Moderator: Mark Templet
In my town (Erie, PA) the Old Belivers have a beautiful large Cathedral that I have visited on a few occasions. A question I have is, how do they differ from other Orthodox? I am not interested in becoming one, but I am curious in how they differ.
Joseph
romiosini wrote:Technically, from what I read about. They grew into having their own traditions odly outside of the Church.
Actually, this is half-true. The Old-Believers hold to the traditions of the Russian Church before the reforms of Patriarch Nikon in the 1600's. Patriarch Nikon wished to make the traditions of Orthodoxy more uniform, by conforming to the practices of the Greek Church. The Old Believer practices are actually closer to the original Byzantine tradition before the Turkokratia. Their clergy and monastics are bearded, but do not grow their hair long. The monastic cowls are a simple hood, without a Fez underneath. Their chanting doesn't have Middle-Eastern sounding wails and trills (not that these things are bad. I love the Greek traditions). Of course the most noticeable difference is the way they make the Sign of the Cross, with the thumb touching the ring and pinky fingers while signing themselves with the index and middle fingers . Apparently, this way of making the Sign of the Cross is more ancient than the current way, and the Old Believers give their reason being that it was the Second Person of the Trinity who was crucified and not all Three Persons.
However, when the Old Believers stayed the same, only some priests stayed the same along with them, and not bishops. Hence, when their priest died, they had no way to ordain new ones. Being priestless for so many centuries, they did develope some very odd superstitions. The group in Eerie was recieved back into the Church, via ROCOR, in the 70's or 80's.
I'm not an authority, but this is what I've learned over the years. If there are any Old Rite Orthodox reading this who could shed more light on the subject and correct any errors I may have put forth, I would love to hear about it, as this is a fascinating subject.
--Sean
Some people prefer cupcakes. I, for one, care less for them...
They have very monastic like prayer and prostrations, even utilizing a prayer cloth(mat). I used to know the reason for the mat, but it escapes me and I omit for fear of offending anyone. The bishops wear the phelon and omofor, not the sakkos(look at an icon of St.Nicholas.
These are some more differences.
schetsmark wrote:They have very monastic like prayer and prostrations, even utilizing a prayer cloth(mat). I used to know the reason for the mat, but it escapes me and I omit for fear of offending anyone.
Unless I'm mistaken, it is to keep their right hand (with which they sign themselves) from being soiled.
11 August 2005, 10:30
Head of Russian Orthodox Church of Old Rite suddenly dies (updated)
Moscow, August 10, Interfax - Head of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Old Rite, Mitropolitan Andrian (Chetvergov), died unexpectedly Wednesday evening in Kirov region.
The Moscow headquarters of the church reports that the metropolitan had a heart attack on the bank of the river Gryadovitsa, some 50 kilometers away from Vyatka, when he was heading a traditional cross- bearing procession of the biggest community of Russian Old Believers.
Pilgrims managed to inform the local ambulance. A car with doctors left for the metropolitan’s whereabouts at about 17.00, but the absence of roads prevented them from giving him emergency aid sooner.
The procession with the cross, in which Old Believers cover 150 km from Vyatka to the Velikoretskoye village down the Velikaya River and back, is held annually to commemorate the miraculous appearance of an icon of St. Nicholas which happened in the late 14th century.
The Russian Orthodox Old Belief diocese of Kazan and Vyatka resumed this age-old tradition in 2002 after a long interval. The Vyatka diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church has organized a similar procession with the cross every June since 1989, though small groups of the faithful did it privately in the Soviet time as well.
Old Belief is an especially conservative trend in the Orthodox Church in Russia, which emerged in the 17th century as a result of the liturgical reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon.
Dear in christ:
3 on the list helped us. THANK YOU.
PLEASE SEE OUR BLOG: http://oldbeliever.blogspot.com do not put www. must type in exactly including http:// as is typed. Please pray for us, someone already wrote us and said our pages were graham...not very nice words, and proceeded to show us how we can make thousands of dollars, etc...
dear Brethren: our intent is not to make money....we want to get help to get on our feet , have someone help us set up website and e store , where to get lestovkas, incense, etc.....we will be selling the Old Orthodox Prayer Books and many items, but need knowledge and help to set up a website, how to use pay pal, etc......for now we need help with our fuel and other bills.
Some of you said if we give you the name of our fuel company, you would try to help...we already have put the address of Farmers Union Oil in Velva on the list here, under the monastery section.....we still ARE IN DIRE, DIRE NEED....LAST NIGHT WE RECEIVED ALMOST 12-15 inches of snow....please, almost 5OO have viewd our needs, from this list... and even though only 3 have helped us, we leave all in the hands of God, but what hurts us is that many of you of those almost 5OO viewers did not even email us: monks@srt.com and say you are praying for us....the Anathemas against Old Believers was lifted years ago and we are in the Church...
Please, at least email us and let us know you are praying for us. We have taken our stand against ecumenism, please, won't you help us....Soon, we will be like the Katrina victims, I assure you.
God Bless You.
Stavrophore Monks:
John and Matthew
Please, pray for us, let us know you are praying, please. We send our love and deepest of respect and bows to each and everyone of you our Brethren and Sisters.