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Russian-speakers refer to the schism itself as ''raskol'' ('''раскол''' - etymologically indicating a "cleaving-apart").
== Introductory summary of origins==
In 1652, [[Patriarch]] [[Nikon of Moscow]] (r. 1652-1658) introduced a number of ritual and textual reforms with the aim of achieving uniformity between Russian and Greek Orthodox practices. Nikon, having noticed discrepancies between Russian and Greek rites and texts, ordered an adjustment of the Russian rites to align with the Greek ones of his time. He acted without adequate consultation with the clergy and without gathering a council. After the implementation of these innovations, Muscovite state power [[anathema]]tized and suppressed those who acted contrary to them. These traditionalists became known as "Old Believers" or "Old Ritualists".
== Baptism of Kievan Rus ' == Although a portion of the population of [[Kievan Rus']] ([[Ruthenia]]) was Christian by 944, [[Knyaz]] [[Vladimir I of Kiev]], impressed by the Easter rituals of the Byzantine Church, embraced Christianity in 987. In doing so he not only formed a politically expedient alliance but invited the adoption of Greek learning and book culture. Along with the baptism, [[Ruthenia]] took all Gospel, apostolic and patristic traditions sacred to the storied Eastern Church. Close connections were established between the young Russian church and the Constantinople Patriarchate. The first Russian metropolitans were Greeks. As the representatives of the Patriarch of Constantinople, they oversaw the piety of the newly installed customs and practices, and this patronage ensured that the church regulations, divine services, sacraments and rites were borrowed from the Orthodox Church of the East. == Revision of the Church Books == In [[1551]], the [[Stoglavy Sobor|Moscow Stoglav Church Council]] declared in favour of revision. The council's purpose was to regulate the church's relationship to the state, reform its internal life, strengthen the authority of the bishops, and eradicate non-Christian folk customs from among the populace. It would not introduce anything new but would purify the Russian church of irregularities. The council called for many irregularities in church life to be corrected. Among other things, drunkenness among the clergy was to be eradicated, parish priests were to be better educated, and priests and laity alike were to be protected against rapacious episcopal tax collectors. "Pagan" and foreign practices popular among the laity were prohibited, such as minstrels playing at weddings and the shaving of beards. [[Patriarch Filaret (Feodor Romanov)|Patriarch Philaret (Romanov) of Moscow]], during the reign of his son Tsar Michael, took part in abortive attempts to reform the church books; and under [[Tsar Alexis of Russia|Alexis]], the second of the Romanovs, in [[1654]], a council of thirty-six bishops assembled at [[Moscow]], over which the [[Patriarch Nikon]] presided, and earnestly recommended the long-contemplated project to the attention of the Tsar. Macarius, the [[Patriarch of Antioch]], with his archdeacon, [[Paul of Aleppo]], and the head of the Serbian church, were present upon this occasion. At length, under the auspices of the Moscow Sobor of [[1667]], attended by the [[Patriarch of Alexandria]] and the [[Patriarch of Antioch]], with delegates from both the [[Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem]] and the [[Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople]], the revision of the liturgical books of the Slavonic church was effected; and the revised texts were formally declared to be the only true, lawful, and authorised copies. Alexis in person presided over this conclave. By its voice the ambitious and turbulent [[Patriarch Nikon]] was deposed from the Russian patriarchate and the canon against shaving was repealed. The effect of the above salutary measure in the [[Russian Orthodox Church]], and that of the nearly contemporaneous [[Act of Uniformity]] in the [[Anglican Church]], was in some degree similar. Dissent arose on an extensive scale, and persecution was vigorously applied to reclaim or crush the nonconformists. Internal dissensions troubled the Russo-Greek communion at an early period, leading to separation Russian Orthodoxy from the Greek. The earliest controversies referred to trifling or ridiculous points of difference, yet were none the less furious on account of the causes being trivial. There was warm contention whether the [[hallelujah]] should be repeated two or three times at the end of the psalms, and whether the [[sign of the cross]] should be made with three fingers, symbolising the Trinity, according to the [[Byzantine Rite]], or with two fingers, in allusion to the two natures in the person of [[Christ]], as prescribed by the [[Armenian Rite]]. But in [[1375]], [[Strigolniki|Karp Strigolnik]], a citizen of [[Novgorod]], touched upon topics of greater moment. Accusing the clergy of [[simony]] and abuse of the rite of confession, he raised a violent outcry against them, and proclaimed doctrines in which the fanatical blended with the sober.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the [[Kievan RusRussian Orthodox Church]] ([[Ruthenia]]) received Christianity from realized that the forced introduction of the Latin Varangians, so-called "new rite" was carried out in a violent and then from Bulgariauncanonical way, and only after that from Byzantium (Source: The Religion the old rite kept in [[Russia]] is actually a historic rite of the Russian People by Pierre Pascal) during holy equal-to-the-apostles great knyaz ancient [[Vladimir Patriarch of KievAntioch|VolodimirAntiochian Patriarchate]]'s lifetime in 988 was the outstanding historical event{{citation}}. Along with the baptismAt least three Fathers of that Patriarchate (namely, [[RutheniaMeletius of Antioch]] took all Gospel, apostolic [[Theodoret of Cyrus]] and patristic traditions sacred to [[Peter of Damascus]]) had given homilies on the storied Eastern Church. The closest sign of connections were established between the young Russian church and cross being made with two fingers, in the manner of the Constantinople Patriarchate. The first Russian metropolitans were Greeks[[Old Believers]]. They as Perhaps the representatives fact that [[Michael I of Kiev (metropolitan)|St. Michael]], the Patriarch first [[Metropolitan of Constantinople watched the piety Kiev]], was of [[Syrian]] origin, can explain how this tradition arrived in [[Russia]]. What cannot be understood is how the newly installed customs and practicestradition was lost in [[Antioch]] itself. The very fact of However, [[Nicodemus the patronage above Hagiorite|St. Nicodemus]], in the Kiev-Ruthenian and afterwards Russian Metropolitan shows Rudder also mentions that Christians made the sign of the church regulationscross with two fingers, divine servicesin honor of the two natures of [[Christ]], sacraments and rites were borrowed from that the Orthodox Church of current custom is now to use three fingers, for the East[[Holy Trinity]].
