Hey everyone! I read an article a few weeks ago about Russian Old Believers who escaped into the taiga to avoid persecution for their faith. After doing some more reading, I found out that some branches of the Old Believers have no clergy.
So, I’ve got a few questions.
Does anyone have any info on priestless Old Believer sects?
How do they survive without the sacraments?
And well, I guess whatever interesting information you can come up with. Thanks everyone!
In Orthodoxy we leave everything to the mercy of God if something isn’t possible. So if there is no priest to do Liturgy or give Sacraments, then there is none. Liturgies are done via Reader’s services, so it omits priestly blessings.
You will find some information on priestless Russian Old Believers by searching for “bezpopovtsy” in Wikipedia and on the web.
A good Catholic description is contained in THE EASTERN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES - A BRIEF SURVEY (7th edition) by Ronald Roberson, C.S.P. The chapter on Old Believers is on the web at:
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