In the last quarter of the 18th century, the cemetery became a spiritual center of "popovtsi" Old Believers - a denomination that relied on professional, ordained clergy rather than informal spiritual leaders. By the beginning of the 19th century, popovtsi built three churches (or chapels). The oldest, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, was laid down in 1776 (on the site of present-day Saint Nicholas church of the Orthodox denomination). By the end of Alexander I reign, the sloboda around the cemetery grew up into a small town with five convents; informal leadership of the Cemetery was vested to Mother Pulcheria (born Pelagea Shevlyukova), and later father Ivan Yastrebov, who gained influence in September 1812 for saving treasures of Rogozhskoe from the French troops.