Doukhobor

The Doukhobors or Dukhobors (Russian:Духоборы, Dukhobory, earlier Dukhobortsy, Russian:Духоборцы; literally "Spirit-Wаrriors of Christ") are a Spiritual Christian religious group of Russian origin. With support from the Canadian government, 7500 moved to Western Canada around 1900. They were pacifists who lived in communes that rejected personal materialism and had little use for schools. When one faction, the "Sons of Freedom", began using arson and nude marches as protest techniques, they became highly controversial. The government took back most of their Saskatchewan land in 1907, and their leader Peter V. Verigin led most of them to new colonies in British Columbia. Verigin was assassinated in 1924 by persons unknown, and his son took over.