Old Believers Wanderers in the Second Half of the 19th - Early 20th Century (Based upon Reports of Kargopol Missionaries)

Abstract

The article discusses the patterns of everyday life of the Old Believers-wanderers in the territory of Kargopol district of the Olonets province. It draws upon new archival materials of church and secular origin, as well as a number of significant works by the missionaries. The study explores peculiarities of the wanderers' worldview, the forms and methods of their preaching activity, and the structure of their communities. The wonderers' teaching was deeply eschatological, which led to a complete break with “the world of Antichrist”. The study provides a detailed description of the everyday life of the wanderers. An important feature in the life of these communities was constant and intensive ties between territories where their co-religionists were present. Particular attention is paid to the problems of mutual perception and confrontation between the wanderers and government representatives (police and clergy). The wanderers' activities, in spite of their eschatological attitudes, showed in fact their intense involvement with the outside world.