100 Questions: Part 6

Why do Old Believers make the sign of the cross with two fingers? What is the symbolic meaning of the two-fingered sign?

Every Christian arranges the fingers of their right hand for the sign of the cross as follows: three fingers (thumb, ring finger, and little finger) are joined together, symbolizing faith in the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The other two fingers (index and middle) represent the two natures of Christ—divine and human—united without confusion, without change, without division, and without separation. It is with these two fingers (index and middle) that one touches the forehead, the navel, the right shoulder, and then the left shoulder while making the sign of the cross.

When we make the sign of the cross, what are we signifying? Not only that Christ was crucified on the cross, but we also visibly depict the symbol of faith. All the movements we make are directly connected with Christ. By touching the forehead, we show that Christ was begotten of God the Father. Lowering the hand to the stomach, to the navel, signifies that He descended into the womb of the Virgin Mary and became incarnate, and later descended into Hades. Raising the hand to the right shoulder signifies that Christ rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Finally, moving the hand to the left shoulder signifies that Christ will come to judge the living and the dead. All these actions are related specifically to Christ. Therefore, we touch the body with two fingers, symbolizing Christ. While we also confess and acknowledge the Holy Trinity, we do not touch the body with the fingers representing the Trinity, as that would symbolically depict the crucifixion of the entire Holy Trinity, which is unacceptable according to Orthodox doctrine.

The two-fingered sign of the cross was the original hand formation used by Christians for making the sign of the cross. Among the monuments of early Christian art, there is not a single example of one-fingered or three-fingered configurations. However, there are numerous monuments, frescoes, and images showing the two-fingered hand configuration.

Later, various religious groups, separating from the unity of Orthodoxy, sought to solidify their separation through different forms of hand configurations. Thus, the one-fingered and three-fingered signs were introduced—first invented by the Monophysites and later adopted by Catholics. The Latins, in turn, imposed the three-fingered sign among the Greeks after the Fourth Crusade in 1204. In the 17th century, during the reforms of Patriarch Nikon, the three-fingered sign was adopted from the Greeks by the reformed Russian Church.

— Priest Evgeny Gureev

Why did God allow the trials of the 20th century to befall the Orthodox state (godless rule, execution of clergy, destruction of churches)? For what sins? What needed to be corrected?

“For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.”
(Hebrews 12:6)

When we are ill, we go to a doctor who begins to treat us. The treatment can vary. If the illness is advanced, the treatment may need to be radical, even involving surgery or the removal of certain organs to save the entire body. If in the 20th century, religious organizations and segments of the population closely tied to power suffered the most, then the root of the problem should be sought in these areas. What happened in the Church that could have provoked God’s wrath? If the state had truly been Orthodox, no healing would have been necessary. Therefore, we must look for the moment when the once-Orthodox state deviated from the right path.

If we examine the history of the Church in Russia, we see, on the one hand, external adornment of churches and the designation of rulers with Orthodox titles, but on the other hand, the total subjugation of the Church to state structures and the personal authority of the tsar, along with severe persecution of those who disagreed with the official Church line. The killing of clergy and destruction of churches did not begin in the 20th century. As a result of Church reforms in the mid-17th century, a new church organization was created, designed to be entirely subordinate to the tsar. The destruction of the ancient Russian Church began, and a new one was established based on the modern Greek and Ukrainian models.

Those who disagreed faced severe repression, executions, and economic discrimination. Many were forced to flee to remote regions or abroad. Executions targeted, first and foremost, priests, monks, and active preachers who did not accept the new faith. Many ancient churches were destroyed, and monasteries were closed. Old Believer churches, chapels, and prayer houses were demolished. In the few functioning churches, altars were sealed, as was the case at the Rogozhskoye Cemetery in Moscow. Ancient icons and frescoes were destroyed or rewritten in the new style.

At the same time, social stratification increased. While nobles were freed from obligatory state service, peasants were almost entirely enslaved. The official state Church had no patriarch and could not convene Councils. Acting as an arm of the state, church structures initiated persecution of dissenters, which inevitably provoked a backlash. The Lord said:

“For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.”
(Hosea 8:7)

In the 20th century, we see the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Thus, today, we must not replicate pre-revolutionary practices but instead ensure that we follow God’s commandments.

— Priest Evgeny Gureev

Are Seraphim of Sarov and Matrona of Moscow not saints in the Old Believer tradition? How can that be? I want to convert to the Old Faith, but these saints are very dear to my heart.

The first thing every believer must understand is that Christ is our Savior. We call Christ the Savior because no one but Him can save us. The Church is the Body of Christ. Our task is to find the Church that is inseparably connected to the ancient Church of Christ, which is the true Body of Christ. Saints are individuals who have been canonized—recognized as role models for achieving salvation within a particular religious organization. Since the spiritual principles of different confessions can vary, the models of sainthood and examples for emulation can also differ significantly.

Sometimes, principles declared as salvific in a confession are not practiced in reality. In such cases, the necessary examples for emulation are artificially created. This is precisely what we observe in the canonizations of Seraphim of Sarov and Matrona of Moscow. The appeal of these saints lies in the carefully crafted images presented to people. However, the real history behind these figures tells a different story.

For instance, many stories from the Life of St. Seraphim of Sarov were fabricated by the nuns of Diveyevo Monastery or others. Tales of the elder walking on air, onions growing overnight, fruits from paradise, ash turning into gold, healing drunkenness with his breath, feeding a bear, standing on a rock, or falling from a bell tower are all examples. Numerous other examples could be cited, but I would advise not treating the Life of St. Seraphim of Sarov as if it were Holy Scripture, where every word is an absolute truth. Much of the information in the Life is either erroneous or invented, particularly the most popular stories.

The compilers of his Life were caught in deceit, and some were even considered mentally unstable, particularly Motovilov. Furthermore, the canonization of St. Seraphim was pushed through under pressure from Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Emperor Nicholas II. Most of the Synod of the ruling Church (i.e., the episcopate) opposed his canonization, believing his image was too similar to that of an Old Believer elder. Seraphim lived in a region where many adhered to the Old Rite, prayed according to the Old Believer rule, possessed an Old Believer crucifix and lestovka, and may have even crossed himself with two fingers. How could the Synod canonize such an elder? They had to turn him into an apologist for the new faith, which is what the compilers of his Life set out to do. Therefore, the idealized image of Seraphim of Sarov commonly propagated in the ROC does not align with his true character.

The veneration of Matrona of Moscow, on the other hand, developed openly in the 1990s. In record time, using modern propaganda techniques and tools, an unknown blind woman was turned into the most popular saint in modern post-reform Orthodoxy. However, in her Life, where she is supposed to appear as an Orthodox saint, her miracles resemble sorcery rather than prayer and are steeped in superstition: she healed diseases with incantations, advised vomiting after Communion to "expel demons," suggested using water from a Lutheran cross at a German cemetery for healing, insisted on closing windows during demonstrations to prevent demons from entering, and promised salvation to all who venerated her instead of Christ. Nowhere in her accounts is there a single quotation from the Gospel. These facts were so striking that the leadership of the ROC had to issue a revised edition of her Life, removing the most scandalous elements. Instead of combating the superstitions of the common people and improving religious literacy, we see the opposite. First, an unhealthy frenzy around Matrona was artificially created, and then it was directed as desired.

Other religious organizations, such as the Roman Catholics or Armenians, also have their own saints venerated by the people. However, these figures should not be obstacles on the path to salvation and the true Church of Christ.

— Priest Evgeny Gureev

Do Old Believers and New Ritualists share the same faith?

Salvation can only be attained by uniting with Christ. And one can unite with Christ only by becoming part of His mystical Body—the Church. The Heavenly Church and the earthly Church together form one single Body. Such a Body can only be one.

“He is the head of the body, the Church.”
(Colossians 1:18)

Just as one head can only have one body, so Christ has only one Church. Groups that do not recognize each other cannot form one Body.

“The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.”
(1 Corinthians 12:21)

Christ also said:

“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.”
(Matthew 12:25)

And regarding the Church:

“I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
(Matthew 16:18)

Therefore, the Church cannot be divided or broken. One can only fall away from or break off from the Church through sin. Creating a parallel structure, even one that copies or externally resembles the Church and seems to preserve apostolic succession, cannot establish the Church by human effort. Christ said:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.”
(John 14:6)

Truth can only be one, and that Truth is Christ. This Truth can only be accepted, not recreated.

Old Believers and New Ritualists do not belong to a single church organization and do not partake of the same Chalice of Christ. The New Ritualist Church adopted a very different spirituality from that preserved in the ancient Russian Church and maintained by the Old Believers. A person’s spiritual state cannot be changed by decree or command.

Why, after the schism, were no Russians ordained as bishops in the dominant Church for almost 150 years? Because of the fear that a newly consecrated bishop might defect to the schism, as they called it at the time. It was not until a new spiritual system of education with new instructors was established, tested, and used to train several generations of seminarians and future priests that the Russian Church was firmly directed along its new path. Only when the fruits of Western spirituality were fully assimilated by the majority of the Russian clergy was the episcopate reopened to them.

In the 19th-century Russian theological seminaries, two competing influences—Latin and Protestant—shaped the study of Scripture, Church history, dogmatics, and theology through the works of Catholic and Protestant authors. Traditional Russian Orthodoxy was often mocked, dismissed as ignorance or schism. This spirit remains in the ROC to this day, albeit less overtly. It represents a new psychological type unknown to the ancient Russian Church—a constant sense of emptiness that must always be filled, leading to endless reforms and changes.

The image of the dominant Church in the media and online differs from reality. Books and films often convey correct teachings, quoting the Holy Fathers, but in practice, entirely different principles prevail. A false path leads to destruction. The image of God and ideas about Him may be correct, but the established practices, customs, and spiritual atmosphere may lead in the opposite direction, like misleading signs that divert one from the right path.

Old Believers and New Ritualists share many similarities, but this does not mean they share the same faith. A branch that breaks off from a tree is no longer part of it. Size is irrelevant—after a storm, the wind may topple a large tree, but if a small shoot emerges from living roots, it becomes the true tree, nourished by those roots. The broken trunk, no matter how large, is no longer connected to the source of life and grace.

Similarly, the earthly Church of Christ draws its life-giving grace from its union with Christ. If a group breaks away for political or human reasons, as the large New Ritualist branch once did, it also breaks away from the mystical Body of Christ.

— Priest Evgeny Gureev

Who are the Old Believers?

Old Believers are Orthodox Christians who did not accept the reforms of the Russian Church implemented in the mid-17th century by Patriarch Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. Although the term “Old Ritualist¹” (старообрядцы) is part of the official name of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, it was adopted out of historical necessity and does not fully convey the richness of Orthodox doctrine upheld by the Old Believers.

The term “rite” (обряд) appeared only after the church schism, during the early 18th century under Peter the Great. Christians who did not accept the reform were labeled schismatics by the dominant Church, shifting the blame for the tragic events onto those who sought to preserve the ancient traditions. It wasn’t until the reign of Empress Catherine the Great that a less offensive term—“Old Believers”—was allowed. The guardians of pre-reform church traditions referred to themselves as Ancient Orthodox Christians but accepted the term “Old Believers” to emphasize their external differences from the dominant Church. If the adherents of the ancient faith are called Old Believers, it follows that supporters of the reform could be referred to as New Ritualists.

Today, New Ritualists often claim there is essentially no difference between the old and new rites and that the perceived ignorance of the Old Believers is the only obstacle to the reunification of these two streams of Russian Orthodoxy. However, during the mid-17th century reforms, the exact opposite was asserted: the old rites were declared un-Orthodox and accused of distorting Orthodox doctrine. Those who resisted were forced to accept the changes under threat of excommunication and civil punishment.

By the second half of the 19th century, the work of church historians confirmed that the old rites and practices had been used in the Orthodox Church since ancient times and served as external expressions of Orthodox dogma. In contrast, the new rites and practices introduced by the reform were borrowed from religious movements that had distorted Orthodoxy and failed to fully reflect the depth of Orthodox teaching. For this reason, Orthodox tradition strictly forbids altering certain external practices to avoid harming their internal significance, such as the sign of the cross, the Creed, or the use of leavened bread in the Eucharist.

— Priest Evgeny Gureev

Can salvation only be attained in the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church (РПСЦ)?

The Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church is the modern name for the Church founded by Christ Himself. In the Creed, we profess:

“I believe... in one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.”

By this, we affirm that we preserve the same true faith that once existed throughout the entire universe. We do not require any correction or addition to our faith.

The doctrine of the Church is directly connected with faith in God—not merely as an organization of believers but as the mystical Body of Christ.

What does Holy Scripture say about the Church? Christ says:

“I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
(Matthew 16:18)

That Christ has already established the Church is evidenced by these words:

“And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved.”
(Acts 2:47)

Thus, salvation is not possible outside the Church. If you wish to be saved, you must join the Church, that is, unite with it. The Church is the Body of Christ:

“I now rejoice... for His Body’s sake, which is the Church.”
(Colossians 1:24)

Therefore, the Church is the mystical Body of Christ. Christ said:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.”
(John 14:6)

“One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”
(Ephesians 4:5)

“The Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
(1 Timothy 3:15)

Thus, Christ, the Church, and truth are inseparable concepts. If any community distorts the truth, it ceases to be the Church of Christ. Therefore, salvation can indeed only be attained in the true Church of Christ, which we recognize as the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church—just as humanity was saved in Noah’s ark from the floodwaters. All those outside the ark perished, and the ark was a prefigurement of the Church.

What about those outside the true Church? Will they all perish?

We should not presume to take God’s judgment into our hands. We do not know who will perish or who will be saved—that is God’s domain:

“There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.”
(James 4:12)

We should focus on our own salvation:

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
(Philippians 2:12)

Do not think that you love people more than God does. For their salvation, He came to earth, took on human flesh, suffered on the cross, endured a painful death, and descended into hell.

Those who lived before Christ’s coming or who have never heard of His Church will be judged by the law of their conscience. God looks at a person’s heart. However, the principle of the unity of the Church as the Body of Christ remains crucial. Those who separate themselves from the true Church tear Christ’s robe and alienate themselves from Him. Christ said:

“No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.”
(John 14:6)

Each of us must think in this way: I do not know if heretics or those who have broken away from the Church will be saved—that is not my concern; that is God’s concern. But I know this: if I follow them or abandon the truth, I will perish. I must hold fast to Christ. I must grow in Christ. And Christ is the truth, and to those who love Him and seek the truth, He will always give the opportunity to find and see it—perhaps even through us.

— Priest Evgeny Gureev

How can one cultivate and strengthen their faith?

Scripture repeatedly states:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
(Psalm 110:10; Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 9:10)

But it also says:

“Perfect love casteth out fear.”
(1 John 4:18)

These statements are not contradictory; they describe different stages of spiritual growth. A house must be built starting with the foundation, not the roof. The journey of faith is an upward climb, like ascending a ladder where each step represents a new virtue. The starting point of this journey is the fear of God. The Holy Fathers teach:

“Keep your mind in hell and despair not.”

The fear of God prevents us from straying from the chosen path of salvation. Yet we must also remember the words of the Savior:

“Without Me ye can do nothing.”
(John 15:5)

Thus, the journey of faith must be accompanied by unceasing prayer:

“Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.”
(Mark 9:24)

The best practice is to quietly and continuously say the Jesus Prayer, focusing on each word without haste. This keeps you in constant communion with the Lord.

The Apostle Paul writes:

“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
(Romans 10:17)

Therefore, regularly reading Holy Scripture strengthens and nurtures faith. The Bible offers strength, comfort, and often correction and motivation to keep moving forward, for:

“The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”
(Matthew 11:12)

In addition to Scripture, reading the works of the Holy Fathers is very beneficial. Their writings provide countless practical, hard-earned insights on how to navigate various temptations and challenges.

Frequent counsel from a spiritual father, confession, and partaking of the Holy Mysteries of Christ are also invaluable. It is through the sacraments of the Church that we receive grace, which strengthens us and helps us navigate the stormy sea of life.

The sacrament of confession helps to overcome the heavy burden of pride. Pride distorts our self-awareness, preventing us from accurately assessing our spiritual condition:

“God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
(James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5)

Humility, in turn, helps us avoid despair over the realization that we cannot yet perform the deeds and miracles promised to those who believe. Before attempting to move mountains with the power of faith, we must first remove the mountain of sin that weighs heavily upon each of us.

— Priest Evgeny Gureev

God has revealed to humanity that He is one yet triune in persons. How can we understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity within our limited comprehension? What do the terms person/hypostasis/essence/nature mean? What are the shared and individual properties of the Holy Trinity?

Before delving into the mystery of the Holy Trinity, it is important to understand that God reveals Himself to humanity to the extent that each person is capable of receiving Him. There is cataphatic theology, which speaks of what God is, and apophatic theology, which speaks of God in negative terms—what God is not. It is often easier for humans to articulate what God is not than to fully comprehend the incomprehensible.

This inability to grasp God fully was illustrated to Blessed Augustine when he was walking along the seashore, contemplating the mystery of the Trinity. An angel appeared to him in the form of a child, attempting to pour the entire sea into a small hole in the sand. When Augustine remarked that this was impossible, the angel replied, "Then how can you, with your limited human mind, attempt to comprehend the mysteries of God?"

Nonetheless, using the reason given by God and divine revelations about Himself, the Holy Fathers formulated the Orthodox doctrine of the Trinity. The "great Cappadocians"—Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and Gregory of Nyssa—were particularly instrumental in this effort. During the 4th century, amidst the Arian controversy that engulfed the Church, they effectively developed the Trinitarian terminology we use to this day.

God is simple in His nature because all complexity tends toward dissolution, and God is eternal. God is one in essence, meaning He possesses a single divine nature, but He is triune in persons. The one divine nature is shared among the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, there is no essence (nature) without hypostasis (person). For example, there is no abstract "human nature" apart from its concrete existence in individuals like Ivan, Peter, Nicholas, or Olga, etc. Similarly, the divine nature does not exist in isolation. This singular divine nature is expressed in three persons (hypostases): the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

A hypostasis is the personal manifestation of a nature, the mode of existence of that nature. Each person of the Trinity possesses the shared attribute of divinity, along with unique personal properties. There is one nature but three hypostases—distinctive characteristics of the three persons within the unified divine nature. Personal properties do not overlap; they are unique to each person.

• The personal property of the Father is to beget the Son and to cause the procession of the Holy Spirit.

• The personal property of the Son is to be eternally begotten of the Father.

• The personal property of the Holy Spirit is to proceed eternally from the Father.

Saint John of Damascus writes:

"Although we are taught that there is a distinction between begetting and procession, we do not know what the distinction consists of, nor what the begetting of the Son or the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father is."

These are eternal, timeless relationships within God Himself. They must not be confused with God’s manifestations in time.

— Priest Evgeny Gureev

What is the purpose of human life? Why were we created and born?

To address this, we must first ask: Why did God create humanity? God had no need to create humans. God is the Holy Trinity, and He does not experience loneliness or lack. He created humanity out of the abundance of His love. Like a loving parent, God desires love in return from the beings He created. However, He does not compel it—God granted humanity free will.

Some suggest that one purpose for humanity's creation was to replenish the number of angels who had fallen. After Satan led a third of the angels into rebellion, humanity was intended to restore that number. However, by sinning, the first humans fell and forfeited this opportunity.

Christ descended into the depths of hell to save fallen humanity. The Savior said:

“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
(John 10:10)

The Holy Fathers teach that God became man so that man might become god—god by grace. Therefore, the purpose of every person’s life is to attain this state, the state of theosis (deification). While living on earth, each person must seek the Kingdom of God:

“Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
(Matthew 6:31–33)

“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”
(Matthew 11:12)

Thus, humanity’s task is to struggle against sin and passions. Sin can only be conquered through the power of Christ. By uniting with Christ in the sacraments of the Church—Baptism, the Eucharist—and maintaining this union throughout one’s life by keeping Christ’s commandments, a person attains not only the salvation of their soul but also the state of theosis. This state involves the salvation of both soul and body. Christ came to save the whole person. Ultimately, the individuality of each person does not dissolve into God, as taught by some Eastern religions, but rather, while retaining one’s personal identity, one has the opportunity to live in God for eternity.

— Priest Evgeny Gureev

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1. “Old Believer” and “Old Ritualist” are two terms used interchangeably. The official title of the Old Believer Church uses the term “Old Ritualist” and that is the word used in this question and answer, however, the more common phrase in English is “Old Believer”.