Solovki seat: date, reasons

The middle of the 17th century was marked in the life of the RussianThe Orthodox Church is an important event - the religious reform of Patriarch Nikon. Its consequences played a significant role in the further history of Russia. Unifying the ceremonial side of the divine services and thus playing a positive role, it became the reason for the religious split in society. The most striking manifestation of this was the insurrection of the Solovetsky monastery's inhabitants, which was called the Solovetsky Sitting.

Reason for reform

By the middle of the XVII century in the church life of the countrythere is a need to make a change in the liturgical books. Those at that time in use were lists from translations of ancient Greek books that came to Russia along with the establishment of Christianity. Before the advent of printing, they corresponded by hand. Often in their work, scribes made mistakes, and for several centuries there were significant differences with primary sources.

As a result of this - parish and monasticthe clergy had various manuals for the execution of services, and all conducted them in different ways. Such a state of affairs could not continue. As a result, new translations were made from Greek, and then printed out in print. This ensured the uniformity of the church services conducted by them. All previous books were declared invalid. In addition, the reform provided for a change in the performance of the sign of the cross. The former - the two-fingered was replaced by three-fingered.

The emergence of the church schism

Thus, the reform touched only the ritualside of the church life, without affecting its dogmatic part, but the reaction of many layers of society turned out to be extremely negative. There was a split between those who adopted the reform and its ardent opponents who asserted that the innovations that were being set up destroy the true faith, and hence they come from Satan.

As a result, the schismatics cursed the patriarchNikon, who, in turn, gave them anathema. The matter took an even more serious turn because the reforms did not only come from the Patriarch, but personally from Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (Peter the Great's father), and consequently, the resistance to it was a riot against state power, and it always had sad consequences in Russia .

Solovetsky sitting. Briefly on its causes

All of Russia of that period was drawn intoreligious strife. The revolt, called the Solovetsky Sitting, is the answer of the inhabitants of the Solovetsky Monastery on the islands of the White Sea to the attempts of the authorities to root in it the principles of a new reform. It began in 1668.

To subdue the recalcitrant on May 3 on the islandlanded a detachment of streltsy under the command of the tsar's voevoda Volokhov, but was greeted with cannon volleys. It should be noted that this monastery was established here not only as a center of spiritual life, but also as a powerful defensive structure - an outpost on the path of Swedish expansion.

Solovetsky seat represented for the governmenta serious problem by the fact that all the inhabitants of the monastery, and their number was 425 people, had sufficient military skill. In addition, they had weapons, guns and a significant amount of ammunition. As in the case of the Swedish blockade, the defenders could be cut off from the outside world, large stocks of food were always kept in the cellars of the cloister. In other words - to take such a fortress by force was not an easy task.

The first years of the siege of the monastery

We must pay tribute to the government, duringFor several years, it has not taken decisive action and counted on a peaceful outcome of events. There was no complete blockade of the monastery, which allowed the defenders to replenish their provisions. In addition, they were joined by many other peasant schismatics and fugitive participants in the uprising of Stepan Razin, which was only recently suppressed. As a result, the Solovki seat gained more and more new supporters from year to year.

After four years of fruitless attempts to breakThe resistance of the rebel government sent a more numerous military formation. In the summer of 1672, 725 archers landed on the island under the command of the governor Ievlev. Thus, a numerical superiority appeared on the side of the besieging the fortress, but even he did not give any tangible result.

Intensification of hostilities

Long so, of course, could not. Despite all the courage of the defenders of the monastery, the Solovetsky seat was doomed, since it is impossible for a separate, even a large group of people, to fight with the entire state machine. In 1673, by decree of the tsar, voivode Ivan Mescherinov, a determined and cruel man, arrived at the White Sea to suppress a riot. He had the strictest orders to take the most active actions and put an end to monastic self-will. Another reinforcements arrived with him.

With his arrival, the position of the besieged greatlyworsened. The voivode established a complete blockade of the fortress, cutting off all channels of communication with the outside world. In addition, if in previous years due to severe frosts in winter, the siege was lifted and the archers were sent to Sumy prison for spring, now the blockade lasted all year round. Thus, the Solovetsky seat was deprived of the conditions of its life support.

Attempts to storm the monastery

Ivan Mescherinov was an experienced and skillful governor andorganized a siege of the fortress according to all the rules of military art. Artillery batteries were installed around the walls of the monastery, and undermining of its towers was made. They made several attempts to assault the fortress, but all of them were repulsed. As a result of active hostilities, both the defenders and the besiegers suffered significant losses. But the trouble is that the government was able, as necessary, to compensate for the loss of its troops, and the defenders of the fortress did not have it, and their number was constantly decreasing.

The betrayal that caused the defeat

At the very beginning of 1676 it was once againAn attack on the monastery was undertaken, but it was also unsuccessful. However, the hour was approaching when this heroic Solovetsky seat would be finally crushed in its own way. January 18th was a black day in its history. A traitor named Feoktist showed the voivode Meshcherinov a secret passage that could enter the monastery. He did not miss the chance, and took advantage of it. Soon a detachment of archers broke into the territory of the fortress. Taken aback by defenders could not provide adequate resistance, and many were killed in a short but fierce battle.

Those who survived, waited a sad fate. The voivode was a cruel man, and after a short trial the leaders of the insurrection and its active participants were executed. The rest ended their days in distant guards. This ended the famous Solovki seat. The reasons that prompted him — church reform and a tough government policy aimed at its implementation, will bring discord into the life of Russia for many years to come.

Growth and expansion of the Old Believers

A completely new layer appears during this period.societies called Old Believers, or otherwise - Old Believers. Pursued by the government, they will go to the Volga forests, to the Urals and to Siberia, and those caught up by the persecutors will take voluntary death in the fire. Rejecting the authority of the king and the authority of the official church, these people dedicate their lives to preserving what they recognized as "ancient piety." And always the example for them will be the monks of the recalcitrant monastery on the White Sea.