The Romanovs and the Church Schism: Old Believers and the Great Reforms

The Romanov Dynasty: Rise, Power, and Bloody End — Fexingo History · May 8, 2026 · 6m · transcript

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the complex relationship between the Romanov dynasty and the Russian Orthodox Church, focusing on the 17th-century schism (Raskol) and its enduring impact. They discuss Patriarch Nikon's liturgical reforms, the resistance of the Old Believers, the tragic siege of the Solovetsky Monastery, and the martyrdom of Archpriest Avvakum. The conversation also covers how later Romanovs, especially Peter the Great and Catherine the Great, managed the Old Believer communities, balancing repression with economic pragmatism. The episode reveals how a religious…