Editing Alexis of Russia (section)

===Schism with the Old Believers===
[[File:PhilipandNikon.jpg|thumb|left|Alexis praying before the relics of [[Philip II, Metropolitan of Moscow|Phillip II]] in the presence of [[Patriarch Nikon]], by [[Alexander Litovchenko]]]] 
{{Main|Raskol}}
In 1653, [[Patriarch Nikon]] established a series of reforms that aimed to bring the practices of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] into line with its [[Greek Orthodox Church|Greek counterpart]]. Most notably, the church began to mandate the use of three fingers instead of two in making the [[Sign of the Cross|sign of the cross]]. This resulted in significant dissent among the church community. Nevertheless, Alexis continued to support Nikon until 1658, when Nikon abandoned his post due to a personal insult, leaving the seat of the patriarch vacant.<ref name="Moss 2002 208–209">{{cite book|last=Moss|first=Walter|title=A History of Russia: To 1917|year=2002|publisher=Anthem Press|pages=208–209|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BXgNSFIEJ2QC&pg=PA209|isbn=9781843310235}}</ref>

In 1666, the tsar convened the [[Great Moscow Synod]], which was attended by Patriarch [[Macarius III Ibn al-Za'im]] and Patriarch [[Paisius of Alexandria]], in order to address the problems caused by Nikon. The synod agreed to formally depose Nikon, and also decided to excommunicate all who opposed the reforms of the church; those opponents broke away from the official Russian Orthodox Church to form the [[Old Believers]] movement.<ref name="Moss 2002 208–209"/>

Across Russia, Old Believers were harshly persecuted. One such old believer was [[Avvakum]] "the leader of the old Believers". Avvakum "had his wife and children buried alive in front of him; he himself was just exiled".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Montefiore |first=Simon Sebag |title=The Romanovs |publisher=Vintage Books |year=2016 |isbn=9780307280510 |location=United States |pages=43–59 |language=English}}</ref> 

Several old believers fled to the monastery of Solovki which had revolted in the [[Solovetsky Monastery uprising]]. The monastery would be besieged for seven years until 22 January 1676 which was a few days before Alexis's death on 8 February 1676.