NIKON (?????? ?????) Nikita Minin (1605-1681) was a Russian religious; Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church from 1652 to 1658. During his stay at the throne of Moscow introduced a number of reforms in the liturgical texts and religious practices that will result in a schism; called Raskol; within the Church itself; at that time reigning Tsar Alexis (1645-1676 ). Illustration; colored engraving; taken from 1653 survey of miniature