Non-possessors (russian: нестяжатели, ''nestyazhateli'') belonged to a 16th-century movement in the

Russian Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = ru , image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg , imagewidth = , alt = , caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia , abbreviation = ROC , type ...

in opposition to ecclesiastical land-ownership. It was led by Nil of Sora and later

Maximus the Greek Maximus the Greek, also known as Maximos the Greek or Maksim Grek (; ; –1556), was a Greek monk, publicist, writer, scholar, and translator active in Russia. He is also called Maximos the Hagiorite (), as well as Maximus the Philosopher.. His ...

and others and was opposed to the Josephites led by Joseph of Volokolamsk and later Archbishop Theodosius II of Novgorod. It was finally defeated at the Stoglav Council in 1551.John Meyendorff, Rome ''Constantinople and Moscow: Historical and Theological Studies'' (Crestwood NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1996), 179-180. The non-possessors are similar to other movements in Christianity, the

Spiritual Franciscans The Fraticelli (Italian for "Little Brethren") or Spiritual Franciscans opposed changes to the rule of Saint Francis of Assisi, especially with regard to poverty, and regarded the wealth of the Church as scandalous, and that of individual church ...

for example, in that they believed that ownership of land and the Church's possession of wealth in general had corrupted the church. The non-possessors also believed that the Church should not forcibly convert or persecute heretics or pagans, but should patiently work to convert them to the true faith.

References

Christian movements Russian Orthodox Church in Russia History of the Russian Orthodox Church Communalism {{Orthodoxy-stub