Modern Day Old Believers
“Life among the Old Believers has become more transparent and liberal,” said Elina Aro, a guide who specializes in the culture. “When I came to Estonia in 1995 this area was still quite closed. It has slowly started to become more open.
However, there have been two major thefts of icons from the church, once in the 1970s and another in the 1990s. Members of the church donated their own personal icon,s but for a period of time there were gaps in the iconostasis where images were missing. In 2008, the iconostasis underwent a major restoration project with the colors returned to their original vibrancy.
Aro notes, “the public funding for projects like the restoration of the Varnja church has been an impetus for the Old Believer society to become more accessible. On the other hand, the Old Believers themselves realize that they are a minority and if they do not open up, their community will disappear.”
Today, visitors to the Old Believer communities founded by those 17th century exiles can experience a society that cherishes a simple existence, celebrates a religion of mystical symbolism and has a legacy of not only tears but miracles. According to the Society of Old Believer Culture and Development, there are now there are almost 15,000 Old Believers by birth in Estonia.
What other traditions are on par with the Old Believers? Sound off about your cultural travel in the comments.
For more information, check out:
- Meg Pier’s article on Puerto Rican Vejigantes Masks
- our Off the Brochure guide to Tallinn, Estonia
- Meg Pier’s Peer to Pier Interview with Sue Coppard from WOOF
- the Cultural Travel and Cultural Immersion Archives
Text and photos by Meg Pier for PeterGreenberg.com. Meg Pier is a travel writer for the Boston Globe and other publications. Visit her on the Web at www.ViewFromthePier.com.
