The Reforms Of Nikon

In the 18th century in Russia there was a religious and social movement called the old believers, or split. The reason it began the reforms of Nikon, Patriarch of Moscow, which he began in 1653 with the aim to strengthen the Church. Their essence is the unification throughout the country's system of theology. First, the implementation of the reforms of Nikon were planned to be conducted through the elimination of all differences in the rites. Also, it was necessary to eliminate the chances of discrepancies in the books that were used in the Commission of worship. There were those adherents of the faith, led by Archpriest Avvakum and Daniel, who believed that the Church reform of Patriarch Nikon should be conducted, based on ancient Scriptures. The Patriarch, however, insisted on following samples taken in Greece. In his opinion, such a step would contribute to the unification of all the Orthodox churches of Asia and Europe under Moscow's beginning.

The Nikon Reforms were supported by the king himself. This explains the insistence of the Patriarch and his confidence in their actions. Soon, he appointed a Council of all the bishops of the Russian land, which recognized the need for an immediate correction of the rites and of religious literature. The second convocation, in which, besides saints of Russia, came as the Serbian and Antiochian patriarchs, took place in 1656. It fixed the books have been fully approved. The Church was commanded to use them in worship, and continues to burn.

The First steps were made in 1653. Then all churches were ordered to make ritual some changes to the bows, the imposition of the cross. Printing house began producing books for the new model. Defenders of the old rites declared heretics, and anathematized.

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Change some aspects of the creed occurred after he checked with the equivalent adopted in the Greek Church. But the dissenters of the reforms of Nikon refused to take categorically. For them it meant to betray the faith of their ancestors, tradition, respected for centuries. Innovations perceived by believers as an attack on something untouchable, sacred. The followers of Nikon, on the contrary, believed that these reforms will help the Church to get out of the looming crisis. This move had political implications. The role of Russia as successor to Byzantine Empire and protector of all the Orthodox could not be realized, if she hadn't agreed to their books and rituals with those rules that are adopted in other Orthodox countries.

Finally nikonian established the correctness of their chosen path after the reunification of Little Russia.

The schism and its effects were more sudden in nature than that expected, the Patriarch and his supporters. The confrontation of the reform took place EN masse. The believers were persistent with their beliefs. They charged nikonian that those declaring former heretical, thereby questioning the correctness of the canonization of saints in Rus and the decisions of the Stoglav Council, that is all that was the basis of faith.

However, the conflict was caused not only by the reform of the Patriarch. Impact and social issues. Believers worried about the decline of Church authority, due to the fact that the king began to play the role of God's vicegerent on earth, began to participate actively in addressing the issues that were previously in the competence of the clergy. They accused the new, ignorant clergy that it spoils the people, the oppressed, and removes from himself.

In the split left no less – a third of the population of the state. And after the Cathedral, held in the years 1666-1667, decided on references and executions of opponents of reform, he acquired a mass character. Despite the repressive measures taken by the authorities, after the Streltsy uprising in 1682 the number of believers grew. Instead of strengthening society is brewing a new distemper. Nikon solved this problem by deprivation of dignity and the departure into exile of the leaders of the schism.

But soon suffered the Patriarch himself. Intrigues of the boyars spoil his relationship with the king. In 1658, Nikon had voluntarily imprisoned himself in the resurrection of the monastery, and after eight more years in him, a trial was held, at which the Patriarch defrocked and sent to Belozersky monastery for repentance.

Nevertheless, the case of defenders of antiquity still not worked out even after opals in the main reformer. The same Cathedral, which was tried Nikon, condemned and philosophising dissenters, calling them heresy and betraying anathema.