In 1666, a schism within the Russian Orthodox Church led to the persecution of the Old Believers, a group that rejected the liturgical reforms imposed by Patriarch Nikon. This conflict resulted in severe repression, forcing many Old Believers into exile or underground practices. The suppression and subsequent revival of these communities highlighted the tensions between tradition and reform in Russian society.

The suppression and revival of Russian Old Believers preserved traditional Slavic religious poetry, influencing writers like Fyodor Dostoevsky. Their explorations of faith, dissent, and the human condition in the face of oppression enriched the tapestry of Russian literature and poetry.