Page 27 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

A POR TRAIT OF EST ONIA , LA T VIA AND LITHU ANIA 25

result was the Russian term
raksol (schism) and their
subsequent perse cution. Many
Old Believers fled from Russia,
and today the main
communities in the Baltic
States are around Lake Peipsi
(see p127) in Estonia and in the
Latgale region of Latvia.
Differences in rites include
making the sign of the cross
with two fingers (the Orthodox
church now uses three) and
changes to the wording of the
Creed. Old Believers regard
shaving a man’s beard as sinful, Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit, Vilnius, Lithuania
and there are restrictions on
smoking tobacco. Members Counter-Reformation, the trained and there was an
often wear long traditional Catholic Church’s response increased use of indigenous
Russian shirts. to the threat posed by languages for religious
Lutheranism. The newly activities. The first Bible in
established Jesuit order built Latvian was pub lished in 1689
schools and made efforts to by the Lutheran theologian
use the native language, also Ernst Glück (1654–1705).
emphasizing the importance There was a brief revival
of the Virgin Mary in an in religious activity after
attempt to win back worship- inde pendence from the
pers. Today Lithuania is the oppres sive Soviet regime,
only country out of the three during which many churches
Baltic States where religion is had been converted for other
central to national identity. uses. Although Estonia and
Latvia are still officially
Lutheran, partici pation has
Protestantism
declined in recent years and
The Reformation was quickly there are now marginally
felt in Estonia and Western more Catholics than Lutherans
Latvia with the introduction of in Latvia.
the revolutionary ideas
Old Believers’ Church, made of wood, near of Lutheranism, a major
Lake Peipsi branch of Protestant
Christianity. The
offshoot empha sized
Catholicism
receiving God’s grace
Catholicism was brought to through faith alone,
the region by force, with Pope rather than through
Innocent III authorizing a good works. It first
crusade against the north ern appeared in Estonian
pagans in 1198. The areas urban centres during
which are now known as the 1520s. Initially, the
Estonia and Latvia fell first, landowners resisted
with Lithuania hanging on the change, but soon
until 1387. they recognized it as a
The new religion was useful way to resist the
regarded as alien by the indi- influence of the Pope.
genous population, a feeling Peasants were
exacerbated by the use of expected to follow the
Latin in services. Catholicism faith of their landlords.
found its strongest roots in The new beliefs were
Eastern Latvia and Lithuania, further bolstered by
both under the influence of Swedish rule in the
Poland. These foundations 17th century, when
were strengthened by the more pastors were Virgin Mary’s Lutheran Church, Otepää