The Strigolniki (singular Strigólnik– in Russian) were followers of a Russian religious sect in the middle of the 14th and first half of the 15th century, established in Pskov and later in Novgorod and Tver. The origins of the name remain unclear. Some historians believe it has something to do with handicrafts that the first Strigolniki were engaged in, such as cloth-cutting or hairdressing (it appears that the word strigolnik derives from the Russian root strig-, which connotes cutting or trimming. Others think the name comes from a special initiation ceremony (a specific haircut, or strizhka), performed by a deacon named Karp – a supposed founder of the sect (together with deacon Nikita) yet others think it could mean that these people refused to either grow a beard or cut their beards when they entered churches. Active participants of the sect were tradespeople and low-ranking clergy. They renounced all ecclesiastic hierarchy and monasticism, sacraments done by Orthodox clergy due to recognizing the Orthodox priesthood as illegitimate: priesthood, communion, penance, and baptism, which had been accompanied by large fees ("extortions", in their view) to the benefit of the clergy. Criticizing and exposing the venality, vices, and ignorance of the priests, the Strigolniki demanded the right to a religious sermon for laymen. Their sermons were full of social motifs: they reproached the rich for enslaving the free and the poor. Beliefs There is some debate if Strigolniki were "heretical", if they were a proto-Protestant movement inside Orthodoxy, being similar to Lollardy or the Hussites or if they merely opposed the priesthood. The Strigolniki movement has been suggested to have had Iconoclastic tendencies, though it is not clear if they came out against the use of icons, it is clearer that they came out against monasticism. The Strigolniki opposed the Orthodox church, refusing to recognize its bishops and priests, the Strigolniki denied going to Orthodox churches and instead gathered in separate meetings. They are also known to have criticized Orthodox priests whom they called "drunkards". Karetnikova suggested that the Strigolniki were a response to changes in the Orthodox church, wanting to return from ritualism to the simplicity of New Testament Christianity, emphasizing the spiritual meaning of the sacraments and basing their views primarily on scripture, seeing it as their ultimate authority. Petrushko on the other hand argued that In the attitude of the Strigolniki about the Church and Church hierarchy, though there are