The Popovtsy represented the more moderate conservative opposition, who strove to continue religious and church life as it had existed before the reforms of Patriarch Nikon.
They recognised ordained priests from the new style Russian Orthodox church who joined the Old Believers and who had denounced the Nikonian reforms.
Around 1800, a group of Popovtsy, mainly merchants from Moscow seeking the abrogation of discriminating legislation which obstructed their commercial activities, offered to acknowledge the leadership of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox State Church, on condition that they would be allowed to use the old books and rites.
In 1859, the number of Old Believer bishops in Russia had reached ten, and they established their own episcopate, the so-called Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy.
During the Soviet period, the social strata which had been traditionally the backbone of the Old Believer population - peasants, cossacks, craftsmen, artisans, merchants and entrepreneurs, were practically extinguished.