History
In 1762, the first year of her reign, Catherine II of Russia opened Russia to settlers of all confessions, excluding Jews, in particular inviting the Old Believer fugitives, whose spiritual center at that time was based in present-day Belarus. A group of fugitives who returned to Moscow became the nucleus of future Rogozhskoe community.
Moscow Old Believers operated two cemeteries within the city borders - on near Serpukhov Gates, another on the Tverskaya road. After a devastating plague of 1770-1772 all burials within the city limits were banned; instead, the Crown established new cemeteries well beyond the city border. The new cemetery of Old Believers laid one mile east from city border, between the roads to Vladimir and Ryazan, south from the village Novaya Andronovka. Mass graves of 1771 plague were preserved at Rogozhskoe till the 20th century.
In the last quarter of the 18th century the cemetery became a spiritual center of popovtsi Old Believers - a denomination that relied on professional, ordained clergy rather than informal spiritual leaders. By the beginning of 19th century, popovtsi built three churches (or chapels). The oldest, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, was laid down in 1776 (on the site of present-day Saint Nicholas church of the Orthodox denomination). By the end of Alexander I reign, the sloboda around the cemetery grew up into a small town with five convents; informal leadership of the Cemetery was vested to Mother Pulcheria (born Pelagea Shevlyukova), and later father Ivan Yastrebov, who gained influence in September 1812 for saving treasures of Rogozhskoe from the French troops.
Influence of Rogozhskoe clergy grew due to scarcity of Old-Rite clergy in Russian hinterland; even the basic Old-Rite services, like weddings and confessions, were only available here. As a result, out-of-town pilgrimage quickly multiplied the wealth in Rogozhskoe coffers.
Although Old Believers were allowed to build new churches, none of them was a true church from the government standpoint. Rather, they were classified as chapels and thus could not provide the full range of services expected from a church, including Holy Liturgy - at least, legally. In 1823 Rogozhskoe was hit by the government for the first time: police searched the community, confiscated the altarpiece donated by Matvey Platov and shut down all churches. They reopened soon on condition that Old Believers will no longer serve Holy Liturgy.
Nicholas I of Russia increased the pressure, banning ordination of new Old-Rite priests and relocation of existing Old-Rite priests from town to town. As a result, by 1850s Rogozhskoe clergy shrunk through natural attrition to just three priests and the government confiscated the unused St. Nicholas church in favour of more acceptable edinoverie denomination. Old Believers of Rogozhskoe reacted by establishing a new spiritual and educational center beyond the Russian border, in Austro-Hungary, creating the Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy.
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Cathedral of Protection
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Church of Nativity
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Church of St.Nicholas
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Bell tower
Read more about this topic: Rogozhskoye Cemetery
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