OLD BELIEVERS

OLD BELIEVERS – In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers became separated after 1666-1667 from the hierarchy of the Church of Russia as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon of Moscow. Old Believers continue liturgical practices which the Russian Orthodox Church maintained before the implementation of these reforms. Because of the use of these older liturgical practices, they are also known as Old Ritualists. – Russian-speakers refer to the schism itself as raskol  ( etymologically indicating a “cleaving-apart”).