LIPOVENIAN RUSSIANS FROM SOUTHERN BUCOVINA
1. Settlement, demographic situation and organization in the territory
Historical sources show that the Lipovans were settled in Stupca and Lipoveni / Sokalinci (Mitocul Dragomirnei) before the Russo-Turkish war of 1768-1774. At the outbreak of this war, the Lipovans took refuge in the Russian Empire because they feared the persecution that the Moldovan authorities, then a province of the Ottoman Empire, could launch against them. After 1778, some of the departed Lipovans returned to Lipoveni, founding a colony in which they gradually became the majority from an ethnic point of view.
In 1780, after the entry of Bucovina into the Austrian Empire, the Climăuți colony of Lipovans was founded, on the Tarnauca estate, a village owned by the Putna monastery. The colony in question was founded by 20 Lipovan families who came from Moldova. In 1785-1786, the process of establishing the Lipovan colony from Fântăna Albă (Belaia Krinița) was completed, where in 1844 the foundations of a monastery were laid. In 1846, in this locality from the Chernivtsi region, the metropolis of the old rite believers from all over the world was established.
In 1837, the fourth colony of Lipovans from Bucovina was founded in the village of Mihodra. A few years later, a new colony of Lipovans was founded nearby, on the territory of the village of Lucavăț on Siret, where the Lipovans from Mihodra also moved.
The historian Johann Polek showed that in 1844, 1696 Lipovan Russians already lived in Bucovina, their number reaching 2986 in 1868 and 3232 in 1910.
The Lipovan settlers stood out in Bucovina as good farmers, vegetable growers and fruit growers, being divided into 3 groups: those who had priests (“popovți”), those without priests (“bezpopovți”) and the worshipers of the Mother of God (“bohorodniki” ).
The 1930 census recorded the existence of 3218 Lipovans in Bucovina, most of them living in Climăuți, Fântâna Albă, Lipoveni and Lucavățul de Jos.
The 1992 census recorded the existence of 2614 Russians in Suceava County. Most of them were Russians from Lipova, who lived in Climăuți and Lipoveni. The 2002 census indicated the presence of 1433 ethnic Russians in Suceava County. About 900 Russians live in Manolea locality from Forăști commune, Suceava county. These are not the descendants of the old settlers during the Austrian period, but the descendants of those who emigrated from the former Russian Empire after 1917, due to anti-religious persecution.
The Community of Lipovan Russians in Romania (CRLR) is led by Silviu Feodor, deputy in the Romanian parliament. In Suceava County, there are branches of this organization in Climăuți, Gura Humorului (president Miftode Timofte), Suceava (president Timofeiov Simion).
We mention that Mrs. Palaghia (Paula) Radion, history teacher at the Technical College „Mihai Băcescu” from Fălticeni is a member of the Board of Directors of CRLR, president of the Commission of Culture, Cults and book publishing. At the same time, she is the editor-in-chief of the magazine “Kitej-Grad”, a monthly periodical of culture and history of the Lipovan Russian Community in Romania. The second periodical of this organization is called “Zozri” (Dawn).
2. Customs (traditions)
The traditions of the Lipovan Russians are decisively influenced by their religion and by the fact that, until now, they are “old” rite believers, followers of the Julian calendar. Bucovina is a special area for the old rite believers because, until 1940, the headquarters of the metropolis of old rite believers around the world was located at Fântâna Albă (Belaia Krinița) in the Chernivtsi region. This headquarters then moved to Brăila, where it is still today.
In addition, in Manolea locality (Forăști commune, Suceava county) there are two religious settlements of the Lipovan Russians: the monastery of monks “Saint Nicholas of Winter” (feast celebrated on December 19) and the nunnery “Mother of God in Tikhvinsk”.
Unlike the other Orthodox, the Lipovan Russians make the sign of the cross with two fingers, a gesture that refers to the divine and human nature of Jesus Christ and the priests officiate the liturgy with seven prescuri instead of five. At the same time, the Lipovan Russians have at least one set of clothes that they wear only at church.
The religious traditions of the Lipovan Russians are mainly related to Christmas, New Year and Easter.
2.1. Christmas celebration
For the Lipovan Russians, Christmas is celebrated in the old style, on January 7th. Before Cвятки (Christmas Holidays), the whole house is cleaned, the pork is cut and the dishes are prepared. Special attention is paid to the cleaning of crucifixes and icons from the “corner with icons” (Божнuчкa). As an element of novelty, currently the Lipovan Russians are also preparing the Christmas tree.
On the eve of the eve, all family members participate in the night liturgy (Oьᴄенощная). On Christmas Day, after Mass, the priest gives the release for fasting (paᴣᴤaьлeнue), after which the family sits down at a hearty meal and waits for carols.
rii (xpиcтacлaвщики). They, in groups of 4-6 people, first carol the parish priest, then go to the carol of acquaintances. A single carol is sung, “Christ is born” (Xpucmoc Poжᴏaemcя). Depending on their age, they are rewarded with wine, cakes, etc.
2.2. New Year’s celebration. For the Lipovan Russians, New Year’s Eve is not a “party” celebration, but an exclusively religious one (Saint Basil the Great), in which total fasting is held.
2.3. Epiphany. It is celebrated on January 19. The priest sanctifies the house, the yard, the barn, the stable with holy water. As with Ukrainians or Romanians, the holy water is kept over the year, being considered a medicine and a means of protection against unclean spirits.
2.4. Easter holidays
Very important is the Week of Leaving the Century (Maslenița). Then the believers sing happy songs and eat traditional dishes made from milk and cheese, especially the famous vareniki (dumplings then filled with cheese) and blini (pancakes, then also prepared with cheese).
On the Flowers, when the entrance of Jesus is celebrated (the Lipovan Russians prefer the form of Jesus) in Jerusalem, a lot of grass is put on the floor in the church, the believers holding in their hands willow twigs, a substitute for the palm twigs in the bible.
On the morning of the Resurrection, the dishes brought to the church are consecrated. Easter is celebrated in the family, with a menu and in a way similar to that of Romanians and Ukrainians. The Easter lamb is not found in the tradition of the Lipovan Russians.
During Easter, the Lipovans who meet kiss three times, saying Christ voskrese! (Christ is risen!) And receiving the answer Voistinu voskrese! (He really is risen!).
2.5. The change of face of the Lord. Celebrated on August 19, also called “apple festival”. Apples are consecrated with a ritual similar to the consecration of dishes on the morning of the first day of Easter.
3. Proverbs and stories
The proverbs and stories circulating among the Lipovan Russians in Bucovina generally concern man’s relations with God and evil spirits, with animals, with the household and family life. We further present a series of representative samples in this regard.
1. To guard against the goat from the front, from the horse from behind, and from the evil man from all sides.
2. The devil does not plow, he does not dig, but he teaches people evil.
3. God let go, and the devil went around.
4. He has no horse or cart but wants to get on.
5. The fox fools seven wolves.
The lazy wife
There was once a woman with a man. His wife was an unparalleled lazy woman who didn’t want to do anything. Thinking and unable to bear it, the man once said to her:
– Wife, why don’t you work?
And his wife answered him,
– I don’t have time.
– Why don’t you twist, at least?
“Because I don’t have a whirlwind.” Go to the forest, cut down a tree and whirl me. Then I’ll spin.
The man took his ax and went to the forest. His wife told him to cut down a certain tree from this place. She hurried down another path, reached the man, found a hole, and nestled in it.
The man arrived and was preparing to cut down the tree. Suddenly the woman’s voice echoed:
– Christian, don’t make a fuss because your wife is going to die!
The peasant wanted to make the whirlwind, but he did not want his wife to die. That’s why he went home. The wife managed to get home before him and lay down in the oven.
“Man, why didn’t you whirl?”
“I don’t want you to die, and he started telling her what and how.”
“That’s right,” said the sly wife.
After a while, the peasant went to whirl again. The wife went the other way and spoke as she had last time. Merciful by nature, the man did not whirl even then.
And the third time things happened the same way.
For the fourth time, however, the peasant cut down the tree, saying:
“I’m still going to make a fuss, even if my wife dies.”
He made the whirlwind, brought it home, but in the meantime the bride arrived home and lay down in the oven.
The man said to her:
“Woman, I brought you the whirlwind!”
– But why? As I begin to spin, I will die!
Not having anything to do, the woman took some linen and sat down to spin. He spun the first two threads, and at the third hand he fell, and she fell to the floor and began to growl. It looked like he was going to die. The man finally realized that his wife was pretending.
“Don’t die, I’m going to resurrect you right away!”
The woman said nothing because she was apparently giving up her spirit!
The peasant then grabbed a whip and began beating it. His wife jumped to her feet and ran away.
The man beat her until the woman admitted that it was all laziness. She became a hard-working wife, and the husbands began to make a living.
