Community of Christian abstainers in Russia
Communities of Christian abstainers (also abstinent Трезвеники or Churikovians Чуриковцы) are two Christian communities in Saint Petersburg and Wyriza . They strive for a life of their members without alcohol and go back to the abstinence communities of Johannes Tschurikow in the early 20th century.
history
1884-1917
Ivan Tschurikow, a farmer from the Samara Governorate, had lived in Saint Petersburg since 1884 . He began to give lectures among the common people, in which he called for strict abstinence from alcohol consumption as a prerequisite for spiritual salvation. He had many followers and was now called Johannes. In 1897 he was expelled from Petersburg because of anti-Orthodox positions and because he called against the census of that year. He went back to the Samara Governorate and founded the abstinence society there .
In 1900 Johannes returned to Saint Petersburg. He was then arrested and taken to the monastery prison in the Redeemer Euthymios Monastery in Suzdal . After four months he was released after the entry of liberal Petersburgers. They provided him with a house on St. Peter's Island in which he could hold his meetings. These were visited by up to 2000 people every Sunday. John then founded a house of prayer in Obuchowo , which became the center of the movement.
In 1905 he bought land near Wyriza and founded a colony. This operated livestock and grain cultivation. Since 1910 they were vegetarian. In 1914 the society was officially recognized by the Consistory of the Russian Orthodox Church in Saint Petersburg.
1917-1929
After the February Revolution of 1917, the Society in Obuchowo was allowed to hold further meetings. In 1918 the colony in Wyritsa was renamed the labor commune of the abstainers of brother Johannes Tschurikow . In 1923 the movement joined the renewal movement of the True Church and separated from the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1924 the municipality received a diploma for its achievements at the regional agricultural exhibition.
In 1928 the house in Oruchowo was closed and the community withdrew to Wyriza. In 1929 Johannes Tschurikow and his supporters were arrested. He died in custody in 1933.
The society continued to meet in secret for meetings.
present
In 1991 two different Christian communities emerged
- Orthodox Society of Christian Abstainers of Brother John Churikov (Православное Общество Христиан-Трезвеников Братца Иоанна Чурикова) in Saint Petersburg. She sees in Johannes Tschurikow a saint and prophet and regards herself as Russian Orthodox
- Society of Spiritual Christian Abstinents of Brother John Churikov (Общество Духовных Христиан-Трезвеников Братца Иоанна Чурикова) in Vyritsa. Johannes Tschurikow sees them as of divine origin and is free church-oriented.
See also
- List of Christian communities in Russia
- Abstinence Movement in Western Europe