Orthodox Old Believers in the synthesis of cultures of the Trans-Baikal region (on the history of Spiritual Missions of Transbaikalia)

Zykin Alexey PhD in Philology Associate Professor, Head of the Foreign Languages Department, The State Institute of Economics, Finance, Law, and Technology 196601, Russia, Saint Petersburg, Pushkin, ul. Srednaya 6/1-28 zykinalex@mail.ru Other publications by this author     Aref'ev Mikhail Anatol'evich Professor, Head of the Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences and Humanities, St. Petersburg State Agrarian University 196605, Russia, Saint Petersburg, Peterburgskoe highway, 2 ant-daga@mail.ru

Davydenkova Antonina Gileevna Professor, Professor of the Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences and Humanities, St. Petersburg State Agrarian University 196605, Russia, Saint Petersburg, Peterburgskoe highway, 2 ant-daga@mail.ru

This study is not only a logical, but also an important contribution to the study of the cultural activities of the spiritual missions of Transbaikalia ^{[17, pp. 50-63; 18, pp. 134-145]}. It is aimed at studying the role of spiritual missions in the cultural life of this region, as well as the question of how they contributed to the preservation and dissemination of the Orthodox faith and traditional Russian values ^[34].

The Daurian Spiritual Mission was established by the Russian Orthodox Church with the aim of spreading Orthodoxy and Russian culture among the indigenous population of the Daurian land and neighboring regions of Eastern Siberia ^{[13; 14]}. Similar missions have been established in other regions of Siberia and the Far East, including Buryatia, Yakutia and Kamchatka. The work of the Daurian mission included preaching, the establishment of temples and the creation of church schools for the peoples of the region. The mission's priests and monks taught the indigenous population the Orthodox faith, the Russian language, culture and traditions. The ministers also studied the local dialect and created grammars and dictionaries, which made it possible to preserve and disseminate the languages of various indigenous peoples. However, in addition to Orthodox missions, Old Believers also operated in the region, who were unrecognized groups in the Orthodox Church and protested against official church and state authorities. They actively preached their creed and practice, which caused dissatisfaction with the church and the government. As a result, the Old Believers and ministers of Spiritual missions, each in their own way, in a special way, brought Russian culture to this Siberian region of Transbaikalia.

The Daurian Spiritual Mission was established in pursuance of the decree of the government of Fyodor Alekseevich, and its main task was to spread Orthodoxy and Russian culture in Transbaikalia. As part of government policy, the Orthodox mission had a wide range of functions, including preaching the Christian faith, establishing church schools and temples, as well as learning the local language and creating grammars and dictionaries. The creation of the mission was connected with the process of gradual entry of the indigenous peoples of Eastern Siberia into Russian civilization through the knowledge of the Orthodox faith and culture of Russia.

Missionary activity in Central and Eastern Siberia was due to both the large number of local non-Christian population and the active activity of Old Believer communities in this region. This activity caused dissatisfaction with the state and church authorities, who sought to "eradicate the libertines of the holy faith of Christ" and spread Orthodoxy among the indigenous peoples. In this context, regional studies, including studies of regional material culture and spiritual life, play an important role in the study of the history and culture of the Siberian regions. They provide an opportunity to better understand the peculiarities of local spiritual culture, including religious traditions, customs and customs of peoples, as well as their peculiarities of interaction with other cultures and religions. Regional studies can help in the study of many aspects of regional life and culture, from economics and demography to spiritual life and religious traditions. In addition, they help build bridges between different communities and social groups, contributing to understanding and reducing distrust and conflict.

As academician A.O. Boronoev notes, territorial regions are special territories with a specific economic, social and spiritual structure. These territories are also characterized by a certain mentality and norms of behavior that differ from those inherent in other regions and cultures ^{[7, p. 26]}. Regionalism touches upon the issues of spiritual values and moral norms of human behavior and their impact on the formation of culture and society as a whole. Studying regional characteristics allows us to better understand how local culture and traditions affect the behavior and life of people in a given region, as well as how people's needs, values and interests are reflected in the mentality and culture of the region.

The Daurian Spiritual Mission, established in the East Siberian region, aimed to spread the Orthodox faith and Russian culture among the ethnic groups of these territories. Originally consisting of 12 people, the mission set off from Moscow in 1680 and arrived in Tobolsk the same year. The mission's objectives were both to introduce the local population to Christianity and Russian culture, and to strengthen the position of the state in the area. Metropolitan Pavel, the ideological inspirer of missionary work in this region, gave instructions to baptize Gentiles in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. At the same time, he urged not to conflict on religious grounds, which was consistent with the principles of tolerance and religious tolerance. The peculiarity of the formation of Russian civilization, as we emphasize, was that cultural and religious traditions were preserved and developed within the framework of social diversity and tolerance, which made it possible to create a unique interethnic culture and preserve the diversity of the peoples of Russia. This feature was associated with the historical development of Russia and its territorial position, where along with the Russian population there lived other peoples with different cultures and religions ^{[19, p. 42]}. Territorial borders, common historical events and economic interests contributed to the formation of a unified cultural and state identity. However, at the same time, the peculiarities of each region and ethnic group were preserved, which in turn enriched the culture of Russia.

After Metropolitan Paul's order to establish a monastery on the Selenga River or elsewhere to support the Daurian Spiritual Mission, a monastery in the name of the Holy Trinity was founded in 1690. Tsar Feodor Alekseevich and Tsarina Marfa Matveevna, as well as the governor of Tobolsk and stolnik F.A. Golovin, were directly involved in the creation of the monastery. The monastery on the Selenga River and the so-called "Embassy Monastery" turned into spiritual centers of the mission, which called the population of Eastern Siberia, including the Buryats, to the true faith and Russian culture ^{[16; 32, pp. 594-600]}.

Hierodeacon Misail was the head of the Daurian Ecclesiastical Mission and abbot of the Selenga Monastery. In 1699, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite and was entrusted with conducting church affairs in Irkutsk, Selenginsk, Nerchinsk and other cities of Eastern Siberia. He died in 1743 in the Selenginsky monastery ^{[25, pp. 126-127]}. In addition to Misail, Hierodeacon Triphillius from the local princely family of Gantimurov, who was baptized in 1684 in Nerchinsk, was also an active participant in missionary activities. The names of Hieromonk Mitrofan, elder builder Raphael, monk Serapion, and Elder Filaret are also known, who also participated in missionary activities within the framework of the Daurian Spiritual Mission.

It should be noted that in general, the Daurian Spiritual Mission has become the most important tool of the ROC in spreading the Orthodox faith of the XVII-XVIII centuries in Siberia. It made it possible to convert many peoples of Eastern Siberia to Christianity, while maintaining a tolerant approach and the uniqueness of local cultural traditions.

The Daurian Spiritual Mission had at its disposal about 200 acres of land. They were processed using Russian land-use technologies, in addition to this, the mission had 25 pounds of grain from farms of assigned peasants. It should be recalled that monastic peasants were part of serfdom in the Russian Empire, and grain surpluses were a factor in the trade business that contributed to the development of the economy and society of that time as a whole.

By the end of the XVII century, in connection with the development of the Nerchinsk silver ore deposits, land use in Eastern Transbaikalia became a government matter, it contributed to both the development of trade and the industrial state of this region. The economy of this part of the Russian state was intensively developing, where the Daurian Spiritual Mission played its role as a spiritual and economic connector ^[38]. It was also significant that the monasteries of the Daurian mission had the right to settle "passport-free" and fugitives on their lands. The villages of baptized Buryats, also included in the sphere of influence of the mission, contributed to the establishment of a sedentary lifestyle. Monasteries played an important role in regulating the life of peasants, with the help of the monastic charter, and also assisted in the creation of a new type of farming in Transbaikalia – agriculture with the basics of crop production and the organization of various crafts. The development of these new types of management made it possible to create a reliable economic base for the life of newly baptized in the territory of Transbaikalia and contributed to the development of the region as a whole ^{[15, pp. 80-114]}.

A number of modern authors attribute the transition of the Buryats to agriculture to the beginning of the XVIII century and associate it with the adoption of baptism. In reality, this was already happening by the end of the XVII century. This transition to agriculture is considered as the main merit of the intercultural nature of the Daurian Spiritual Mission. Monasteries also helped interethnic marriages of the Russian population with newly baptized Buryat and Tunguska, which became a factor of intercultural interaction, as mixed families, called "Karyms" ^{[8, pp. 292-348; 28, p. 45]}.

A separate area of activity of the Daurian mission is interaction with Northern Buddhism (Lamaism) and the desire to attract Buddhists to Christianity. In 1719, the mission had two monasteries and 14 Orthodox churches for this purpose. The most famous: Bogoroditse-Vladimirskaya and Spasskaya in Verkhny Udinsk, Bogoroditse-Vladimirskaya in Khilok, Mikhailo-Arkhangelskaya in Treskov, Bogoroditse-Kazanskaya in Kolesnikovo, Spasskaya and Pokrovskaya in Selenginsk, Petropavlovsk in Chikoy and others ^{[33, pp. 29-74]}. The establishment of monasteries and churches, as well as the conduct of interfaith activities, stimulated the development of Orthodoxy in Buryatia and Transbaikalia and contributed to the strengthening of Russian influence in this region. In general, Orthodoxy has gradually become one of the most important elements of the cultural and spiritual life of the Buryats and other peoples of Eastern Siberia and Transbaikalia.

After 1734, the Russian government stopped missionary activities in this region of Siberia due to concerns about the negative impact on international relations with China. This led to the fact that in the middle of the XVIII century, Northern Buddhism began to spread widely among the Trans-Baikal Buryats. This happened in connection with the Burin and Kyakhta treaties concluded between Russia and China in 1727-1728. Under the terms of these agreements, Russia pledged not to hinder the promotion of Lamaism in Tibet and other regions where this type of Buddhism was widespread. As a result, Lamaism began to play an important role in the cultural and religious life of the Buryats and other indigenous peoples of Transbaikalia, and it is still one of the characteristic features of this region ^{[2, pp. 108-112; 26, pp. 253-264; 39, pp. 472-477; 40]}.

After the signing of the Burin and Kyakhta treaties, Tibetan and Mongolian lamas began to arrive in Transbaikalia, who, in addition to preaching Buddhism, brought books and Buddhist literature with them. While the spread of the Buddha's creed in Eastern Siberia and Transbaikalia was common to Central Asian culture, the sacralization of this bookishness took place taking into account certain features of the Buryat spiritual culture. Modern researchers identify these features: firstly, we are talking about the fact that the indigenous population began to realize themselves as an outpost of Buddhist bookishness in the conditions of the dominance of Russian bookishness; secondly, Buddhism became a way to overcome paganism (the worldview of shamanism); thirdly, for the Buryat population, psychologically, there came an awareness of isolation from Central Asian Buddhism and the experience of this remoteness ^{[1, p. 157]}.

In addition to the pagan and Buddhist influence on the ethnoculture of Eastern Siberia, as we have already mentioned, the influence of the Old Believers on this region was significant. The Trans-Baikal Old Believers are an important spiritual experience of Russian Orthodox culture in Eastern Siberia and have a long history.

As K.Ya. Kozhurin notes, the Old Believers have their own spiritual leaders and undoubted achievements in all spheres of socio-cultural life in Russia. Russian Russian Believers included many prominent figures of the "great" Russian culture and Russian history. Among them are M.V. Lomonosov, ataman M.I. Platov, poets F.N. Slepushkin and N.A. Klyuev, writers F.V. Gladkov and A.M. Volkov, artist K.S. Petrov-Vodkin and sculptor A.S. Golubkina, academicians B.A. Rybakov and D.S. Likhachev, Minister of the Provisional Government A.I. Guchkov and Soviet Minister of Defense D.F. Ustinov ^{[20, pp. 7-8]}.

There is a significant variety of Old Believers in Transbaikalia – these are the Semey Old Believers who were settled in this territory in the XVIII century. Interest in this group of Old Believers has always been high among researchers and travelers. However, as F.F. Bolonev notes, the available literature on the Semey Old Believers is very one-sided and does not give a complete picture of their life and way of life. Thus, most researchers had the impression of excessive isolation of their way of life, of fanatical devotion to old rituals and faith. Bolonev believes that this approach did not take into account the essence of socio-economic phenomena based on a cursory acquaintance with the life of the Semey Old Believers. Moreover, he points out that the Old Believers went through a significant process of mixing with the surrounding population ^{[4, pp. 125-137]}.

Semey Old Believers are an ethnoconfessional group of Russian Old Believers who were exiled to Transbaikalia from Belarus, Ukraine and Poland – then parts of the Russian Empire in the XVIII century. They were resettled by large families who led a patriarchal lifestyle, which gave rise to the nickname "family". This group of Old Believers preserved the old religious Orthodox tradition and defended their faith in medieval liturgical practice, which was blocked by the church reforms of the tsarist government (the era of Alexei Mikhailovich and Patriarch Nikon). In Transbaikalia, the Semey Old Believers found their home and preserved their traditions and customs, taking into account local cultural elements. There were various features in their lives, such as multiple marriages, a collective lifestyle, and a special religious rite ^[37].

Semey Old Believers arrived in Siberia in the 1760s, and initially their number was about five thousand people. Over time, the number of Semey Old Believers in Transbaikalia has increased significantly. So, since 1782, the number of Semey Old Believers has increased from 4.4 thousand people to 17.9 thousand people by 1850. According to the census of 1897, there were about 40 thousand Semey Old Believers in Russia. Today, the Semey Old Believers are not only a fragment of the spiritual life of Transbaikalia, but also of other regions of Russia (the Republic of Buryatia, the Amur Region, Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories). The predominant ethnological type among the Semey Old Believers is Russian (Slavic), but at the same time there are signs of Ukrainian, Polish and Buryat mestization. The surnames of the Semey Old Believers also indicate mixing with the Buryats, and intermarriage with the local population contributed to the formation of a unique culture of this group of Old Believers.

According to the remark of ethnographer G.M. Osokin, the Semey Old Believers led a proper lifestyle without abusing alcohol, tobacco and debauchery, which had a positive effect on the population of Transbaikalia, giving it a strong, healthy, strong and beautiful type ^{[12; 29]}. The Semey Old Believers are characterized by a southwestern dialect with a certain influence of the Ukrainian and Buryat languages, as well as elements of the Northern Russian and Belarusian dialects. Some Semey Old Believers did not recognize secular literacy and taught their children in the Old Slavic language. They, as a rule, belonged to the Beglopopovsky Vetkov agreement and then to the Belokrinitsky agreement, however, bespopovtsy of the Fedoseevsky, Pomorsky tolkoi, Dark Believers and partially chapels were also represented.

The researchers called the Semey Old Believers a "community of communities", emphasizing their high cohesion and organization. The community was a necessary form of management in conditions of self-isolation from the state and regulated social life, defended the economic interests of peasants, established labor standards and group relations. At public gatherings, elders and a clerk were chosen, and important issues of community life such as land use, distribution of taxes and duties were discussed, as well as public and church holidays were held.

The Old Believers were experts in agriculture and earned fame as the best farmers of the Siberian region. They used a plow and a saban to cultivate the land, and then began using a plow and harrows. Rye, wheat, barley, buckwheat were grown, and garden crops were also mastered. However, the Semey Old Believers were at first extremely skeptical about potatoes (damn apples). They used various agrotechnological techniques in agriculture (damming rivers and streams, digging ditches, etc.). Animal husbandry was not of primary importance to them, since they were predominantly farmers. However, they raised cattle for a subsidiary farm.

In everyday life, the Semey, or as they were also called, the Poles, stood out for their bright and majestic clothes, which were formed during their existence in Poland. Names typical of the Russian North were used in clothing and in the use of jewelry. There were borrowings from Ukrainian and Belarusian cultures, as well as influences from Buryat culture, such as a fur hat and shoes. The festive costume of the Semey men and women was made of expensive colorful fabrics ^{[5; 6; 21; 24; 31, pp. 109-112; 36; 43]}. There were many elements of interethnic cultural influences in their everyday artistic and aesthetic culture, their jewelry and jewelry for clothes were luxurious and bright. In their culture, the influence of Polonaise costumes, which were popular in Poland, as well as elements of Ukrainian, Belarusian and Buryat cultures, was noticeable. The food that the Semeyskys ate was different from the usual Russian cuisine. Due to religious traditions, they had their own dietary peculiarities. It depended on food on fast and fast days. During the fasts, they ate food of vegetable origin, dairy products, without eggs, and on fish days – fish. Semeyskie were famous for baking a variety of buns, gingerbread and rolls, and pies. Their ceremonial food included dishes such as "kutya" – porridge made from millet, which was prepared for Baptism, as well as pancakes and porridges. Despite their distinctive cuisine and clothing, Semey and other Orthodox people had a lot in common in their traditional dishes and attire.

Semey Old Believers greatly appreciated cleanliness and hygiene and took care of their physical and spiritual purity. They welcomed the bath and daily bathing, which was unusual for many peoples of Siberia at that time. Their commitment to cleanliness and hygiene also contributed to the strengthening of interethnic and intercultural relations. Traditions and customs were observed in families, which helped to strengthen ties between family members. They took care of their loved ones and helped them in difficult moments. Mutual assistance is a distinctive feature of the family in everyday and social life.

Questions about the economic and domestic ties of the Semey with other peoples and about the gradual disintegration of the patriarchal family are complex and require additional research. However, it is already known that the Semeyskys were not as closed as is usually assumed. They had many relationships with neighboring villages, exchanging goods, services and marriageable brides. Intermarriage with other Siberian peoples was not uncommon. The gradual disintegration of the patriarchal family in the Semey communities was associated with a change in socio-economic living conditions. With the development of industry and the strengthening of urban life, families ceased to be the main unit of society, and individual interests and needs came to the fore. This has led to a change in traditional roles within the family, an increase in the number of divorces and the emergence of the phenomenon of single mothers. The older generation of Semeysky, who adheres to traditional values, faced contradictions between old and new values and lifestyles of their children and grandchildren. These changes in the family structure affected not only the family, but also other communities and peoples, including the indigenous peoples of Siberia. Despite this, patriarchal values and customs persist in some Semey families to this day, especially in those that preserve the traditions of the old faith. They continue to look at the family as the main unit of society and adhere to strict rules of behavior and relationships within the family.

Semey and Buryats mutually absorbed and assimilated some elements of other cultures in the economic and household spheres. Russian Russians borrowed their experience in farming, building houses and household premises, and mowing, and the Russians, in turn, adopted a lot of valuable cattle breeding from the practice of the Buryats. Buryat names of pets, household items and terms have become entrenched in Russian speech and are still used in everyday conversations. This interpenetration of cultures influenced the formation of special characteristics of the culture and way of life of the Semey. They preserved and developed the old traditions of the Russian people, while assimilating and adopting elements of Buryat culture. Such a synthesis of cultural elements contributed to the preservation of the unique features of culture and national dignity of each nation. As a result of the interaction of Russian and Buryat cultures, some common features have emerged in the culture and everyday life of the Semey, such as taking into account natural conditions in economic activity, the ability to work with different materials, the development of cattle breeding and agriculture. New common holidays and rituals have also appeared, for example, the celebration of the Yakut holiday of Ysy May, which was adopted among the Semey. However, despite the mutual influence, each nation retained its individuality and uniqueness. The Semeyskys have not lost their traditional customs, which represent the heritage of Russian culture, but they have also assimilated and adopted elements of Buryat culture, preserving their national dignity.

Information about the mixed marriages of the Semeyskys with the surrounding population in the literature is quite scarce, but it has been preserved in the national memory. Despite the fact that such marriages were unusual in the traditional Semey culture, they still took place and contributed to the formation of a cultural mix. K. Mikhailov highly appreciated the Semey community, noting its ability to preserve ancient traditions and awareness in adopting innovations that could improve their well-being. This approach emphasizes the importance of pragmatism in the daily life of the Semeyskys, who openly treated innovations if they had a direct benefit ^{[27, p. 5]}.

Consequently, it can be concluded that the Semeyskys, despite preserving their traditional spiritual and material culture, were open to new knowledge and experience, including the culture and customs of the surrounding peoples. The mixing of cultural elements, including intermarriage, has led to the formation of a unique culture and way of life of the Semeyskys, who continue to preserve their individuality and persist in the modern world ^{[27, p. 9]}.

A.P. Belyaev, based on his observations, did not find much rigidity in the life of the Semeyskys and noted their comfortable and well-arranged homes. He also noticed that many young people from Semey had already abandoned their Old-Faith beliefs, but not fanatically and not with ignorance, but rather out of indifference ^{[3, pp. 819-820]}. It was noticeable that the Semeyskys became tolerant of others and open to communication. Many of the wealthy people among the Semey even subscribed and read magazines and newspapers, which testified to their respect for new knowledge and pragmatism.

Such an optimistic view of the life and daily life of the Semeyskys appeared due to the fact that A.P. Belyaev was more open to new ideas and was not biased against the Old Believers. He respected their culture and way of life, giving them a positive assessment in his notes. This shows that there were different approaches to studying and describing the culture and way of life of the Semeyskys, and not all writers and researchers treated them equally. It is also worth noting that the optimistic view of the life of the Semeyskys was due to the fact that they were not poor and had a certain prosperity, which allowed them to have more comfortable and cozy homes, as well as to be interested in modernity.

The Semeyskys maintained their cherished faith and traditions, striving for isolation and solitude, but at the same time they could not help but be influenced by neighbors and changes in public life. They actively interacted with the outside world, which increased the chances of gaining new knowledge and skills, but could also lead to the loss of some old traditions and moral norms. It is important to note that the Semeyskys were able to adapt to changes and accept certain elements of culture until they encountered superficiality and neglect from other cultures. Thus, their ideas and cultural traits were preserved due to their strong spiritual potential and sincere faith in their truths ^{[11, p. 16]}.

Over time, the Semey Old Believers could no longer rely solely on farming, since the sale of bread was economically unprofitable. Instead, they began to pay more attention to animal husbandry and trade, adopting many techniques from the Buryats. They began to produce and sell meat, skins and lard not only in the markets of neighboring cities, but also in the Chinese Empire. They became famous for their merlushki – dried and smoked meat, which was stored for a long time and was in demand by travelers and the local population. Such trade brought Semeysky a good income, which led to the emergence of rich peasants, some of whom became rich on contracts and usury. In general, the Semeyskys began to integrate more and more into the economy of the Siberian region and find their place in public life. They continued to preserve their traditions and customs, but were also ready for innovations and changes in life ^{[30, p. 228]}.

As the researchers noted, the developing commodity-money relations have led to the stratification of family communities and Russian society as a whole. Some Semeyskis began to profit from their farms by hiring Siberians and Buryats, thereby becoming capitalists. At the same time, some Semeyskys were unable to purchase land, which also contributed to the strengthening of social inequalities in Semey society ^{[10, pp. 60-62]}. M.M. Shmulevich wrote that some peasants from Old Believer communities found themselves in a very difficult situation, unable to fulfill administrative requirements and acquire land. This created inequality and injustice in public life ^{[41, p. 136]}.

With the development of commodity-money relations and an increasing number of smallholdings, Semeysky's ties with other segments of the population are strengthening. Many Old Believer families are looking for additional income on the side. According to A.A. Lebedeva, this was a very common phenomenon at the end of the 19th century. Some of the families settled in the mines, worked on the railways, earned money from haulage, as well as household work in their village or urgently. In small-land families, where there were free hands, even whole families went to the mines, selling off the remains of their ruined farm ^{[22, p. 100]}.

Various life phenomena, such as marital mixing, economic and social contacts, have invaded the lives of the Semeyskys, bringing fresh trends to their way of life and culture. One of the reasons for the intermarriage of Old Believers with representatives of other nationalities was the small number of Old Believers themselves in the early years of their life beyond Lake Baikal. However, marriages were prohibited up to the eighth degree of kinship, which significantly limited their choice, and marriages between people of different persuasions and consents were not allowed ^{[30, p. 228]}.

Undivided families, where several married brothers lived with their parents, also created their own peculiarities in the life of the family. Family ties and neighborhood ties also had a great influence on their way of life and culture. In general, the life of the Semeyskys in Siberia was peculiar, combining traditions, limitations and new opportunities provided by the economic and social situation of the region ^{[23, p. 323]}.

Undivided families, where several married brothers lived with their parents, were common in family communities and were a stable tradition. Such families maintained a common household, working on common allotments and distributing labor among themselves. Family ties also played an important role in the life of the family, including ties with godfathers and mothers, who were considered especially close, as well as with neighbors and close relatives ^{[42, p. 138]}. At the same time, the Semeyskys faced limitations arising from various factors. Restrictions on marriage and choice of partner limited freedom of choice and proportionality of life. Undivided families could also limit the opportunities of younger family members and create tension within the family ^{[22, p. 101]}.

The high percentage of large undivided families in Semey communities significantly limited the number of Old Believer families and could lead to marriages with representatives of other nationalities. Economic reasons could also play a role in choosing a partner, especially in low-land conditions. Often, the Semeyskis rented land from the Buryats or gave them part of their cattle for grazing in the summer, which helped to establish economic ties and increase economic benefits for the Semeyskis. The Old Believers, mixing with representatives of other nationalities of the region, most often converted them to their faith, baptized them according to the old rites, which contributed to the preservation and dissemination of Old Believer traditions and rituals.

The mixing of cultures and nationalities, the creation of new economic and social ties strengthened interaction between family communities, expanded opportunities for the exchange of experience and knowledge, and also contributed to the creation of new and useful connections between people. In general, the life of the Semeyskys in Siberia during this period was peculiar and rich in various phenomena, contributing to the unique culture and history of Siberia ^{[35, p. 129]}.

Marriages of Old Believers with representatives of other ethnic groups in the region were often concluded due to economic or cultural considerations, as well as under pressure from circumstances such as orphanhood or removal to cities. However, such marriages could also lead to the expansion of interethnic ties, strengthening mutual understanding and accelerated integration of different cultures. Interethnic marriages were often associated with the expansion of economic ties and the natural unification of people in common household jobs. Sometimes such marriages were not officially registered, which could create some legal problems. However, in many cases, the Semeyskys found opportunities for official marriages and paperwork ^{[4, p. 131]}.

The Old Believer culture and the life of the Semeyskys attracted many exiles and representatives of other nationalities. This was due to the labor and material attractiveness of the life of the family and their farms, as well as the attractiveness and uniqueness of the Old Believer culture and faith. In some cases, exiles and representatives of other Siberian ethnic groups, having become acquainted with the life of the Semeyskys, accepted their faith and customs and sometimes converted to Old Believers. History has captured examples of the transition of the Buryats and representatives of other ethnic groups of Siberia to the Old Believers. This indicates the spread of Old Believer culture in the region and its influence on representatives of other nationalities ^{[9, l.1]}.

However, there were other situations, such as the transition from Old Believers to Orthodoxy, which was associated not only with religious conversion, but also with socio-economic conditions, such as marriage or marriage to a representative of another denomination. In general, such cases indicate that religious community has not always been an independent factor in social life. On the contrary, it was often subordinated to broader social mechanisms, such as the marriage market, economic well-being, social status, etc. ^{[9, l. 201-202]}.

As a general conclusion, we note that, firstly, intercultural interaction in Eastern Siberia continues to this day. The region is a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional territory inhabited by representatives of different peoples and cultural traditions. In today's globalized world, the study of the ethnic and cultural history of Eastern Siberia can become one of the critically important steps for the preservation and protection of cultural heritage and intercultural interaction.

Secondly, the Daurian Spiritual Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church became at one time a significant factor in the spiritual and social life of Transbaikalia. Her work improved the living conditions of local residents and contributed to the preservation and development of the cultural heritage of the region. She influenced the formation of the multicultural character of the region and made an important contribution to the development of intercultural dialogue. The influence of the spiritual mission of the Russian Orthodox Church is felt to this day, when people of different nationalities and faiths continue to live in the territory of Transbaikalia. Actually, ethnic and confessional differences have become one of the components of the region's image in terms of the versatility of cultural heritage, which makes the region attractive not only for tourists, but also for cultural and social research.

Thirdly, the spiritual and social influence of Semey Old Believers on intercultural interaction and intercultural communication in Transbaikalia is still an important factor in the formation of a multicultural, bilingual environment in this region of Russia and arouses interest from researchers and the scientific community.

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