A Dictionary of All Religions and Religious Denominations/Raskolniks

by Hannah Adams

*RASKOLNIKS, or SCHISMATICS, a general name for dissenters from the Russian established church; but they call themselves Starovertsi, or believers of the old faith, because they adhere to the old manuscript formularies of the Greek church, and reject the printed formularies of the patriach Nikon, who in the seventeenth century revised the ancient forms, and (as they say) corrupted them, and then had printed by authority, for the use of the Russian establishment. It appears, however, that there were dissenters in Russia long prior to this period, and within four hundred and fifty years after the introduction of christianity. These were called Strigolniks, (which see;) but the modern dissenters, (who partly arose out of these in the time of Nikon,) are divided into two principal classes, the Popoftchins and the Bezpopoftschins. The former are divided into the Starobredsi, Diaconoftschins, Epefanoftshins, and Tschunaboltsi, each of which is allowed a place in this Dictionary.

The Bezpopoftschins (who were omitted above) include no less than thirteen different sects, which either have no regular priests, or refuse to acknowledge those ordained in the established church.^[1] See Duhobortsi, Pomoryans, &c.

Original footnotes

1. Pinkerton's Greek Church.