Old Believers of the Uimon Valley. Old Believers, Old Believers of Altai

The Russian emigrants discussed below are not at all the same emigrants who flooded Europe and the USA in the nineties and 2000s. These Russians, or rather not even them, but their ancestors, moved here even before the October Revolution, and some even after the Great Patriotic War. It is interesting to see how, being isolated, they managed to preserve their culture and their language. Moreover, most of them are Old Believers - adherents of the Orthodox Church that existed before Peter I.

But in Brazil this matter turned out to be difficult. Finding out where these colonies are located turned out to be extremely difficult. An active search on the Internet showed that there are three main such colonies - in Mato Grosso, Amazonia and Paraná. The first two were located extremely far from our route, and about the one on the border of the states of Parana and Sao Paulo, there was practically no information on the Internet. The Russian couple with whom we were staying in Curitiba told us about their approximate location. But we still decided to try our luck in other countries, in particular in Uruguay. It turned out that doing this here is much easier.

In the Estonian outback, Old Believers cherish the Russian language and traditions

Modern followers of the Old Believers are already accustomed to celebrating the holiday with everyone on the night of January 1, but faith still does not allow them to expect gifts from the pagan - Frost. MK in St. Petersburg learned about how tradition and modernity coexist in the community of the Peipus Old Believers when visiting these “our people in Estonia.”

No magic under the tree

For Old Believers, of course, Christmas is more important than the New Year. It is celebrated, as in Russia, on the night of January 7th. But the New Year has long taken root in Old Believer communities. True, the Nativity fast is observed there much more strictly, and therefore on December 31 the table is not bursting with food.

Country of prohibitions

A place where there is not a single photo on the Internet. A village where men - red-haired, blue-eyed, bearded men - are eligible grooms for brides from Brazil and the USA. There is no cell phone reception here, there is not a single satellite dish, and communication with the world is only a single payphone. Eastern Siberia. Turukhansky region. Old Believer village of Sandakches. The magazine “Father, you are a transformer” is the first publication to whose author local residents trusted their secrets.

In the wild: The story of a family who lived for 40 years in the taiga without contact with the outside world

We have written about this hermit more than once. Last visit . Today is another fresh article about how the family of Agafya Lykova, the last of the family of hermits to survive to this day, survived.

While humanity was surviving World War II and launching the first space satellites, a family of Russian hermits fought for survival by eating bark and reinventing primitive household tools in the remote taiga, 250 kilometers from the nearest village. Smithsonianmag magazine recalls why they fled from civilization and how they survived the collision with it.

"Agafia" (doc. film)

Agafya Karpovna Lykova (born April 16, 1944, RSFSR) is a famous Siberian hermit from the Lykov family of Old Believers-bespopovtsev, living on the Lykov farmstead in the forest of the Abakan ridge of the Western Sayan (Khakassia). This film about her was shot last year. Excellent quality and beautiful views of nature complement and highlight this fascinating story about one of the most famous women in Russia and its neighboring countries.

Thanks to this wonderful documentary from Russia Today, this woman is now known in many other parts of the world. Although the film is for English-speaking viewers, most of the conversation is in Russian with English subtitles. So let's see. And as a bonus, a small article: “HOW A FAMILY SHOULD LIVE ACCORDING TO THE “HOUSE-STRUCTURE” - a collection of advice and teachings from the 16th century.”

Old Believers of Dersu. How does a single family live?

There has already been a story about the Old Believers from the depths of the Ussuri taiga who moved to Russia from South America. Today, thanks to Alexander Khitrov from Vladivostok, we will visit there again. Specifically, in the Murachev family.

In October we again had the opportunity to visit the Old Believers in Dersu. This time the trip was of a charitable nature. To the Murachev family, who we visited last time, we gave one hundred laying hens and 5 bags of feed for them. The sponsors of this trip were: the Sladva group of companies, the founder of the Shintop chain and the President of the Rus Foundation for Civil Initiatives, Dmitry Tsarev, the Ussuriysk Poultry Farm, as well as the parents of the junior group of the Moryachok kindergarten. From myself personally, from my colleague Vadim Shkodin, who wrote heartfelt texts about the life of the Old Believers, as well as from the family of Ivan and Alexandra Murachev, we express our deep gratitude to everyone for their help and concern!

Domovina

The photo shows the grave of a baby in the Old Believer cemetery in the village. Ust-Tsilma. Old Believers of Pomeranian non-priest consent live there. Of course, Domovins and Golbtsy are echoes of paganism. To combine them with Christianity, they began to embed copper icons or crosses into them. Unfortunately, now, from almost all old cemeteries, they have been stolen... so that the thieves' hands will wither.

Let's find out more about this symbolic structure with a double-sided roof on the graves of Old Believers and a few other facts about burial in Rus'...

Only in Russia will there be a lost paradise. Neither Brazil nor Uruguay are needed.

This story was loud. Six years ago, in Primorye and other Russian regions, under the guarantees of the state program for the voluntary resettlement of compatriots from abroad to Russia, Old Believers from South America - Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay - began to return to their historical homeland. Unusual in appearance, they have aroused acute ethnographic interest in modern Russian society. Bearded men – blouses with homemade embroidery, sashes. Clear-eyed women - self-made multi-colored sundresses up to their heels, hidden under their headdresses with braids up to the waist... Adherents of the old - pre-Nikonian - ancient Orthodox faith seemed to have stepped out of photographs of ancient times and appeared in Russia in reality, alive and well.

They came with large families with many children (unlike us, many sinners, Old Believers give birth as many as God gives). And we went away from our curiosity - into the wilderness, into abandoned distant villages, where not every jeep can reach. One of these, the village of Dersu, is located deep in the Ussuri taiga in the Krasnoarmeysky district of Primorye.

How do the Old Believers live?

Sergei Dolya writes: The liturgical reform of Patriarch Nikon in the 17th century led to a split in the Church and persecution of dissidents. The bulk of the Old Believers came to Tuva at the end of the 19th century. Then this land belonged to China, which protected the Old Believers from repression. They sought to settle in deserted and inaccessible corners, where no one would oppress them for their faith.

Before leaving their old places, the Old Believers sent scouts. They were sent light, providing only the most necessary: ​​horses, provisions, clothing. Then the settlers set off in large families, usually along the Yenisei in winter, with all the livestock, household scrubs and children. People often died when they fell into ice holes. Those who were lucky enough to arrive alive and healthy carefully chose a place to settle so that they could engage in farming, arable farming, start a vegetable garden, etc.

Old Believers still live in Tuva. For example, Erzhey is the largest Old Believer village in the Kaa-Khem region with a population of more than 200 residents. Read more about it in today's post...

Estonian Piirisaar - the island of hospitable Old Believers

Piirisaar, (from Est. Piirissaar) also known as Zhelachok, is the largest island in the freshwater Lake Peipus and the second largest in the Pskov-Peipsi basin after Kolpina Island. It belongs to the Republic of Estonia and is administratively subordinate to Tartumaa County as part of the Piirissaare parish.

Photo: Mikhail Triboi

Once upon a time he sheltered Old Believers who fled from the reforms, who founded the Russian community. Currently, the indigenous population is 104 people, they speak Russian and are incredibly hospitable. NTV journalists were convinced of this. Watch the report below...

Visiting Agafya Lykova

We have already written more than once about the famous hermit Agafya Karpovna Lykova, who lives on a farm in the upper reaches of the Erinat River in Western Siberia, 300 km from civilization. For example and. Quite recently, civilized people once again visited her and made a short report.

Denis Mukimov writes: The primary purpose of the flight to the Khakassian taiga was a traditional flood control measure - an examination of snow reserves in the upper reaches of the Abakan River. One day we stopped briefly at Agafya Lykova’s...

For 40 years the Russian family lived without communicating with the outside world, without knowing about World War II

Summer in Siberia is short. The snow melts only in May, and the cold returns in September. It turns the taiga into a frozen still life, awe-inspiring with its cold desolation and endless kilometers of thorny pine and soft birch forests, where bears sleep and hungry wolves roam, where mountains stand with steep slopes, where rivers with clear water flow in streams through valleys, where hundreds thousands of frozen swamps. This forest is the last and most majestic in the wild nature of our planet. It extends from the extreme northern regions of the Russian Arctic south to Mongolia, and from the Urals to the Pacific Ocean. Five million square miles with a population of only a few thousand people, excluding a few towns.

But when warmer days arrive, the taiga blooms, and for a few short months it can seem almost hospitable. And then a person can look into this hidden world - but not from the ground, for the taiga can swallow entire armies of travelers, but from the air. Siberia is home to much of Russia's oil and minerals, and over the years, even its farthest corners have been traversed by explorers and explorers in search of minerals, only to return to their camps in the wilderness where mining operations take place.

This was the case in 1978 in a remote forest region in the south of the country. A helicopter was sent to search for a safe place to land a party of geologists. He flew briskly over forested areas about a couple of hundred kilometers from the Mongolian border until he came across a densely forested valley where an unnamed tributary of the Abakan flowed, representing a silvery ribbon of water running through unsafe terrain. The valley was narrow, like a gorge, and the slopes of the mountains sometimes stretched almost vertically. Thin pine and birch trees, bent by the downward air flow of the helicopter blades, grew so densely that there was no way to land the car. Suddenly, peering intently through the front window into the taiga in search of a place to land, the pilot saw something that could not be there. On the mountainside at an altitude of about 1800 meters, a cleared area appeared, wedged between pines and larches, and plowed with long, dark furrows. Puzzled helicopter pilots flew over the clearing several times, and then reluctantly admitted that these were traces of human habitation - a vegetable garden, which, judging by the size and shape of the area, had been there for a long time.

“Altai region in faces”: A story about. Nikola on Katun-24

Archpriest Nikola Dumnov, rector of the Barnaul Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, tells about the history of the emergence of the Old Believers in Altai.

The host of the program “Altai Territory in Persons” on the Katun 24 TV channel is Anatoly Korchuganov.

Watch the video:

What is the phenomenon of the Old Believers?

A. Korchuganov: What is the phenomenon of the Old Believers? The question is more than complex, the origins of which go back centuries: Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Nikon, Avvakum, persecution and schism of the Orthodox Church, scattering Russian people all over the world. So who are they - Old Believers, Old Believers, Kerzhaks?“I asked this question to Father Nikola Dumnov, a priest who cares for the Old Believer community of Barnaul.

Who are the Old Believers, Old Believers, Kerzhaks?

O. Nikola:“We usually adhere to the statistics that 10% of the population are descendants of Old Believers, those who were once resettled and came to Altai.

In general, of course, this story is very instructive and entertaining. As is known, after the reforms of Patriarch Nikon, the Old Believers turned out to be dissidents in the state. They were openly called schismatics. And they were forced to endure persecution and all kinds of infringements from the state, both secular authorities and partly church authorities, and were forced to settle on the outskirts of the Russian State.

By the time of Catherine II, a significant part of the Old Believers lived in the area of ​​​​modern Belarus and Ukraine, then these were the lands of Poland. And Catherine II, since she cared about raising the economy in the Russian state, so that life would somehow improve, she was in favor of resettling the Old Believers from these lands. Resettle from abroad to many empty lands in Russia, in particular Siberia. Her speeches are known; in September 1763, she spoke in defense of the Old Believers; there was a fiery speech. And soon after these events, several state acts were issued ( manifestos - ed.), which ordered to call, and in some cases force, Old Believers to move to Russia. They were promised some benefits. And from that moment, from the mid-60s of the 18th century (1764, 1765, 1766), resettlement began. These relocations are designated by scientists as “forcings.” Quite a lot is now known about forcing. I, of course, will not go into so much detail, but I will say that a significant part of the population, in families or individual villages, was resettled to Siberia, in particular to Altai.

Where are the Old Believers “Poles” and Bukhtarma “masons” from in Altai?

Here in Altai these settlers began to be called “Poles” because:

- “Where did you come from?” - “From Polish lands,” - “That means Poles.”

For example, in Eastern Kazakhstan they began to be called “masons” ( Bukhtarma masons). These were the same Old Believers who settled from the Polish lands, the modern Gomel region, the lands of Ukraine - in general, the south of Russia. If further - in Transbaikalia, then these same Old Believers began to be called “semeiskie”, since they lived in families.

But by that time there were already Old Believers in Siberia who, as if spontaneously, moved here, fleeing persecution and oppression. They emigrated, fled here (to Altai) from the Nizhny Novgorod region. There is Kerzhenets River, which flows into the Volga, and this is where the name comes from "Kerzhaks".

- “Who are they, where are they from?” - “From Kerzhenets” - “Kerzhaki, Kerzhaki.”

That's why Name "Kerzhaks"- this is the generally accepted name for the Old Believers.

It is clear that it was in the interests of the government to raise the agricultural part of the region in Altai, since the ore industry was developing here, troops were stationed, they had to be supplied with food, fodder and other things. And this role was offered to the Old Believers. It must be said that the Old Believers skillfully took advantage of this. True, it was not without violence, as is usually the case in Russian history: they were forced with carrots and sticks, by force, under escort, somewhere, maybe some people went voluntarily, especially the first settlers. When they saw the fertile lands here, they already had good reviews.

Development of Altai by Old Believers

From that moment - the middle of the 18th century - the history of the development of the Altai lands and Southern Siberia by the Old Believers began. Some part initially ended up in the steppe zone, since this zone was close to the place where they were born, where they had previously lived. Some of the Old Believers began to settle in the forest-steppe zone: this is the modern Zalesovsky district, then the Solton, Krasnogorsk districts, the foothills of the Ai - Altai region. And then - more.

Then the era of Nicholas I began. This is the era of oppression, persecution, and taxation. And then the Old Believers were forced to hide here, flee to the mountains, to the mountainous part of Altai, the modern famous Uimon Valley - Ust-Koksinsky district. This is how migration went throughout Altai. They built houses, housing, built churches, chapels, and engaged in farming. Moreover, it is interesting that those researchers who visited those times were amazed at the speed with which these once virgin lands were developed. Some civil officials cynically admitted: “we thought that you were here,” roughly speaking, “you would die, but everything has developed like this: the bread is good, even better than the rest.” And moreover, the Old Believers had an interesting status: they did not have the status of exiles, although they were actually exiles, but were the sovereign's people. But the principle of carrot and stick still operated: on the one hand there were some benefits, and on the other hand there was oppression, they were schismatics, discriminated against by the secular authorities.

Old Believer Center in Altai

There are significantly more Old Believers in Altai. There were once four deaneries here before the famous repressions of the 30s. There were a significant number of churches, parishes, and priests. Of course, here, without exaggeration, was the center of the Old Believers ( local - ed.). And although formally the administrative capital was in Tomsk, and there was also the residence of the Old Believer bishop, nevertheless, the question was raised in order to move the bishop’s residence to Altai, since a significant part of the parishes was here.

A. Korchuganov: The Old Believers Church is located on Partizanskaya Street, and a new one is being built on Georgiy Isakov Street. It was here that Bishop Cornelius came - Primate of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church at the end of July 2014.

The testament of the Old Believers, stated by Raisa Kuchuganova in the Uimon Valley of Altai at the end of September 2011.

Grandmothers in Old Believers families speak like this: in proverbs, sayings. Of course, they don't tell us anything new; Even if we didn’t formulate something, we guessed about it. Of course, what was transferred to paper cannot be compared with the melodious speech of Raisa Pavlovna, which knocks tears out of someone’s eyes and drives others into a trance. Of course, all the love and severity of the Old Believers, superstitions and instructions are explainable from a purely materialistic point of view, socio-economic reasons, remoteness, harsh climate, etc., but, in my opinion, one cannot help but see something else in this. Something more.

“Everything I tell you was told to me by amazingly kind, bright, intelligent people who lived and live in the Uimon Valley.

<…>There is no feather bed, no bed, but our beds are soft. And there, in the bunk, there are a lot of kids. God gives a lot of children, but does not send extra ones. If there is a place for a baby in the mother’s belly, then there will certainly be a place for him in this world. The baby is born - he will not freeze, everything in this world is ready for him: what to drink, what to feed. The Lord God gives a child a living. The child gives and gives him a share.

Grandmothers near Zybka talked to children from their very birth, chanting lullabies or spiritual poems. The child got used to affectionate speech. And a little later he settled into the song and lulled himself to sleep. A child grows not from food, but from affection. The shanyuzhka loves smearing, and the little head loves ironing. They stroked the head and said: the boy is very small, / the boy is very nice, / dear child, / golden twig, / tremulous little hands / thrown to the head, / in two wide directions / like wings raised, / dear child, / golden twig.

I was very interested in the question of why the Old Believers lived so long. I think because they lived with the young, took care of the old, looked after them, fed them well, treated them, and most importantly, they were taken into account, they felt needed and involved. Everyone in the family needed them individually. For grandmother, only grandfather is not a grandson.

There were women who, being left alone after the death of their husband, stopped taking care of themselves. You come to them and they ask: is it lunch, my dear, or dinner? And those grandmothers, even if they are lonely, who prepare the first, second, third for themselves, live to the end.

The child was raised by the whole family and community. If you want to know about children, ask people. If suddenly a child does not behave very well in the village, then the parents will immediately be told: “Marya, your Vanyatka does not greet people.” And Marya will speak sternly to Vanyatka.

If the old man was left alone, the whole community would work for the old man. They will say: “Ivanovna, you’ve been following Ananyevna this week.” And Ivanovna will run around, keep everything clean, feed, drink, look after, persuade, calm; help, bring, serve, feel sorry for, Ivanovna will do everything for Ananyevna. Cook homemade food and then give it to the beggar. She walked around, there will be another, a third, again good Ivanovna’s turn will come, and she will say to her husband: “Vansha, Vansha, let’s take Ananyevna, why is she the only one hanging around?” And they will take it. And with such a large family, they will provide additional food and water. Believe me, it happened. If a child was left an orphan, be it Russian or Altai, the community would gather and decide who to give it to. He may have a family full of people, but he will take and feed and educate, and they will take care of step-children more than their relatives. An orphan in a home means happiness in a home. What has become of us now? Why are we so callous?! We have plenty of everything, both food and clothes. And we live well. We don’t even need old people, they even give me their portraits - they know that I will keep them.

Don't be afraid of death, be afraid of old age. Old age will come, and weakness will come. Old and small - twice stupid. That's what they'll say. If an old man is picky, you have to think that it’s not easy for him. He wasn't always like this. The more sin, the more difficult it is to die.

Don’t offend the old, this is your old age too. We will not be in your place, but you will be in ours. That's what they said. Yes, we will be even worse! If there is nothing you can do to help, at least say a kind word. And if the old man is rude to you, then forgive that too. It’s not because of the mind, it’s because of old age and illness.

Respect for mother and father was immeasurable. The father sat under the icons, and they said about him in the house: “As God is for people, so is a father for children.” The father was revered, but: you will pray for your father, but you will pay for your mother. If you offended your father, you can come to an agreement with God, but if you offended your mother, you can’t come to an agreement with God. They say: we didn’t even speak loudly in front of our mother. And if someone says the wrong thing, she will cry all day, shed tears all over her, and we all go around asking her for forgiveness.

There are many tears in the world: widow's, orphan's, but there are none dearer than mother's tears. Everything that you did badly for your mother does not come to you right away, but first goes through life. But the same grievances will return to you.

The mother's palm rises high, but it doesn't hurt. A mother's prayer will reach you from the bottom of the sea. A mother's anger is like spring snow: it falls a lot, but soon melts. It won't take long for you to get angry with bread and children. A wife for advice, a mother-in-law for greetings, but there is no dearer than my dear mother.

The wife cries - the dew will fall, the sister cries - the stream flows, and the mother cries - the river flows. The holiest, the hottest are maternal tears. Varvara Ignatievna said this: whoever does not honor his parents and does not look after them will not even be judged later, at God’s court.

My dears, even if your parents are not very right, you will remain silent, grieve, but do not offend them. Never. I recently wrote this down: the son kept his mother for thirty years. He walked after her, looked after her, and just thought that now, mother, he had settled with you, when an angel appeared behind his shoulders. And he says: “You haven’t paid off any debts. That’s how you fell off the bench, and your mother picked you up and sat you back down, and you didn’t fall, you weren’t injured, that’s all you paid for.”

They respected not only their mothers, but also their husband’s and wife’s parents. I’m sitting with an old grandmother - Maria Ivanovna Tyuleneva, she’s 92 years old, and I ask: “Baba Manya, is it true that the night cuckoo will still have a bite?” She replies: “He’ll have a bite, he’ll have a bite, but it’s fair to have a bite. Today you unfairly cuckooed, tomorrow. My husband will understand. The mother-in-law was called mummy, the father-in-law was called aunty. It was impossible to offend them. And when I asked the old people why they treated my husband’s parents with such respect, they looked at me with bewilderment: what are you talking about, dear, it’s clear that my husband will love me more.”

Before going on the water, the young daughter-in-law had to go up to her mother-in-law: “Mommy, bless me to go on the water.” She will say: “Go, daughter, I bless you.” And if without a blessing, he will sternly ask: “Have you walked far?” We cannot say “where”. If you go hunting or fishing and they ask you that, it’s better to come back, you won’t get anything anyway. Have you walked far? By water? Go ahead and pour it out.

The warmest relationships were established between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, they communicated with each other, loved each other, and respected each other.

I talk to people a lot. One day a young man came to me, and when I was talking about my mother, he interrupted me with tears: “What should I do, my mother and stepfather kicked me out of the house when I was only 15 years old, I achieved everything on my own (and I worked he is an engineer at a large plant in Novokuznetsk), my mother is now sick with oncology, she asks me for forgiveness, I said that I forgave, but how hard it is for me!” I said: “So, my dear, run quickly. Fall at her feet and ask her for forgiveness. How are you going to live?” He quickly stood up, either pushed me away or hugged me, and as he ran, he hit his head hard. “Lord,” I say, “now I’ve also broken my head.” And he turned around and said: “I should have been hit on the head a long time ago. At least I’ll have time.”

If only we had time to say kind words. They cost you nothing, but give a lot to others. And if old parents do something wrong, think wrong, say wrong, keep silent, help, don’t judge.

My dears, my aunt said: “If children cared for their parents as much as parents care for their children, the end of the world would never happen.”

You cannot quarrel in front of people, and especially in front of children. Sweep the trash out of the house. If they find out something in the village, they will say: “Oh, there’s a lot of crap in their house.” Diarrhea is worse than a gossip. Everything in the house was decided under one roof, and between husband and wife under one fur coat. If a husband and wife fight, they lie under the same coat. Families consisted of 18-20 people, 5-6 daughters-in-law in the house, it was impossible to quarrel, they said: don’t start the fire, put out the fire before it flares up. If one daughter-in-law is offended, she will never tell the other, she will never let anyone in on it. If you don't cry at the table, you'll cry behind the pillar. She will tell her husband quietly. And a wise husband will not run to find out who offended his little one. Imagine: how many people there are, you can’t find anyone right or wrong. He will say: “Well, okay, be patient, everything will get worse” 1 . What words did they say to me: “If it pinches you, it doesn’t kill you, don’t answer, don’t upset yourself, time will tell who is who, let them bark and shake themselves. Say like this: “Just as King David was meek and wise, give me, Lord, meekness.”

They say: a young daughter-in-law came to the house, and the older young women did not like her. When she gets the chance to cook, they throw a pinch of salt into the brew, and then everyone grumbles about the young woman. She gets upset: how can this be? And then they sat down at the table and grumbled again: it’s too salty. The girl is already in tears. Then the old, old grandfather groaned and groaned on the stove and couldn’t stand it, he got down from there. He went up to the pole and poured the entire salt shaker into the cast iron pot and said: “They all added salt, but I didn’t!” - And all the grievances ended at once.

When my son was getting married, the whole family was very worried. We looked at our relatives. They said this: “If you take a daughter, look at the mother.” Looked through to the seventh generation. The mentor brought it together. It was impossible to get a divorce. If the husband insisted on it, his entire family was excommunicated from the community, and if the wife, her family was excommunicated. The mentor said: “I don’t play with God, it wasn’t I who brought you together, but the Lord.” Well, God forbid, he got caught with a stubborn 2nd wife, they said: how will he deal with her, you’ll boil iron, but you can’t persuade an evil wife. It is better to eat bread with water than to live with an evil wife. That's what they'll say. Or: you can’t re-bake a bad kvass; you can’t remake a bad woman. And Zinaida Efremovna, who is also 90 years old, told me: “The first husband is from God, you can’t even scold him. You can’t hide from him, it’s black and white - everything needs to be discussed with your husband. Take care of your own husband; no matter how you place it, both in the house and in the village they will take it into account.”

Nothing helps, so they will tell a parable. Once upon a time there lived a husband and wife. And they would have lived well, but the wife got the better of her. Everything is contrary. To spite my husband I will sit in a puddle. The man was tortured. He will say: shaved. And the wife: she has her hair cut. He: cut. She: shaved. Neither persuade nor lull. Somehow they had to cross groove 3. Don't jump over, don't cross. The man threw a perch over the ditch. He crossed over and punishes his wife: don’t move around, don’t stare, walk quietly! You will fall and drown! But she's too much. How can she spin, how can she spin! Plunged into the water... and drowned.

The man cried, he felt sorry for his wife. I went up the river to look for her. People ask: why are you crying? Answer: the wife drowned. So, they say, you go up, go down the ditch, but it was carried away by the current. No, the man replies, you don’t know my wife. She is cross. She will certainly float upward.

And the daughter-in-law, who values ​​her authority, will definitely think about it.

One grandmother told me. Grandfather Anfilofy told my brother: if the bride doesn’t suit you in at least one way, don’t take her. And so he came to match the match, the bride really liked her, everyone liked her. I didn’t like the way I plucked the wood chips. And he did not take it and never regretted it.

All the proverbs, sayings, fairy tales, legends that I write down are mainly about women and for them. There is something about men, but not much. Because peace in the family is maintained by the wife.

They say: teach children without people. They won't make comments when people are around. If they see that the son is not treating his wife very kindly, they will press him near the barn - daddy, grandpa, grandma immediately comes with a loaf: he says, I’ll help you. And they will ask: why did Aksinya cry? Look, Vansha, what a bad husband's wife is always a fool! That's what they'll say. The wife is not a servant to her husband, but a friend; parents protect their daughter until the crown, and the husband - until the end. It’s not the happy one that’s with her father, but the one that’s happy with her husband. Grandma will say: look at me! And not because he is afraid of his grandmother’s crutch, but because he respects her and his authority is dear to the guy, he will think about whether it is worth behaving this way.

In general, it’s better to stumble with your foot than with your tongue. Keep your tongue in conversation and your heart in anger. It’s not what’s negotiated that’s tricky, but what’s not agreed upon. This is how you should live. Everything I know, my dears, is not me, it is they who told me. When I come to them, sometimes the hut is completely collapsed. I think: Lord, if only my grandmother wasn’t run over, and she: “My dear, I live well, although the hut is thin, it’s my own. It doesn’t wet me with rain, it doesn’t burn me with fire.” I say: “How is your health?” Today, he answers, is worse than it was yesterday, but it’s better than it will be tomorrow. I say: “You live alone, it’s hard.” She: “I’m not alone, I live with God.”

I never tire of being amazed at the wisdom and poetry of this people. I come to see my grandmother, who is quite old and gray-haired. He says: “Look, I have neighbors, I argued with them, scolded them, they offended me, I complained about them. And now I understand, I remember what my mother told me: “Don’t fight with your neighbor, you won’t go to him for flour, but for ash.” And I began to greet them: I’ll give them a pie, then I’ll talk. Look, my dear, how good people are! They fixed my fence over there, they stacked my woodpile, they split my wood.”

They are kind, simple-minded people, and know how to make fun of each other. If you make a bad joke, they will say: go to the barn and joke there alone. Here’s another way they say: they drank at Filya’s, but Filya was beaten. And she sewed, and washed, knitted and rolled, all with her tongue. I know that I’m lying, but I can’t calm down. If you don't have a clue, you'd buy it; if you have a clue, you'd kill it. To the question: why didn’t you recognize me? - she will shake her head and say: why didn’t I recognize you? I wouldn’t have recognized you if I barked like that.

<…>Humble your pride, pacify, do not be higher than others, respect people, respect yourself, and people will respect you. There is nothing to be proud of. He did good and became proud - and there is no good. When you give, you have to serve in such a way that you can’t see in your hands what you’re serving, and so that your left hand doesn’t know what your right hand gave.

If someone has a fight with someone, the sin is on the one who did not forgive.

Where a person is being judged, get up and leave. And don't listen to anyone. Judging and slandering is a sin. You have to be careful with people. God is the main judge. They offend you, but you do good. Mom kept saying: “They offended you - they are evil to you, and you are good to them.” While I was young, I thought: but why is this? But as she grew up, she realized: he offends you, and then he’s drawn to you.

They spit at you, but you smile, know your enemies by sight, and repay them with kindness. Pray to the east and wish them good health, gold and silver. When their boxes are full, they will forget about you, and you will live in peace and health. The Lord God and the apostles are walking across the earth. They have a lot of work to do: who to help, who to advise. The man feels sorry for them: you are dear, you have no rest, no holiday. Apostles: no, we have a holiday. When the innocent one asks the guilty for forgiveness, that is the apostolic holiday.

Varvara Gerasimovna Chernova said: the proud will not be saved. Even if you have not acquired wealth through your own labor, do good to others, and the Lord will save your soul. After all, wealth comes from God, and if people don’t get any help from you, God will give up on you. Liars and false oaths will not be saved. Lying to a person is a great sin. And against whom the false accusations are made, we must bear it with dignity. A person sins, you see, and the next day you forget his sins. Your sins, think about them. If there is an insult, you need to abbreviate 4 and remember: an extra word brings annoyance. The more angry you are, the more you want.

You need to pray for people and for yourself. I want to do good to everyone, and being young was also not a gift. Good. What is it? Yes, Victor made a bridge across the river for people, this is good.

The time will come when neither mother, nor father, nor brother, nor sister will intercede for you, only good deeds will intercede.

We must work ourselves, and our children must work. She’s still holding on to her mother’s hem, but now she’s trying to pull the cow’s tit. A boy should be able to ride a horse from a young age and not be afraid that he will kill him. To feel like a man.

How good it is to live when you have something to give to someone. Here, my good ones.

* * *

Instead of an afterword, ordinary incidents of today's Russia. The prosecutor's office of the Krasnoyarsk Territory sent to court the criminal case of 33-year-old Alena S., a resident of the village of Tinskaya, Nizhneingashsky district: drunk, after a quarrel with her mother-in-law, she burned her seven-month-old daughter Sophia in the oven - she annoyed her mother with her crying. Similar incidents - mothers burning their children in ovens - occurred in the Tver, Amur, Kemerovo regions, and Komi. In Yakutia, a grandmother was irritated by the crying of her seven-month-old granddaughter, and she burned her in the oven. In Buryatia, a father burned his one-year-old son; his mother managed to pull his second son out of the oven. In Khakassia, a father tried to burn his five-month-old son, the child was taken out of the oven and miraculously came out. In the village of Katunskoye, Smolensk district, Altai Territory, women burned a one-year-old child alive in an oven: he was preventing five village women from drinking. In the Altai Republic, near Lake Teletskoye, a two-week-old girl was burned in a stove by her uncle, a resident of the village of Koo, Ulagansky district.

1 Calm down.
2 Harmful.
3 Small river.
4 Humble yourself.

Annexation of Siberia to
Russia dates back to the end of the 16th century. This process is connected with Ermak’s campaign.
The region of primary development of Siberian lands was the Tobolsk province.
By the middle of the 17th century. Russian settlers occupied lands from Verkhoturye to
Tobolsk. Since the main, almost the only possible way
moving deeper into the rivers, the development of Siberia initially took place
along the currents of the Ob and Irtysh.
It should be noted that in remote
in the areas of Altai, free people's colonization preceded
government development of these lands. This is how the settlement took place
the upper reaches of the Uba, Ulba and further south along the rivers Bukhtarma, Belaya, Uimon,
Cox. A. Printz believed that the first Old Believers appeared here in
20s XVIII century, but documentary evidence refers only to
40s XVIII century Then secret settlements were discovered
desert dwellers on the river Ube, united around the monk Kuzma. In 1748
caught two factory workers trying to escape through Uba into the valley
Bukhtarmy. As it turned out, their route was already well-trodden
predecessors, which indicates an earlier secret development
these places.

Nikon's Church.
Among the Old Believers there were numerous lists of the "Traveller",
indicating the way to Belovodye. Last real geographical point
route - Bukhtarma valley. After fruitless attempts to find Belovodskaya
many of its seekers began to consider the land Belovodye, Bukhtarma region,
where is "a peasant land without officials and priests." The latter was what attracted
Old Believers there

The government knew about secret settlements deep in the Altai Mountains from
40s XVIII century, but they were discovered only in 1761, when
Ensign Zeleny, walking with a search mountain party to Bukhtarma, noticed
near one of its tributaries - Turgusun - a hut in which there were two
men who then managed to escape. Such single houses and small
villages of five or six households were scattered among the mountain gorges
Bukhtarma Valley. Their inhabitants were engaged in fishing, hunting,
agriculture.
However, difficult living conditions, internal strife, frequent crop failures, and
there is also a constant danger of detection, since in these places they have become
ore miners appeared, forced the Bukhtarma residents to legalize their
position. In 1786, about 60 residents of Stone went to the Chinese
Bogdykhan with a request to take them under his care. But, not wanting conflict
with the Russian government, the Chinese authorities, holding the petitioners under
guards in the city of Khobdo, they were released with refusal.
more]
The Bukhtarma Valley was often the final destination of many fugitives.
It was known as Stone, i.e. mountainous part of the region, therefore
its inhabitants were called masons. Later these lands began to be called
Belovodye, identifying free, devoid of government supervision
land with a mythical country from extremely common among
Old Believers utopian legend. In its many variations (3)
it is told that Belovodye is a holy land where Russians live
people who fled the religious strife of the 17th century. In Belovodye they have
their churches, in which worship is based on old books, sacraments
baptisms and marriages are performed according to the sun, they do not pray for the king, they are baptized
two fingers. "In those places there is theft and theft and other
there are no people who are contrary to the law... And there are all kinds of earthly fruits, both gold and
silver is innumerable... They have no secular court, no police, no
There are no guards there, but they live according to Christian custom. God fills it
place." However, only true zealots can get to Belovodye
ancient piety. "The road there is forbidden to the servants of the Antichrist...Vera
you must have an unshakable... If you waver in your faith, Belovodskaya will become a fog
will close the fair land" (4). As E. Shmurlo notes, through all
XVIII, as well as XIX centuries, there is a tireless search for this
fantastic Eldorado, where rivers flow with honey, where they do not collect
taxes, where, finally, there is no special tax for schismatics
Nikon's Church.

The Bukhtarma Valley was often the final destination of many fugitives.
It was known as Stone, i.e. mountainous part of the region, therefore
its inhabitants were called masons. Later these lands began to be called
Belovodye, identifying free, devoid of government supervision
land with a mythical country from extremely common among
Old Believers utopian legend. In its many variations (3)
it is told that Belovodye is a holy land where Russians live
people who fled the religious strife of the 17th century. In Belovodye they have
their churches, in which worship is based on old books, sacraments
baptisms and marriages are performed according to the sun, they do not pray for the king, they are baptized
two fingers. "In those places there is theft and theft and other
there are no people who are contrary to the law... And there are all kinds of earthly fruits, both gold and
silver is innumerable... They have no secular court, no police, no
There are no guards there, but they live according to Christian custom. God fills it
place." However, only true zealots can get to Belovodye
ancient piety. "The road there is forbidden to the servants of the Antichrist...Vera
you must have an unshakable... If you waver in your faith, Belovodskaya will become a fog
will close the fair land" (4). As E. Shmurlo notes, through all
XVIII, as well as XIX centuries, there is a tireless search for this
fantastic Eldorado, where rivers flow with honey, where they do not collect
taxes, where, finally, there is no special tax for schismatics
Nikon's Church.

The Bukhtarma Valley was often the final destination of many fugitives.
It was known as Stone, i.e. mountainous part of the region, therefore
its inhabitants were called masons. Later these lands began to be called
Belovodye, identifying free, devoid of government supervision
land with a mythical country from extremely common among
Old Believers utopian legend. In its many variations (3)
it is told that Belovodye is a holy land where Russians live
people who fled the religious strife of the 17th century. In Belovodye they have
their churches, in which worship is based on old books, sacraments
baptisms and marriages are performed according to the sun, they do not pray for the king, they are baptized
two fingers. "In those places there is theft and theft and other
there are no people who are contrary to the law... And there are all kinds of earthly fruits, both gold and
silver is innumerable... They have no secular court, no police, no
There are no guards there, but they live according to Christian custom. God fills it
place." However, only true zealots can get to Belovodye
ancient piety. "The road there is forbidden to the servants of the Antichrist...Vera
you must have an unshakable... If you waver in your faith, Belovodskaya will become a fog
will close the fair land" (4). As E. Shmurlo notes, through all
XVIII, as well as XIX centuries, there is a tireless search for this
fantastic Eldorado, where rivers flow with honey, where they do not collect
taxes, where, finally, there is no special tax for schismatics
Nikon's Church.

The Bukhtarma Valley was often the final destination of many fugitives.
It was known as Stone, i.e. mountainous part of the region, therefore
its inhabitants were called masons. Later these lands began to be called
Belovodye, identifying free, devoid of government supervision
land with a mythical country from extremely common among
Old Believers utopian legend. In its many variations (3)
it is told that Belovodye is a holy land where Russians live
people who fled the religious strife of the 17th century. In Belovodye they have
their churches, in which worship is based on old books, sacraments
baptisms and marriages are performed according to the sun, they do not pray for the king, they are baptized
two fingers. "In those places there is theft and theft and other
there are no people who are contrary to the law... And there are all kinds of earthly fruits, both gold and
silver is innumerable... They have no secular court, no police, no
There are no guards there, but they live according to Christian custom. God fills it
place." However, only true zealots can get to Belovodye
ancient piety. "The road there is forbidden to the servants of the Antichrist...Vera
you must have an unshakable... If you waver in your faith, Belovodskaya will become a fog
will close the fair land" (4). As E. Shmurlo notes, through all
XVIII, as well as XIX centuries, there is a tireless search for this
fantastic Eldorado, where rivers flow with honey, where they do not collect
taxes, where, finally, there is no special tax for schismatics
Nikon's Church.

In 1790, taking advantage of the appearance of a mining official with a party
workers, Bukhtarma residents expressed to him their desire to “be vocal
government." Rescript of Catherine II dated September 15, 1791.
masons were accepted into Russia as tribute foreigners. They
paid the government with tribute in the form of furs and animal skins,
like all other foreigners of the Russian Empire. In 1796, the yasak was replaced
cash tax, and in 1824. - quitrent as from settled foreigners. Except
In addition, the Bukhtarma residents were freed from subordination to the sent
administration, mining and factory work, recruitment and some others
duties.

After receiving the official status of Russian subjects, masons
moved to more convenient places to live. In 1792, instead of 30
small settlements, 9 villages were formed, in which lived a little more
300 people: Osochikha (Bogaty-revo), Bykovo, Sennoye, Korobikha, Pechi,
Yazovaya, Belaya, Fykalka, Malonarymskaya (Ognevo).

These are brief information about the initial history of the Bukhtarma
masons who settled in the region as a result of spontaneous free people
relocations. Formation of Old Believer settlements in the western part
Altai, which occurred at the same time as in the Bukhtarma valley, carried
of a different nature, since it was a consequence of government
orders. In connection with the expansion of the mining industry, arose
the need to strengthen the Kolyvan-Voskresensk border line, which
involved the construction of new redoubts and outposts. It took
an increase in the number of miners, and consequently, peasant farmers for
providing workers and military with food.

In 1760, the Senate decree “On the occupation of places in Siberia from
Ust-Kamenogorsk fortress along the Bukhtarma River and further to Teletskoye
lakes, about building fortresses there in convenient places and settling that
sides along the Uba, Ulba, Berezovka, Glubokaya and other rivers,
flowing into the Irtysh River, up to two thousand Russian people." In connection
with this, the Senate based on the manifesto of Catherine II of December 4, 1761
invited Russian Old Believers who had fled from
religious persecution in Poland. It was indicated that the place
residence they can choose either the previous one or the one indicated in
at the disposal of the empress, which included Siberia.

Thus, some Old Believers settled here voluntarily,
however, many, especially those removed by Major General Maslov,
settlement of Vetki (5), which was part of Poland, was sent to this territory
forcibly. In 1765, a special decree was issued in which
was ordered to exile fugitives from Poland and Lithuania to Siberia, therefore
In Altai they began to be called Poles.

In the 1760s all the indigenous settlements of the "Poles" were founded in
Zmeinogorsk district: Ekaterininka Alexandrovskaya volost; Shemonaikha,
Losikha (Verkh-Uba), Sekisovka, Vladimir volost; Bobrovka Bobrovskaya
volosts Soon new villages appeared, where the inhabitants were only
Old Believers: Malaya Ubinka, Byst-rukha, Vladimir volost;
Cheremshanka, Butakovo, Ridder volost and some others.

On May 21, 1779, a decree was issued on the registration of factories
Polish peasants, which obliged them to carry out not only agricultural
work, but also forest cutting, removal of finished ore, etc. Before 1861 Poles
were assigned to the Kolyvano-Voskresensky mining plants. IN
unlike masons, they had to fulfill all state
duties and pay double poll tax as dissenters.

Thus, the history of the Altai Old Believers of the 18th century. shares
into two stages: the first half of the century, when only
individual Old Believers are fugitives, and the second half is the time of formation at
this territory of settled settlements (in the 1750s - 1790s - masons, in
1760 - 1800s - Poles). XIX century characterized by a general
stabilization of the life of the Altai Old Believers. About it
evidenced by the active process of formation of new villages (6),
establishing connections between various Old Believer sects,
due to their religious community (7).

In the 19th century in Altai lived representatives of both priestly and
non-priest agreements (8). Old Believers-Priests came to Altai in
Aleyskaya, Alexandrovskaya, Bobrovskaya, Vladimirskaya, Ridderskaya
volosts after the "expulsion" of settlements on Vetka. Later, as a result of escapes
In the free lands of masons, priests also appeared in Bukhtarminsky district.
In Bystrukha, Malaya Ubinka, Cherem-shanka Beglopopov’s troops were concentrated
communities. Since the 1850s the spread of Belokrinitsky is noted
priesthood among the Altai Poles, and since 1908 - among masons, among
of which the Belokrinitsky church was first located in Bogatyrevo, and from 1917
and in Korobikha (9).

Since 1800, the Edinoverie Church began to exist, which is
transitional between Old Believer and Synodal. She obeyed
bishops of the New Believers Church, but services in it were performed according to
old books in accordance with Old Believer principles. In Altai
the most numerous Edinoverie parishes were in Orlovka,
Transverse, Ekaterininka, Alexandrovskaya volost, Verkh-Ube, Shemonaikha
Vladimir volost, as well as some villages of masons (Topolnoye,
Kamyshenka). In the second half of the 19th century. Edinoverie Cathedral
functioned in Barnaul (priest Father Mikhail Kandaurov).

In the role of intermediate between priestly and non-priestly agreements
chapel, old man's and deacon's talks take place (10). Ural
and Siberian chapels actively assimilated with Altai
Beglopopovtsy in the 1780s. In the valleys of Bukh-Tarma and Koksa, on the shore
Teletskoye Lake is the most common old man's sense. In indigenous
settlements of Poles - suburbs of Ust-Kamenogorsk, villages of Ridder
volosts - there were Dyakonovsky ones.

One of the most numerous non-priest talk in Altai -
Pomeranian Pomeranian communities are spread throughout the region.
Bespopovtsy-Fedoseevites ended up in Altai due to mass resettlement
Vetkovtsy here. Their indigenous villages were Verkh-Uba, Butakovo,
Vydrikha, Bobrovka, Tarhanka (11). In Butakovo, Cheremshanka, Bystrukha,
Malaya Ubinka was inhabited by priestless tyrants (12). They lived in the Uba valley
representatives of such priestless talk as those who came to Altai with
Volga Spasovtsy (13) (Netovtsy), Okhovtsy (14) (non-Molyak), in villages
along the rivers Uba and Anuy - self-crosses (15), in Yazovaya and Pechi Bukhtarminskaya
volosts - fellow worshipers (dyrniks) (16), along the river. Bukhtarma and in
Snakes in the Nogorsk district - runners (17) (wanderers), which increased the diversity
ritual-dogmatic picture of the Altai Old Believers of the 19th century. In it
time, the main spiritual centers of the region are highlighted. Famous for their
the decoration and competent conduct of the services of the prayer houses in Kondratyevo,
Turgusun, Vydrikha, Sekisovka, Verkh-Uba, Cheremshanka, Belaya.

History has preserved the names of the most authoritative Old Believers
19th century mentors Among the priests in 1800 - 1820s. great respect
used by Egor Alekseev (Krutoberezovka), Trofim Sokolov (Malaya
Ubinka), Platon Guslyakov (Verkh-Uba); in the 30s - 40s. - Nikita Zelenkov
(Turgusun), Ivan Panteleev (Snegirevo), Ekaterina Karelskikh
(Bukhtarma villages); in the 50s - 60s. - Ivan Golovanov (Bistrukha); V
70s - 80s - Fedor Eremeev (Tarkhanka); among the Bespopovites - Ivan
Krivonogov (Otter-ha), Karp Rachenkov (Butakovo), Fedor Sheshunnikov
(Tarkhanka), Gury Kostin (Bobrovka), Yasson Zyryanov (Belaya).

At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. The number of Old Believer monasteries is growing.
The monasteries functioned near Ridder, Verkh-Uba, Ust-Kamenogorsk,
Zmeinogorsk, on the river. Baschelak, near the villages of Ponomari and Cordon Charyshskaya
volost, in the area of ​​the volost center Srednekrasilovo, not far from
Zalesovo (in the town of Miku-lushkino swamp), in Chulyshman in the Altai Mountains
(18). During this period, a fairly large group arrived in Altai
Old Believers - immigrants from Russia. At the beginning of the 20th century. Old Believers
populate Kulunda. About 15 families of Old Believers arrived in Altai in 1898.
from Voronezh province. They settled in the village. Petukhovo of the present
Klyuchevsky district. But since the bulk of the Petukhovites were
Nikonians, settlers - Old Believers wanted to form separate
villages. And when in the early 1900s. the government allocated plots
land to settle the Kulunda steppe, the Old Believers turned to
to the resettlement chief with a request to give them land, citing
religious incompatibility. Resettlement begins in 1908
Old Believers to the Kulunda steppe. Thus, the Kulunda
Old Believers belong to the late settlement group of non-indigenous
Siberian population.

With the establishment of Soviet power in the region in the 20s. XX century
religious oppression began: houses of worship were closed,
believers are persecuted, religious customs and traditions are desecrated. Was
A lot of spiritual literature was confiscated, iconostases were destroyed.
Many communities have lost competent charter leaders. Old Believers again
went “underground”, once again suffering oppression and persecution from
state side (20).

And only recently has there been a religious revival, about which
evidenced by the registration of Old Believer communities throughout the region,
opening new prayer houses, attracting the younger generation to the communities,
resumption of teaching hook singing (in particular, in the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church
(21) Barnaul, Biysk, Ust-Kamenogorsk), etc. However, similar
processes do not appear everywhere. Far from urban centers
in populated areas, reverse trends of destruction and extinction prevail
spiritual traditions.

As shown by expeditionary research by employees of the Novosibirsk
Conservatory in areas where Old Believers lived 1993 - 1997 (22),
the current state of Old Believer settlements in Altai has undergone
certain changes. In the region there are white-krinich priests,
Beglopopovtsy and representatives of eight bespopovsky sects: Pomeranians,
Fedoseevtsy, Filippovtsy, Chapelnytsy, Starikovtsy, Dyakonovtsy,
Melchizedeks, runners (presumably).

The main centers of the Belokrinitsky Old Believers are located in Barnaul
(priest Fr. Nikola), Biysk (priest Fr. Mikhail), Ust-Kamenogorsk
(priest Father Gleb). Thanks to missionary activities
clergy there is an active growth of Belokrinitsky communities in
regional centers Krasnogorskoe, Zalesovo, Blagoveshchenka, Gorno-Altaisk, villages
Ust-Koksinsky district of the Altai Republic, Glubokovsky and
Shemonaikha district of the East Kazakhstan region. In some
settlements (Barnaul, Biysk, Zalesovo, Multa village
Ust-Koksinsky district) construction of churches is underway (23).

The Beglopopovskaya community, numbering up to 100 people, has its own
church, preserved in the village. Cheremshanka, Glubokovsky district
East Kazakhstan region. Old Believers-fugitive priests also live
in the villages of Kordon and Peshcherka, Zalesovsky district and in the city of Zarinsk. Part
Beglopopovtsev came to the Cave from Kamenka, which ceased to exist with
1957 due to the merger of collective farms, which once had
church. According to local residents, quite recently a large
the community was in Zarinsk, but after the death of the mentor, communal (cathedral)
services stopped, the house of worship was sold. Currently to
Priest Fr. comes to the refugees of the Zalesovsky and Zarinsky districts.
Andrey from the village. Barite (Ursk) Kemerovo region.

The numerically predominant non-priest sense of Altai remains Pomeranian.
Pomeranian communities are concentrated in Barnaul (mentors A.V. Gutov, A.V.
Mozolev), Biysk (mentor F.F. Serebrennikov), Ust-Kamenogorsk
(mentor M.K. Farafonova), Leninogorsk (mentors I.K. Gruzinov,
AND I. Nemtsev), Serebryansk (mentor E.Ya. Neustroev). In some places
compact settlements of Pomeranians are Aleysky, Altaisky, Biysky,
Charyshsky districts of the Altai Territory, as well as Glubokovsky district
East Kazakhstan region. In Leninogorsk back in the early 1990s.
there was a Pomeranian monastery in which there were two nuns and
novice. Most of the Pomeranians are natives of Altai, however
There are also immigrants from the Tomsk region, Tobolsk, and the Urals.

In some villages (Verkh-Uba, Butakovo, Malaya Uba) Pomeranians
called tyrants. Nowadays there is a separate kind of Samo-Durovites in Altai
not preserved. They sided with the Pomeranians, accepted their dogma and
ritualism. All that remains is the name, which in Samodurov’s original
in the villages it also spread to the Pomeranians.

Fedoseev residents live in the villages of Bobrovka, Tarkhanka, Butakovo
Glubokovsky district, East Kazakhstan region (mentor E.F.
Poltoranina). Once upon a time, the Fedoseevites of these places had two prayer houses. Now
They gather only on major holidays in Butakovo.

The Filippov Old Believers survived in the Zalesovsky and Zarinsky districts.
They came to these places from Vyatka. However, most of them in the 1930s - 1940s
gg. migrated to Belovsky and Guryevsky districts of the Kemerovo region.

The informant told us that the Melchizedeks have their own
calendar and books, the main one of which is the Book of Hours. Alien and new
they don't use books. The service is conducted in the Church Slavonic language,
chants are performed during speech. Worldly songs are prohibited, only
singing spiritual poems. They make their own candles, which they consecrate.
mentor. During sacrament hours they receive communion with water and prosphora. Because of
In the absence of priests, the wedding ceremony is not performed, only
blessing for marriage. Previously, they blessed exclusively people with their
faith, now marriage of different faiths is allowed, but blessing at the same time
only a member of the community receives. Children are baptized in the font, adults - in the river.
They have the right to baptize, bless, receive confession, and lead the charter.
only men. Due to the merger of several parishes they cope
three temple holidays: the prophet Elijah, the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God,
Great Martyr George the Victorious.

The Melchizedeks still “keep the cup” very strictly. Previously after
passing travelers, the dishes they used were thrown away, now
There is a separate set of dishes for worldly people. With Gentiles
Melchizedeks prefer not to communicate and say nothing about their
faith.

The most common sense in the south of Altai remains
old man's Elderly communities are known in Gorno-Altaisk (mentor
IN AND. Filippova), Mayme (mentor N.S. Su-khoplyuev), Zyryanovsk
(mentors M.S. Rakhmanov, L.A. Vykhodtsev), villages of Bogatyrevo, Snegirevo,
Parygino (mentor T.I. Loschilov), Putintsevo (mentor T. Shitsyna)
Zyryanovsky district, r.p. Ust-Koksa and the villages of Verkhniy and Nizhny Uimon,
Quiet, Chendek, Multa (mentor F.E. Ivanov) Ust-Koksinsky
district, Yailyu, Turochak district.

They are distinguished by the originality of their ideas, as well as the strictness of their morals.
old people of the Altai Mountains (the self-name of the group is old people). Many of
they have been given up on state pensions and are trying to live subsistence
farming, buying necessary products in stores as little as possible.
Old people have separate dishes so as not to become desecrated through the common
eating with worldly people. They do not accept tape recorders, radios,
television, telephone, considering them “demonic”.

Altai elders are characterized by ritual features. IN
in particular, when receiving communion, they use not the prosphora, but the Epiphany
water (Multa village, Ust-Koksinsky district), for Easter - an egg,
lain for a year in front of the icons since last Easter (Village Yailyu
Turochaksky district). When moving into old manhood, Nikonians should be
baptized anew, but Belokrinichniks are baptized with “renunciation”
(denial of heresy). According to F.O. Bochkareva from the village.
Quiet, “to accept our faith before being baptized, it is necessary
study the charter for three years. We will find an interpretation of this in the Gospel parable about
the owner and gardener, who took care of the tree for three years, which bloomed
only in the fourth year."

The spiritual leader of the elderly community is the abbot. By
according to V.I. Filippova from Gorno-Altaisk, "rector - almost
priest. He has the right to remove people from the cathedral and bring together those getting married."
Multe retained the title “priest” for the rector, all problems were solved
cathedral (i.e. community) at a spiritual conversation. To the most controversial
Dogmatic issues include the funeral of the deceased without repentance.

The Old People deliberately do not spread their faith. "You need to have faith
hide so that outsiders do not ridicule the Scriptures, do not consider everything that is there
written for fairy tales and fables. Our faith will not perish from this, only
will thin out and stretch into a thread,” says F.O. Bochkareva.
It is known that in the mountains on Lake Teletskoye there are monasteries and a convent for the elderly.

According to the message of Old Believer A. Isakova from the village. Chendek Ust-Koksinsky
district, the old man’s church used to be in Katan. She said,
that the Old Believers of Koksa communicated with the Bukhtar-Minsk people, as well as the Kerzhaks
Biysk and Barnaul. Currently the center of Koksinskaya old manism
is the village of Multa. Old people from
Chendek, Upper and Lower Uimon, Tikhonkaya. According to the memoirs of M.K.
Kazantseva, “in Multa there was once a large prayer house, consisting of two
compartments: right - for men, left - for women, with a common layer.
The service lasted from four in the evening until nine in the morning. Maintained a house of worship
rich villagers."

If there is a tendency in villages to unite old people
around a single center, then in urban communities the opposite processes occur.
Thus, in the recent past, the community in Gorno-Altaisk split into two,
the second is now going to Maima. Once a large parish in Zyryanovsk
for the convenience of performing worship, back in the 1960s it was divided into
two groups, and at present the Zyryanov Old Believers do not go to
rapprochement, forming separate communities under the spiritual leadership of M.S.
Rakhmanov and L.A. Vykhodtsev.

In Biysk, old people are called “dismissed”. As explained by F.F.
Serebrennikov, the Biysk old men split off from the chapels,
Having joined their fellow believers, they then turned away from their fellow believers,
considering it Nikonianism, the chapels are theirs. they didn't take it back
That is why they began to be called unsubscribed, then - old people.
There is a similar community in the village. Poplar - I noe Soloneshinsky district
(mentor A.A. Filippova).

Old Believers, who call themselves chapels, are found in the villages of the Tyumentsevsky district.

Dyakonovshchina (self-name Dyakovskie) was preserved in Rudny Altai in
suburbs of Ust-Kamenogorsk and village. Cheremshanka, Glubokovsky district
East Kazakhstan region (mentor T.S. Denisova) - total
about 50 people

In Rubtsovsk, Zmeinogorsk, the villages of Zmeinogorsk, Tretyakovsky
"Ipekhashniks" live in the districts. Apparently these are the descendants of once
of the numerous runners of the true Orthodox Christians in Altai.

From the memories of residents of Zmeinogorsk: “During the war, I lived in these parts
The holy elder was a seer and performed healings in front of people. Called
his Demetrius, he was a simple Christian until he heard a voice from
sky. Since believers were persecuted, he went into hiding
secret corners and shelters, people came there to pray. Then Dimitri
Found and tried, he has been missing since then. His work continued
son Mikhail returned from the war. However, he was also tried for
refused my passport. Mikhail returned from prison crippled, but continued
their religious activities. About 40 people joined him."

Now there are no more than 10 such people left. They do not accept the priesthood,
calling modern priests “cult workers” who “do not serve,
but they work." The sacrament of communion is performed independently: after fasting
take holy baptismal water, bring repentance before the Gospel -
thereby, they partake of the Holy Spirit (“in the Spirit is the truth”). Many
Ipe-Khashniks refused pensions, believing that money is given not by God, but
the devil, from passports, as the seal of the Antichrist reigning in the world;
the power has been turned off, candles are used, and food is cooked on fire in
ovens. These people try to live secluded lives, having as little contact as possible with
"peace".

It should be noted that in some Bukhtarma villages (Bykovo,
Bogatyrevo, Zyryanovsky district, Soldatovo, Bolshe-Narymsky district)
Local residents single out the Polish Old Believers. Apparently these are descendants
Poles who moved to live in Kamen, but at the same time retained
their distinctive features in everyday life and church practice. Polyakovsky
Old Believers formed a kind of independent sense of local
meanings. Resident of the village Bogatyrevo U.O. Biryukova reported that
the Poles fled from Soviet power to China and then in the 1950s - 1960s
years returned to Bukhtarma. They used to have their own prayer house,
differing from the old one in the absence of bells. In worship at
they have more singing, and their chants are more chanting and extended.

In general, among modern Old Believers-priests and non-priests
various trends prevail. In priestly communities there is
activation of spiritual life, the desire not only to preserve one’s
traditions, but also to give them continuation in new conditions. The priests don't
characterized by religious isolation. Contact has been established between their communities
both within the region and beyond: with fellow believers of Novosibirsk,
Moscow, Odessa, Belarus. There is no unity among the Bespopovites
views on ritual-dogmatic and customary-legal aspects, which in
contributes greatly to the destruction and extinction of spiritual traditions, even
the disappearance of some beliefs, their merging with the initially dominant

Next to the Kazakh border, in the Uimon Valley, there is a well-known enclave of Old Believers, or “old people”, as they are called here. They came here a very long time ago - either in search of Belovodye - the legendary country of freedom and justice, refuge from the Antichrist who reigned in the world, or persecuted by the church.

The history of Russian Old Believers peasants is one of the most interesting pages of Altai’s past. The settlement of Altai by Russians began in the pre-Petrine era. In the mid-17th century, when the church split in Rus', supporters of the old principles began to be brutally persecuted, as a result of which they, too, were forced to leave for the Altai mountains. But even here they did not find peace. Church and secular authorities continued to persecute them for their faith and for their illegal, unauthorized resettlement. Only in 1792 did Catherine the Great issue an order to forgive the Old Believers for escaping and granting them the right to residence subject to the payment of a tax - yasak. Since then, the Old Believers were equated with the local Altai population and exempted from conscription. During the Soviet years, many of the Old Believers were repressed as middle peasants and enemies of the people.

In Altai, the Old Believers developed large territories and formed entire villages. The mountain villages of the Raskolniks with arable farming, maral fields, mountain apiaries, hayfields and forest lands were flourishing oases. In almost two generations, they managed to adapt to large temperature changes, fleeting summers and long winters, seasonal floods of the Katun and other rivers. Gradually, the most reliable ways of managing the world around us were selected.

Uimon Old Believers-farmers in the Altai Mountains turned into excellent hunters, sharp shooters, and excellent fishermen. Residents of Belovodye exchanged the harvested furs and skins for grain, livestock, and clothing with the Chinese and Russian Cossacks in villages located near the border zone. They also developed Russian crafts: carpentry, weaving, leather weaving, fur coats, etc. The Kerzhaks of the Uimon Basin spun flax, made linen, clothes, rugs, beautiful belts and girdles.

The Old Believers lived in good-quality, warm, well-lit houses with glazed windows. The inside of the house was clean and tidy. The walls were painted with intricate patterns and bright colors. Paints - red lead, ocher, cormorant - were prepared by folk craftsmen from natural raw materials. Common motifs in wall painting were images of strange animals, birds, lush and large flowers, and intricate floral patterns. The floors were covered with woven rugs and felt. There were forged chests along the walls, and beautiful embroidered bedspreads lay on the beds. But the most comfortable and warmest place in the house was, of course, the stove. Above its canopy were installed beds on which the children slept. The place opposite the mouth of the stove was occupied by the hostess. There were convenient cupboards and kitchen utensils located here.

The Old Believers kept their houses amazingly clean. The house was swept several times a day, the stove was whitewashed. Unpainted floors, benches, and shelves were scraped with brooms, knives, and sanded every Saturday.

The ancient clothes of Uimon old-timers are now worn only during holidays and prayers; in addition, they are used by folklore groups. The traditional Old Believer costume was distinguished by its brightness and variety of colors, bright trim. The summer men's suit included a white shirt decorated with a red pattern on the collar and sleeves, and canvas trousers. The festive costume consisted of wide trousers made of pleat or suede and a plain or variegated sheath. Outerwear: zipuns, azyams, sheepskin coats were made from warm cloth, fur, sheepskin, leather, and purchased camel hair.

The traditional women's Old Believer costume included a headdress, a sundress, a shirt, a belt, and an apron (apron). Short shirts, colloquially called sleeves, were sewn from white canvas and decorated with rich embroidery; the neckline was thickly ruffled over a narrow stand-up collar. The main type of sundress for Uimon women was first oblique, then round strap. Many gathers made the round sundress lush and beautiful. An important element of the traditional Old Believer costume were belts and girdles. From the moment of baptism, the belt was obligatory for the Old Believer throughout his life. The shoes of the Uimon residents were also unique. Short and high boots were made from prepared rough and thick leather for men, and women wore shoes. From the local peoples, the Old Believers borrowed comfortable and warm fur shoes: high boots made from goat fur inside and short pussycats. They themselves made winter shoes from felted wool - felt boots (felt boots).

The pottery craft of the Uimon Old Believers is of great historical interest. On Uimon, women were engaged in pottery making. The dishes were made not from one lump on a potter's wheel, but by placing rollers (in Uimon they were called karalichki) on top of each other. This technique of making pottery is called molding. The process consisted of several stages. It all started with clay mining. Pure fine Katunsky sand was added to the clay and crushed on a rough canvas until there were no lumps left. Rolls were made from the resulting clay dough, which were laid out in 3-5 rows on a prepared flat bottom. The rollers were rubbed and smoothed with water to level the side surfaces. The prepared products were fired in Russian kilns on burning birch wood. For strength and beauty, the technology of scalding was used: products removed from the oven were immersed in warm decoctions of buttermilk and whey so that they boiled. After scalding, the dishes acquired a beautiful black color. Uncooked items remained the color of red terracotta.

Of course, today the life of the Old Believers of the Uimon Valley has changed, modern life leaves its mark on it. To prevent age-old traditions from disappearing forever, Uimon residents create museums. It is interesting that children become the initiators, as, for example, in the village of Verkh-Uimon. The history of the museum in this village began with an ordinary linen towel brought to a history lesson. Then the children began to bring to school everything that had long since fallen out of use in everyday life. With the help of all these things, it was possible to recreate the atmosphere of a typical Old Believer family. In addition, schoolchildren, interviewing old-timers, collected many proverbs and sayings, conspiracies and signs of the Uimon Valley. Interesting material was collected about the Great Patriotic War, because the descendants of the harsh Old Believers also fought for their Motherland without sparing their lives.