“Russia’s Amish” in Armenia

Omnik has just been to visit some Molokans in Armenia:

The Molokans are a Russian sect, often known as the “old believers,” who left Russia for the Southern Caucasus in 1830 although their origins can be traced back to the 16th century. Often considered the Russian equivalent of the Amish, the Molokans are a closed and very strict community.

[…] Anyway, until the article is ready, just to say that it’s quite a pleasant albeit very bizarre experience to be in a village in Armenia where most of the children are fiercely blonde, blue-eyed and can only speak Russian.

I can’t wait to read the finished article.

Tagged as: Caucasus

{ 1 comment }

Andy Conovaloff 06.12.05 at 1:14 pm: “Molokans” are NOT “Old Believers” (Russian: “Stary very”) which is a seperate Orthodox faith. The “Old Beleivers” are Russian Orthodox. Molokans are not Russian Orthodox. See more at http://www.molokane.org/molokan

The religious belief or faith of Molokans may be “old”, going back to the 1600s, and they are classified as dissident or a sect, meaning “Russian but not Orthodox”. “Old Believers” are Russian and Orthodox, but refused to modernize during Church reforms in the 1600s, about the same time that many Russians refused to follow the Orthodox Church entirely. Herein lies the confusion for those who did not really understand their history.