links

 

I also have made some pages about Old Belief  Distinct Points of Faith

 

There are other significant aspects that need to be noted as well. The modern Orthodox churches have now concluded that Old Belief was, and is now, right and correct. The Old Believers cannot be schismatic if they were only doing what has always been done by faithful Christian people from the beginning. The only way to maintain the Faith is to be keeping the Faith that always has been. The modern Orthodox continues giving up the Faith once for all given to mankind for Life. After Nikon did the work of the state, and was deposed for it, there were even more ruthless characters that replaced him. Actually, some of the Nikonite reformers were so confused that in their efforts to be aligned with the apostate Greeks they actually missed the mark completely, creating something conforming to nothing. Something else to understand is that the Old Believers do hold contempt towards the late Czardom of Russia but still honor the good old tradition of the Greeks from where Russia first received the Faith. A small group of Old Believers accepted clerical priesthood from Greeks when they moved into their sphere. These Old Believers became just “another rite” to the Greeks. As this situation of living with the Greeks was while under Turkish rule it would be safe to say that it was done under threat of death and that these Old Believers were weak in the Faith.

 

 

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