The article examines the everyday details of the life of the Skoptsy of the Irkutsk province in the 30s–40s of the 19th century. The study is based on information from two cases of 1832 and 1848 on the disclosure by the priests of the local parish of a secret community of the Skoptsy in the village of Golumet’. Despite the rather close attention to the topic of non-traditional religious movements, many archival materials on this topic are still not in demand. The article presents the ritual and medical aspects of the life of Skoptsy: descriptions of methods of emasculation, characteristic self-restraints in everyday life, and even individual ideological views of eunuchs. Thanks to archival materials, it was possible to determine common, characteristic features of behavior for all members of the sect, their social portrait. According to the author, their survival was of particular importance for the sect, therefore, the issue of secrecy during meetings, conversations, ritual actions was given the greatest importance. The Skoptsy communities were distinguished by special cohesion, and all those caught in adherence to the Skoptsy ideas dismissed accusations of propaganda of such, as well as the fact that they themselves had been taught by someone. Despite the persecution by the secular and spiritual authorities, but thanks to a special model of behavior, the sect, like some others (Molokans, Subbotniks, Khlysty), existed for many years and continued to recruit new followers into its ranks. The work revealed the main features that distinguished the members of the sect, which is quite consistent with the ethnographic and scientific information available at the moment.
Keywords: sects, eunuchs, religious movements, Siberia of the 19th century, the Orthodox Church
DOI: 10.22250/2072-8662.2021.4.26-33
About the author
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Roman A. Evtekhov – Candidate of Historical Sciences, Researcher, Department of History and Theory of Politics; |