Lost in Time - Old Believer Russian Orthodox Communities Migrate Back to Motherland

Russian Faith ^ | 4/20/18 | Staff

[marshmallow]

Old Believers, the strictest adherents of ancient Christian traditions, are finally returning from 100-year exile in the West to Russia

This fascinating news story offers an update about the Old Believer communities that have been steadily returning to Russia from an almost 100-year exile in Alaska, Uruguay, Bolivia, Brazil and Argentina and setting up communities in Russia's Far East.

Old Believers are Russian Christians who did not accept the reforms of the Official Russian Church in the 1600s. Since then, they have retained strict staunch loyalty to old traditions. They live in communities, farming the land, have traditional large families, don't send their children to school, strictly limit the use of technology and maintain a strict discipline of prayer. They were forced into immigration throughout the 20th century when religious persecution made it impossible for them to maintain their vibrant religious and cultural identity in Russia.

In the past few years, however, the Russian state has been offering them support and land, in an attempt to convince them to return to Russia. Old Believer religious leaders have come to agreements with the state and local officials even try to support the building of schools and churches for the community, so many Old Believers have left the West and migrated back 'home.'

Of course, these traditional Russians who were born and bred in foreign lands, continue to face hardship after their return to their historical homeland such as lack of land and machinery. They often settle in remote areas, with no cell phone connection, no hospitals, schools or stores.

Yet they seem to be thrilled to have returned to the country where there are 'real forests' and which they always instinctively gravitated towards.

[kaehurowing]

Russia is now more Christian than America.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

The Russian Amish

[tbw2]

A country fighting demographic decline is wise to invite back members of the tribe that still have large families.

[Cowgirl]

Most Russians in Alaska would do us all a favor to go back. Their culture stinks as they are always scheming for welfare and stealing from their neighbors. Our town has grown to fifth per cent Russian as they lots of children due to the yearly Alaska pay out called the dividend.

[43north]

I know the scam they were running in their community near Anchor Point. Individual members would “give” all of their income to the church. No income, no income taxes. Also makes them eligible for every welfare program out there because: no income. The church buys them new Subaru cars, Quads, snow machines, commercial fishing boats, homes, etc. They don’t maintain most of their equipment, run it into the ground, and then try to sell it to unsuspecting Gentiles. By the time I left Alaska in 2002 that community had split and some members moved north to Willow to start a new scam. Send them back to Mother Russia and good riddance!

[sciencewriter86]

Thanks for your on the ground observations about the Old Believers in Alaska.

I hadn’t heard this during any of my years of commercial fishing in Alaska.

These certainly aren’t the Amish of the USA. They are the communists and liberals of the US, with some Mexican illegals thrown in.

[43north]

They also completely ignored the commercial fishing regulations. One spring they were working in Resurrection Bay and completely decimated the Ling Cod population to the point that ADF&G imposed strict limits for sport fisherman. Why fisheries enforcement officials didn’t go after them remains a mystery. They are trash and if they leave, good riddance.