Traditions of preservation kinship in the culture of Ust-Tsilma Old-Believers

The traditional views of the Russian Old Believers-bespopovtsians, living in Ust- Tsilma region of the Komi Republic, on kinship, high value of the kindred rela- tionships and their maintenance are discussed. The study of the spiritual tradi- tions of the Old Believers' families is due to the actualization of this issue in modern life, as the state seeks to pursue an active family policy aimed at streng- thening its foundations and increasing the birth rate. The kinship and its main- tenance had always been of fundamental importance in the culture of the Old Believers of Ust-Tsilma, which was reflected in the names of kinship and proper- ties, which had differences from the all-Russian names. The terminology of kin- ship is highlighted, revealing the degree of kinship relations by direct and later- al branches. The labor and ceremonial traditions contributed to the maintenance of family relationships: it is well known that one of the objectives of creating a family was to receive mutual aid from in-law relatives. Festive communication, consisting in guest-dinner parties, arranged alternately in the homes of rela- tives, contributed to the unification of the clan. Currently the project "Ance- stral home" operates in Ust-Tsilma district, aimed at preserving family traditions, restoring the genealogies, creating family museums that are of interest not only among locals but also among tourists and scientists. Field materials collected by the author - dialects, oral stories of the Ust-Tsilma residents, revealing people's understanding of the importance of maintaining kinship and ways of strengthening the attachment to family life - served as a source for writing the paper.