Sectarianism in the lower Volga frontier in the XIX century: pescherokopateley sect

Abstract

The purpose of the article is in analyzing the ritual practice and internal rules of the Pescherokopateli sect, operating on the Low Volga frontier – the Astrakhan province in the middle of the 19^th century. As well as  the introduction of new data on the Russian mystical sects the key objective of the article is carrying out a comparative study of the Pescherokopatelis’ rituals and their doctrine and the similar rituals of the Old Believers’ communities and sects: the Pomors, the Fedoseevists in particular, and the Khlyst and the Scopic sects. The characteristics of the Sect leaders is provided. Based upon the study of the Pescherokopatelis’ ritualism and internal regulations and their attitude to a religious marriage and sex, the Pescherokopatelis’ pertaining to the Khlystian is approved.

The guidelines on the sectionalism intensification on the frontier territories are provided. There is also provided the data on the confessional population structure of the Astrakhan province, according to which the Low Volga frontier is considered as one of the hearts of the sectionalism in the South of Russia. The article states about forming of the missionary orthodox Astrakhan Cyril and Methodius Fellowship as a centrally-controlled organization, which stands against sectionalism and dissent and implements the discourse of the Russian Orthodox Church of the end of the 19^th century, aimed at the «internal mission» conduct.

The comparative analysis is the methodological framework of the research.