www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Old-Ritualists Forum Recent photos of Russian Old Believers in Oregon

The Russian Old Believers’ community in and around Woodburn, Oregon, is one of many settlements of Old Believers around the world. These recent photos by Hakan Axelsson give viewers an idea of the unique cultural attributes Russian Old Believers around Willamette Valley possess. If you have never visited a Russian Old Believer community, you have a photographic treat awaiting you.

http://blogs.evergreen.edu/hakan/blog/2011/05/31/1a-old-belivers-woodburn-oregon/

Old Believers are often seen as “religious traditionalists” and for insiders it takes courage to step outside the traditional norms. The Russian Old Believers Enhancement Services organization (R.O.B.E.S - http://www.robesnorthwest.org/) has taken this chance by once a year opening up a public GALA event to share their culture on a grand scale. This well-organized fund raising event gives participants an opportunity to get a sense of the Russian Old Believers unique culture when it comes to their dresses, sashes, handmade embroidery, the Russian language and all the different ethnic foods that they have collected on their journeys before they settled down in Woodburn, Oregon, USA.

http://blogs.evergreen.edu/hakan/bl...ganization-focus-on-the-next-generation/

Hakan Axelsson is a student at Evergreen State College in a Documentary Photography class. On these websites, you will find information and examples of photos he took during the Spring quarter of 2011.

Most impressive collection of photos. How startlingly they contrast with the Amish who I grew up among. Can someone (Neil?) tell me which of the numerous Old Believer groups discussed on this forum these folks would be classified with? Thanks.

Jim

Jim,

I'll have to read through some of the material (this particular site that Tom has unearthed and R.O.B.E.S. itself are both totally new to me). I won't have a chance to spend any real time looking it over before Sunday. Even then, I'm not sure that it will come down to a single group.

Although there isn't usually a lot of cross-over among the various Concords (bodies), the Woodburn OR area is, to Old Believers and Old Ritualists in the western US, the equivalent of what western PA is to the Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox - everyone is represented there or in the surrounding area. Reportedly, the landscape is dotted with small Bespopovotsy worship houses, as well as Popovotsy temples. School systems in the area, with the assistance of the U of Oregon, developed materials years ago to familiarize teachers with the cultural aspects of the communities. The Benedictine abbey houses (or still did, last I heard) an Old Believer/Old Ritualist museum. Etc, etc.

As far as I know, about the only mainstream groups not represented there are the Edinovertsi (those in communion with the Russian Orthodox Church/MP) and Russian Greek-Catholic Old Believers (who once had a small presence in conjunction with the Benedictine Abbey).

If I can nail this down to a specific group, I'll let you know. (Deacon Randy/Diak or Father Serge may be able to offer insight in that regard as well.)

Many years,

Neil

Neil

Thanks. This community is something I had never even heard of. It is fascinating.

Jim

JimG,

As a result of seeing this photo exhibit, you expressed an interest in Oregon's Russian Old Believer community. Until Neil gets back to you, I thought you might like to read these two articles - one on the Dresses of Old Believers (some of which appear in the photos) and the other on the History of Oregon's Old Believer Community.

http://www.corvalliscommunitypages.com/Europe/Russia_slavs/oldbelieversall.htm

There is a treasure trove of information on Old Believers in the topics on this Old-Ritualists Forum as well as the whole internet. Some of it is from ordinary, popular publications and videos, some from scholarly, academic sources. I have also learned a lot from Old Believers themselves, a few of whom are on this Forum. If there is anything you want to know, please feel free to post it here and we will all try to help you.

Here are more websites with information on the Old Believers of Oregon.

The Archive of Russian Old Ritualist Resources [synaxis.info] contains instructional materials, literary resources, histories, and theological studies on Old Belief in Russian and English.

This Teacher Guide for Old Believers [folkstreams.net] is from a booklet written to accompany the 1981 release of a film on Old Believers in Oregon. The guide includes an introduction, discussion topics, and a bibliography.

Finally, there is a Church Tour [synaxis.info] of the exterior and interior of the Church of the Ascension (Belokrinitsa Hierarchy of Old Believers) in Gervais, Oregon. You may recognize it from the photo exhibit.

[Linked Image]

Unfortunately he hasn't given a caption for this one.

I believe that this photo was taken at Our Lady of Tikhvin Center which is located at Mount Angel Benedictine Abbey under the care of Brother Ambrose Moorman, a Benedictine, who I think (although I never met him) is pictured here. Brother Ambrose created the museum several decades ago. He and I have corresponded with each other and talked by phone several years ago.

For more information, see this Forum thread.

I trust that Neil or someone else more knowlegeable than I can correct me.

Tom,

That may indeed be Brother Ambrose. I also suspect that photo to be of Brother Ambrose in his younger days, as I vaguely recollect a conversation with a dear friend who is a Russian Orthodox hieromonk in Italy (also named Ambrose), who met Brother Ambrose on the occasion of such a trip.

As far as I know, Brother Ambrose is still living. He was born June 18, 1934, so he'll be 77 yrs of age in about 10 days. (He celebrated his 55th anniversary as a Benedictine a couple of months ago - having made his profession on April 3, 1956.)

May God grant him many years.

Many years,

Neil