The numerous changes in both texts and rites occupied approximately 400 pages. Old Believers present the following as the most crucial changes:
Old Practice New Practice Spelling of JesusCreedSign of the CrossNumber of Prosphora in the Liturgy Direction of Procession Alleluia Glory be to the Father

Ісусъ	Іисусъ
рождена, а не сотворена (begotten but not made); И в Дѹха Свѧтаго, Господа истиннаго и Животворѧщаго (And in the Holy Ghost, the True Lord, the Giver of Life)	рождена, не сотворена (begotten not made); И в Дѹха Свѧтаго, Господа Животворѧщаго (And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, the Giver of Life)
Two fingers, straightened	Three fingers, straightened
Seven Prosphora	Five Prosphora
Sunwise	Counter-Sunwise
Аллилуїa, аллилуїa, слава Тебѣ, Боже (Alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, o God)	Аллилуїa, аллилуїa, аллилуїa, слава Тебѣ, Боже (thrice alleluia)
Слава Отцѹ и Сынѹ и Свѧтомѹ Дѹхѹ, И нынe и приснω и во вѣки вѣкωмъ. Аминь. (Slava Otsu i Synu i Svyatomu Dukhu, i nynie i prisno i vo vieki viekom. Amin.)	Слава Отцѹ и Сынѹ и Свѧтомѹ Дѹхѹ, И нынe и приснω и во вѣки вѣкωвъ. Аминь. (... i vo vieki viekov. Amin)

Notes on other differences appear below. Modern readers may perceive these alterations as trivial, but the faithful of that time saw rituals and dogmas as strongly interconnected: church rituals had from the very beginning represented and symbolised doctrinal truth (see the section on Justification of Old Belief below). Furthermore, the authorities imposed the reforms in an autocratic fashion, with no consultation of the people who would become subject to them, and the reaction against the so-called Nikonian reforms would have objected as much to the manner of imposition as to the actual alterations. In addition, changes often occurred arbitrarily in the texts. For example, wherever the books read 'Христосъ' ("Christ"), Nikon's assistants substituted 'Сынъ' ("the Son"), and wherever they read 'Сынъ' they substituted 'Христосъ'. Another example is that wherever the books read 'Церковь' ("Church"), Nikon substituted 'Храмъ' ("Temple") and vice-versa. The perceived arbitrariness of the changes infuriated the faithful, who resented needless change for the sake of change.