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Old Believers: Who Are They
These are people who adhere to ancient traditions and old beliefs. Long ago, in the 17th century, during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, the Russian Church split. Tsar and Patriarch Nikon carried out a global church reform, which introduced changes to the Divine Services and the Charter.
The reform continued until the time of Peter I. Canonical rules and spiritual institutions were changed. The customs and traditions of church government have changed.
At the same time, the cultural and everyday life of the Russian people has changed. Over time, the concept of “old faith” (before the reform) appeared, but people who profess it began to be called “Old Believers” or “Old Believers”.
According to the archives of the Russian Empire, most of the long-livers were in the circle of Semeiski, that is, in the Siberian communities of Old Believers. You can also recall Karamzin, who argued that among people living according to the “old way”, the 100th anniversary is regarded as the norm, and not an exception.
And what did the Old Believers themselves say about this? Health, longevity, according to their worldview, is a consequence of purity. And it’s not just about physical hygiene, which the Semeiskys strictly observe, one might say fiercely. And about the purity of moral, “thoughts and actions.”
The Old Believers considered and still consider envy, anger, resentment, condemnation as dirt, leading to both spiritual and physical ailment. In addition to this, the main postulate, Russian co-religionists, bespopovtsy, self-baptized people still adhere to written and unwritten rules.
The rules of life of old believers-centenarians
- Whenever possible, walk or stand barefoot on the ground for a few minutes. The body, they say tall, broad-shouldered, gray-bearded centenarians, must “be given land so that the earth does not take the body prematurely.”
- You need to work from sunrise to sunset, changing one lesson to another.
The Old Believers begin to bustle about the house at five in the morning, and end at dusk.
- Drink water abundantly, from clean dishes; but you can’t drink food.
- Treat any ailment with fasting and prayers, herbs, roots, berries, bath and honey rubbing.
- Do not indulge in vodka, do not smoke, do not use paints (cosmetics). From these things, Old Believers believe, harm to both the soul and the body. Even selling tobacco or alcohol is sinful and unhealthy.
- Eat garden vegetables daily. First of all, beets, then beans, radishes, carrots, turnips.
One of the most popular Old Believer delicacies is boys. Root vegetables, pumpkin or apples are cut into bars, spread on a baking sheet and simmer in a Russian stove until morning.
Meat is allowed, but not on fast days, not on Wednesday or Friday. Besides, fish “is better than meat in any way”.
Centuries later, in the Old Believers’ house, “modern” dishes, be it a salad with mayonnaise or fried potatoes, will not be served for a holiday or funeral. But cabbage soup, fish and mushrooms, pancakes, porridge, jelly will certainly be. Even tea in the everyday life of Old Believers took root for a long time and with difficulty …
The settlements of Russian Old Believers are scattered all over the world: there are many of them in Siberia, in South America, there are in Australia, Canada, the Baltic States, Bulgaria, Romania, even in China.
But everywhere these people are distinguished by their health, beauty, physical strength … And material prosperity, because work early and until dark in the evening is rewarded not only with environmentally friendly products that prolong life, but also with considerable income.
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