Lipovans, russian old believers from Romania

Lipovans or Lippovans are Old Believers, mostly of Russian ethnic origin, who settled in Romania in the Moldavian Principality, and in the regions of Dobruja and Eastern Muntenia. According to the Romanian census of 2002, there are a total of 35,791 Lipovans in Romania, of whom 21,623 live in Dobruja.

The Lipovtsi are named after the linden trees ("Lipa" or "Липа in Church Slavonic) of the area they populate bordering the Wild Fields. However, one story claims the name derives from the name "Filipp" (1672-1742) which is alleged to have been the true name of the son of Nikita Pustosvyat (d.1683) who according to the same rather dubious legend led the group of dissenters who emigrated to what is now Romania, his adepts being named Filippovtsy which became Lipovtsi and finally Lippovane. Another story derives it from "Filippovka", a holiday name dedicated to Saint Philip.

The Lipovans emigrated from Russia in the 18th century, as dissenters from the main Russian Orthodox Church. They settled along the Prut River in Moldavia and in the Danube Delta. They have maintained strong religious traditions which predate the reforms of the Russian Orthodox Church undertaken during the rule of Patriarch Nikon. When the Patriarch made changes to worship in 1652, some believers carried on worshipping in the "old way". In that sense, they continued to speak Old Russian, to cross themselves with two fingers instead of three, and to keep their beards. The Russian government and the Orthodox Church persecuted them, and as a result some committed suicide by burning themselves (self-burning: soshigateli), with many others being forced to emigrate.

In 1876, the Lipovans were joined by members of the Skoptsy sect, who also emigrated to Romania to escape persecution.

Lipovans were considered to be schismatic by the Russian Orthodox Church, although relations have improved recently.

Source: Wikipedia

I invite you to see some pictures I made in the Lipovan community, made by me :)

Marian Sterea,
Kind regards!