Page 84 - Terra-SGR-2018

LIPOVENII DIN BRĂILA

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prof. Leonard Marian Gheorghe

Abstract. Most of the studies in this field claim that the Lipovans represent an
etnoconfesional group of Russian origin which from religious reasons emigrated mainly
towards Romanian historical territories. The history of this coinhabiting ethnicity, here in the
Romanian areas, begins with the occasion of the schism initiated inside the Russian church by
Patriarch Nikon. The lipovans or the starovers didn’t agree with the modifications introduced
by Nikon and decided to leave Russia in huge numbers and move away to Poland, Ukraine, the
Ottoman Empire or the Romanian countries. The term “lipovan” comes from the word “lipa”
which means “linden”. Some scholars believe that the term comes from the name of a well-
known starover leader named Filip or represents a nickname given to this group by the
Ukrainians. In Braila city, the lipovans settled down in Pisc area where they have built two
churches in the old rite (style), Some time ago, in the city was a lipovan neighborhood too,
called Comorofca, well-known in Panait Istrati’s work. Nowadays most of the lipovans from
our city live in Pisc area situated at the outskirts of Braila. Is has been noticed, on the basis of
the 2002 and 2011 census a decrease in the number of Russian lipovans ethnics which is due to
the lowering of the birth rate and also because of the emigration of some families towards the
west of Europe. Braila becomes, starting from 1940, the spiritual center of old rite orthodox
people from all around the world, as a result of the fact that the first church of the lipovans is
turned into a Metropolitan Church. At the 2011 census it was revealed that the starovers from
Braila are ranked as the second religion in town after the Romanian Orthodoxies. Lipovan
customs and traditions on the one hand and lipovan architecture on the other keep unchanged
the Russian spirit so obvious in Pisc neighborhood. Religious holidays are celebrated
according to the old calendar.

Key words: lipovans, Nikon, Pisc neighborhood, Comorofca neighborhood, Braila,
old rite Metropolitan church

Introducere
Pe parcursul mai multor decenii, în Brăila, s-a constituit un solid mozaic
interetnic conferindu-i orașului port de la Dunăre un statut multicultural cu
totul aparte. Alături de armeni, greci sau evrei, lipovenii reprezintă o
comunitate puternică, care și-a conservat în timp religia, tradițiile și obiceiurile,
în ciuda obstacolelor politico-religioase, care au intervenit de-a lungul istoriei
moderne sau contemporane.
Lipovenii din Brăila au fost prezentați publicului cititor prin intermediul
revistelor „Zorile” sau „Kitej-Grad”, dar și prin intermediul unor volume scrise
de către profesorul de limba română Ioan Munteanu („Străzile Brăilei”,
„Cartierele Brăilei”) sau a unor lucrări, precum „Greci, evrei, ruși lipoveni,
turci... Brăila”, publicate sub egida Muzeului Brăilei.

1 Colegiul Economic „Ion Ghica”, Brăila.

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