A church from the past lives on in RTD’s Old Believers documentaries
A schism in the Eastern Orthodox Church three centuries ago led to those wishing to keep the closed and disciplined communities of old breaking away from the main body of the church. These Old Believers, as they’re known, became ostracised in Russia and many travelled across the world so they could have the religious freedom they wished. Old Believers can be found in Bolivia, South America, and the wilds of Alaska in the United States. Nowadays, some of these families are returning to Russia, discovering how to make a new life in their motherland.