 | This article includes a list ofgeneral references, butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations. Please help toimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(March 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
липоване (Russian) | |
|---|---|
 Lipovans during a ceremony in front of the Lipovan church in the Romanian village ofSlava Cercheză in 2004 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Romania | 23,487[1] |
 Bulgaria | 700–800[1] |
| Languages | |
| Russian,Romanian,Ukrainian,Bulgarian | |
| Religion | |
| Old Believers (Eastern Orthodox Christianity) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Russians | |
TheLipovans orLippovans[a] are ethnicRussianOld Believers living inRomania,Ukraine,Moldova andBulgaria who settled in thePrincipality of Moldavia, in the east of thePrincipality of Wallachia (Muntenia), and in the regions ofDobruja andBudjak during the 17th and 18th centuries. According to the2011 Romanian census, there are a total of 23,487 Lipovans inRomania, mostly living inNorthern Dobruja, inTulcea County but also inConstanța County, and in the cities ofIași,Brăila andBucharest. InBulgaria, they inhabit two villages:Kazashko andTataritsa.[1]
The origin of the name of the Lipovans is not known exactly, but it may come from thelinden trees ("lipa" orлипа inRussian) of the area they populate bordering theWild Fields. LinguistVictor Vascenco [et] considers this to befolk etymology.[2] Another hypothesis claims the name derives from the name "Filipp" (1672-1742) which is alleged to have been the true name of the son ofNikita Pustosvyat (d.1683) who according to a legend led the group ofdissenters who emigrated to what is now Romania, his adepts being namedfilippovtsy which becamelipovtsi and finallylipovane.[2] Another hypothesis derives it from "Filippovka", a holiday name dedicated toSaint Philip of Moscow.[citation needed]
The Lipovans emigrated from Russia in the 18th century, asdissenters from the mainRussian Orthodox Church. They settled along thePrut River inMoldavia and in theDanube Delta. They have maintained strong religious traditions which predate the reforms of theRussian Orthodox Church undertaken during the rule ofPatriarch Nikon. When the Patriarchmade changes to worship in 1652, some believers carried on worshipping in the "old way". In that sense, they continued to speakOld Russian, tocross themselves with two fingers instead of three, and to keep their beards. The Russian government and the Orthodox Church persecuted them, and as a result various sects arose whose goal was to commit suicide, e.g.,by burning themselves (self-burners: сожигатели,sozhigateli),[3] with many others being forced to emigrate.
Lipovans were considered to beschismatic by theRussian Orthodox Church, although relations have improved recently. (See main article onOld Believers.)[citation needed]
The main centre of the Lipovan community in Ukraine is the town ofVylkove, which has its own church, theSt Nicholas Church. In order to construct their homes, the Lipovans create islets of dry land by digging mud out from trenches and making a series of canals. The house walls are made ofreed and mud,[4][5] andthatching is standard for the roofing.
