# Fedoseevtsy

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'''Fedoseevtsy''', also '''Fedoseyans''' ({{Langx|ru|федосеевцы, феодосиевцы|fedoseevtsy, feodosievtsy}}), sometimes anglicised as '''Theodosians''', comprise a dissident [religious movement](/source/religious_movement) formed in [Imperial Russia](/source/Imperial_Russia). They have become one of the denominations among the [Bespopovtsy](/source/Bespopovtsy) (the priestless [Old Believers](/source/Old_Believers)), along with the [Pomortsy](/source/Pomorian_Old-Orthodox_Church), the Beguny and the Filippovtsy.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://mustreadalaska.com/alexander-dolitsky-traditions-of-the-20th-century-russian-old-believers-in-alaska/ |title= Alexander Dolitsky: Traditions of the 20th Century Russian Old Believers in Alaska |last= Downing |first= Suzanne |date= 8 January 2022 |website= Must Read Alaska |publisher= |access-date= 22 April 2026 |quote=}}</ref>

The movement was established in the 1690s in [Novgorod](/source/Novgorod).<ref name="Priestless">Е. М. Юхименко, А. И. Мальцев, Е. А. Агеева, [https://www.pravenc.ru/text/print/78246.html БЕСПОПОВЦЫ], [Orthodox Encyclopedia](/source/Orthodox_Encyclopedia), ‘’Bespopovtsy’’, 2009.</ref> It was founded by an ex-[deacon](/source/deacon) {{ill|Feodosy Vasilyev|ru|Феодосий Васильев}} (1661–1711), and originated amidst Old Believers (mostly [peasant](/source/peasant)s and [posad](/source/posad) people) in Northwest [Russia](/source/Russia).<ref name=NRM1>{{cite web |url= https://newreligiousmovements.org/f/fedoseevtsy/ |title= Fedoseevtsy |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website= New Religious Movements |publisher= |access-date= 22 April 2026 |quote=}}</ref> The Fedoseevtsy disapproved of a certain group within the Bespopovtsy, namely the [Pomortsy](/source/Pomortsy), who had been diverging from the strict principles of the Old Believers and had adopted the custom of praying for the [Tsar](/source/Tsar) ({{Lang|ru|моление за царя}}). Initially, the Fedoseevtsy were irreconcilable towards [serfdom in Russia](/source/Russian_serfdom) and observed strict [asceticism](/source/asceticism), negating the institution of [marriage](/source/marriage).<ref name="Priestless" /> 

By 1706, Vasilyev had announced a formal split from the Pomortsy group, although they continued to have a good relationship for the most part.<ref name="Priestless" />   

The group grew over time, and after Vasilyev’s death, members were to be found in Poland, Livonia and Wallachia as well as Novgorod-Pskov.<ref name="Priestless" />

In the late-18th century, the Fedoseevtsy centered on a group led by {{ill|Ilya Kovylin|ru|Ковылин, Илья Алексеевич}} (1731–1809) with their all-Russian "headquarters" at the [Preobrazhenskoye cemetery](/source/Preobrazhenskoye_cemetery) in [Moscow](/source/Moscow). With the development of [social inequality](/source/social_inequality) among the Fedoseevtsy, their [doctrine](/source/doctrine) gradually began to lose its elements of social protest. In 1848 they adopted the custom of praying for the Tsar.<ref name=NRM1 /> In the second half of the 19th century, a group of the so-called "newlyweds" ({{Lang|ru|новожёны}}) detached itself from the Fedoseevtsy movement, acknowledging the institution of marriage.

The Old-Pomorian Old-Orthodox Church of Fedoseyan Confession was established in 2014.

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* ''Быковский И. К.'' Преображенский приход старообрядцев-феодосиевцев старопоморского благочестия в Москве. — М.: 1907.
* ''Миловидов В. Ф.'' Старообрядчество в прошлом и настоящем. — М.: 1969.
* ''Подмазов А.'' Современное старообрядчество в Латвии. — Рига: 1969.
* ''Попов Н. И.'' Из истории Преображенского кладбища. — М.: 1862.
* ''Попов Н. И.'' Материалы для истории беспоповских согласий в Москве, феодосиевцев Преображенского кладбища и поморского монинского согласия. — М.: 1870.
* ''Попов Н. И.'' Сборник для истории старообрядчества. Т. 1 — М.: 1864.
* [http://www.pavel-prusskiy.ru/lib/preob_kladbishe.html Преображенское кладбище и его прошлое] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201083621/http://pavel-prusskiy.ru/lib/preob_kladbishe.html |date=2020-02-01 }}. — М.: Тов. типографии А. И. Мамонтова, 1901. − 64 с.
* {{ВТ-ЭСБЕ|Федосеевщина}}

==External links==
* [http://www.staropomor.ru/index.html Fedoseevtsy website]
* [https://www.europeanproceedings.com/article/10.15405/epsbs.2021.05.02.113     ''Laboratory Of Miracles: Russian Old Believers And Relics Of Novgorod'', by Ilia Melnikov, 27 May 2021 (European Proceedings website)]

Category:Old Believers

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fedoseevtsy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fedoseevtsy) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fedoseevtsy?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.