Panarin O. Migration of Russian Old Believers (the second half of the XVII – the beginning of the XX century).

The study addresses the problems of the Old Believers’ migration. The main achievements of historical science are analyzed and the level of Old Believers’ migrations studying was outlined. The main directions of Old Believers’ migration were established and the main migration centers in different periods were determined proceeding from published and unpublished sources. It was established that in the middle of the 17th century the Moscow Patriarch Nikon implemented reform, which led to the loss of the Orthodox confessional unity of the Moscow kingdom. It was found that the first migrations of the Old Believers’ began immediately after the reform and were associated with the persecution of dissidents. It was shown that the main directions Old Believers’ migration that were established in the second half of the 17th century remained relevant until the end of the 19th century. The influence of the state policy on the Old Believers’ migration was characterized. It was proved that the governmental and religious measures against the Old Believers’ were the main reasons for their migration. At the same time, the intensification of measures against the Old Believers’ supporters led to an increase the number of migrants and the formation of new migration areas and centers. The study demonstrated the evolution of governmental measures for the Old Believers’ migration during the 17th and early 20th centuries, and it was found that the struggle for "purity of faith" at certain stages became a political and economic issue.