Onthe basis of archivalmaterials,the article examinesthe initial period oftheformation ofthe “secular” coreligionism inthe Nikolaevsk district after its incorporation into the Samara province. The accession of the Old Believers to the ROC was carried out by bureaucratic methods, which subsequently led to the repeated deviation into the split of the majority of newly minted coreligionists. Among other reasons for the reduction in the number of coreligionists were active opposition from the local leaders of the Old Believers, adherence to family tradition and the desire for complete independence from the diocesan authorities. The types of religious apostasy are considered, as well as the implementation of the practice of “exhortations”, which made it possible to preserve the main сo-religionist communities in this region.