Today we talk about Protopop (Archpriest) Avvakum. The most famous opponent of the Nikonian reforms of the 17th century and a saint among the Old Believers.
Thank you very much for expanding this topic. Respect for making it available for the western world in English. Without learning Russian and Slavonic farly I would not know as much about oldbelievers, Avvakum and in general about eastern christianity, so thanks God for it. Спаси Христос!
Thank you guys so much for this Old Believer series, Im seriously drawn to the Old Rite but live very far away from Erie PA. In ten years I can retire from the military and move there, pray for me!
I would like to add some insight to this discussion, though I am afraid of possibly saying the wrong thing, and know that not everyone can understand, but to you who are searching.. Protopop Avvakum stood for what he believed to be the true faith, as we orthodox all should. The ones who are far from his teachings either by birth or ignorance are perplexed and uncomfortable. I am far from knowing everything, so I will try to humbly give you a little I sight. In a world fast moving into wealth, rich living, losing sight of simplicity, he stood for what the faith really meant. His "foul" language should not be confused with his state of being. He was deeply moved by what was occurring, and knew and understood the shifting in the faithful that needed to be addressed. Faith was being readjusted by human nature, and not by what Christ taught us. He stood for that, and not everyone can understand this, you will have to live in it to know it.
A great talk -- thank you, not least because there is such pitifully little information available about Avvakum in English. Do you know what the attitude of Yedinovertsy Old Ritualists is towards Avvakum? Of course he is not officially commemorated by the canonical Russian Church, but is there a certain amount of "unofficial" or private veneration of him all the same?
Alexander, that’s a question with a somewhat complicated answer. The Council of 1666-1667 anathematizes not only the Old Rite, but those who keep it, including Archpriest Avvakum. The Council of the ROC in 1971 simply states that the anathemas of the previous council are lifted. That this includes the Old Rite books is accepted universally. Whether it included the individuals involved at the time is debated. Personally, I’m of the opinion it does. You will find, often quiet, private veneration of him among Edinovertsy. There are parishes who will include him, either by name, or in a group of those who were confessors of the ancient Church piety, at places such as litiya in vigil or vespers. There are likely other Edinovertsy who would reject veneration, at the very least because of his comments about the Eucharist in churches using the reformed rite. At the very least, it’s something anyone venerating him has to wrestle with.
@@justinmgriffing Thanks for your very interesting reply. I have great respect for Avvakum, and whilst I do feel sympathy for the fact that given his position it might be easy to forgive him for the mistake of equating ritual with dogma (there was, after all, no internet in the 17th century and very hard to clearly research foreign traditions) it is perhaps understandable that he won't be glorified. I've recently been reading his "Life", which has been a great experience. I'm just sorry that there aren't more Edinovertsy parishes in the world. I should like to experience the Old Rite one day, in the flesh, but in my country (the UK) there are no such parishes, nor I suspect will there ever be!
@@Priestphillip I believe in the video you were referring to how historical old believers spoke of them. If so, I'd say the question is not Germain. But I would be concerned about potentially venerating monastic saints who were comfortable living in 18th century monasteries that owned serfs and mistreated them so badly that it caused numerous uprisings, among other concerns. So it's РПСЦ for me...