Istra is a town and the administrative center of Istrinsky District in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Istra River, 40 kilometers (25 mi) west of Moscow, on the Moscow–Riga railway. Population: 35,111 (2010 Russian census); 33,652 (2002 Census); 35,046 (1989 Soviet census). It was previously known as Voskresenskoye, Voskresensk.

Nikon, born Nikita Minin was the seventh Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus' of the Russian Orthodox Church, serving officially from 1652 to 1666. He was renowned for his eloquence, energy, piety and close ties to Tsar Alexis of Russia. Nikon introduced many reforms, including liturgical reforms that were unpopular among conservatives. These divisions eventually led to a lasting schism known as Raskol (schism) in the Russian Orthodox Church. For many years, he was a dominant political figure, often equaling or even overshadowing the Tsar. In December 1667, Nikon was tried by a synod of church officials, deprived of all his sacerdotal functions, and reduced to the status of a simple monk.