The Russian Church split over how many fingers to cross oneself with.

1653 · 1666 · apart: 13 years

Nikon's reform replaced two fingers with three and a double 'hallelujah' with a triple one, and Old Believers saw the number of the beast in the year 1666.

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The event

• Schism of the Russian Church1666–1667 · Moscow. The Great Moscow Synod of 1666–1667 upheld Patriarch Nikon's church reforms and anathematised those who kept the old rite. This gave rise to the Old Believers; their leader Archpriest Avvakum was exiled and later burned.

17th century

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