What is "skoptsy"

Skoptsy \Skop*tsy"\, n. pl. See Raskolnik.

Raskolnik \Ras*kol"nik\ (r[a^]s*k[o^]l"n[i^]k), n.; pl. Raskolniki (r[a^]s*k[o^]l"n[i^]k*[=e]) or Raskolniks. The name applied by the Russian government to any subject of the Greek faith who dissents from the established church. The Raskolniki embrace many sects, whose common characteristic is a clinging to antique traditions, habits, and customs. The schism originated in 1667 in an ecclesiastical dispute as to the correctness of the translation of the religious books. The dissenters, who have been continually persecuted, are believed to number about 20,000,000, although the Holy Synod officially puts the number at about 2,000,000. They are officially divided into three groups according to the degree of their variance from orthodox beliefs and observances, as follows: I. ``Most obnoxious.'' the

Judaizers; the

Molokane, who refuse to recognize civil authority or to take oaths; the

Dukhobortsy, or

Dukhobors, who are communistic, marry without ceremony, and believe that Christ was human, but that his soul reappears at intervals in living men; the

Khlysty, who countenance anthropolatory, are ascetics, practice continual self-flagellation, and reject marriage; the

Skoptsy, who practice castration; and a section of the

Bezpopovtsy, or priestless sect, which disbelieve in prayers for the Czar and in marriage. II. ``Obnoxious:'' the

Bezpopovtsy, who pray for the Czar and recognize marriage. III. ``Least obnoxious:'' the

Popovtsy, who dissent from the orthodox church in minor points only. [Written also rascolnik.]

The Skoptsy (, also transliterated as Skoptzy, Skoptzi, Skoptsi, Skopzi, Scoptsy, Skapetz, and other spellings) were a secret sect in Tsarist Russia. The Skoptsy are best known for practicing castration of men and the mastectomy of women in accordance with their teachings against sexual lust. The movement originated as an offshoot of the sect known as the "People of God" and was first noted in the late 18th century. The Skoptsy were persecuted by the imperial government and later by the Soviet Union, but enjoyed substantial growth before fading into obscurity by the mid-20th century.