Old Believer sketes of Altai: from Nikon's reforms to the present day

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Altai is the beauty of pristine nature and the beauty of the human spirit, harmoniously united in an inseparable hypostasis. It is here that the ancient traditions of Orthodoxy have been preserved, since the Old Believers moved here during the years of persecution for the faith of Christ. They still live here. Old Believers of the Uimon Valley are considered bespopovtsy. They do not have a temple, and prayers take place at home. Orthodox Christians are called laymen by the Old Believers. They will always help, they will invite you into the house, but they will feed you from a separate dish. In our review, we will tell you about the Old Believers of Altai.

Old Believers or schismatics?

A significant part of the Russian population of various classes did not accept the ongoing reforms of the church ritual with corrections of church books, which were carried out by Patriarch Nikon, supported by Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. They did not accept the secular reforms subsequently carried out by Peter I. The dissenters were called Old Believers, schismatics, Old Believers. However, they called themselves, with the support of the leader, Archpriest Avvakum, not otherwise than "zealots of ancient piety" or "Orthodox Christians." On the contrary, they considered schismatics to be people who decided to submit to "godless" reformatory actions.

In the Siberian and Altai regions, Old Believers are often called Kerzhaks, after the descendants of sketes on the Kerzhenets River, which is located in the Volga region. It was from these places that most of the famous Old Believer mentors came from. Trying to escape from religious persecution, the schismatics were forced to flee, and to the most remote regions of Russia at that time. They settled in the northern part of the country - the Ural and Siberian regions. Some of the Old Believers left the empire to the west.

Escape to the rescue

The famous legend about Belovodye turned out to be a guide to Siberia. It was believed that this rich country was not accessible to the tsarist authorities, in which the "patristic faith" was fully preserved.

Among the schismatics, handwritten "route guides" with an indication of the necessary route became widespread: Moscow, then Kazan, then to Siberia through the Urals, when they had to raft along the rivers, go through the mountains, go to the village of Uimon, in which people who lead further live. From Uimon the route went “to the salt lakes”, “forty-four days on foot through China and Guban”, then to “Bogoggshe” in “Kokushi” and “Ergor”. And further it was possible to see Belovodye, but only being a pure spirit. It was said that there would be no Antichrist, that dense forests, high mountains and large crevices separate from Russia. Also, according to legend, there can never be theft in Belovodye.

Until now, Russian villages have been built along this path, which were founded by Old Believers - seekers of the mythical Belovodye. That is why, the opinion of visiting travelers that Belovodye is located in the Uimon Valley is incorrect, and the old-timers know for sure about this, but they will not tell. Therefore, modern legends are passed down from generation to generation. How can they not exist when the water in the upper part of the river. The Katun is really whitish, and carries white clay in its waves …

Way of life and way of life of Old Believers

The forefathers of the Russian old-timers Uymon lived at the end of the 18th century on the banks of the Koksu and Argut. They were located in small settlements, usually 3-5 yards, which were scattered along the gorges and hills. In these places, the inhabitants built small huts, barns, built baths, mills. Arable land was also plowed up here. The settlers hunted wild animals, fished, organized trade with neighbors from the south - the inhabitants of Altai, Mongolia, China. We also talked with similar villages in the Bukhtarma Valley. Behind the towering mountains, besides the schismatics, artisans who did not want to work in various mines and enterprises, servicemen who escaped from service, and others found shelter, in addition to the schismatics.

The Cossack detachments sent for the fugitives, with a few exceptions, could not catch them and simply burned the villages of the fugitives, ravaging the arable land. However, it was more difficult and more difficult to hide from the authorities from year to year. And in 1791, the inhabitants of the mountains (Arguta and Bukhtarminsy), after much thought and discussion, decided to send 3 delegations at once to the capital, asking them to pardon them and secure them as citizenship of Russia. They received it in 1792 from Catherine II.

After the decree was issued, the Old Believers left the harsh and unsuitable for habitation gorges and settled in the Uimon valley (relatively wide). There they quietly engaged in agriculture, raised livestock, bees and organized other trades for themselves necessary for life.

In Uymon, Old Believers created a number of settlements. The first is the village of Verkhniy Uimon. Natives of it founded other villages as well. According to the recollections of the old-timer Zheleznov, when his ancestors fled to these lands, the Altai were very kind, hiding them from the churchmen. They managed to stand firmly on their feet: each founded the estate, they lived quite richly. However, they also worked well. We went to bed at 2 am, got up at 6 am.

Hunting was a great place among the Old Believers. They devoted a lot of time to her in any season. For hunting for each specific animal, special methods were developed.

And now hunting is still a favorite pastime of the local population, and its fishing essence is still preserved. There are families where game is the main source of meat. At the same time, the Uymona masons were peasants and plowed up the land where the local conditions of nature allowed.

Life in prayer and without

All the tourists who saw Uimon at different times spoke about the religiosity of the local residents, that they pray a lot and constantly read the scriptures and books. Almost until the end of the 19th century, secular reading was not known to Uimon stonemasons. Those books that the forefathers were able to bring and preserve had a spiritual text. It should be noted that the literacy level of local residents, including children and women, was very high. Almost everyone could read and write.

All the scientists-researchers of the area were surprised at the qualities of the inhabitants. These mountain settlers were brave, courageous, determined and confident. The famous scientist K. F. Ledebour, who visited here in 1826, noted that the psychology of communities as well is really something gratifying in such a wilderness. The Old Believers were not embarrassed by strangers, whom they did not see so often, did not feel shyness and isolation, but, on the contrary, showed openness, straightforwardness and even disinterestedness. According to the ethnographer A. A. At the same time, women were almost not inferior in such qualities. The famous traveler V. V. Sapozhnikov's Uimon residents also made a very favorable impression - they are brave, self-confident, well-versed in the surroundings and have a wide outlook.

Such qualities of people, their cultural and psychological essence, the ability to adapt to the difficult climatic conditions of high mountain regions, as well as the special type of management formed by the Old Believers, still attract the attention of many researchers.

Raisa Pavlovna, a resident of the village of Verkhny Uimon, talks about the Old Believers and their kindness.

Everything flows in this world, everything changes. Today it is doubly interesting to see what it was Moscow in 19th century photographs: even the Bolsheviks never saw such a capital.