MOSCOW, March 13, 2019. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a study devoted to Great Lent.
Every fourth respondent (25%) who follows the Orthodox tradition observes fast to a certain extent, including 14% of those observing only Great Lent, 9% keeping most of the fasts, and 2% of those who keep any fast.
Today more Russians observe the Great Lent traditions and try to limit themselves. Coloring Easter eggs is the most popular tradition (60%); the share of those who do this has increased by 17% since 2015. The percentage of people abstaining from alcohol during Lent has dramatically risen (from 20% in 2015 to 54% in 2019). Every second (52%) tries not to eat fatty foods; a further 47% do not eat animal-derived foods. More than one-third of respondents (39%) pay attention to what they say and quit swearing during Lent; 38% abandon evil thoughts.
Going to services held in churches is a common tradition during the Orthodox Lent: 36% of Russians do this. Thirty-four percent of respondents give alms. Every third (32%) quits smoking; every fourth takes communion, abstains from entertainment and goes to confession (25%, each). Twenty-four percent of respondents pray daily during Lent; 18% maintain sexual abstinence (vs 7% in 2015).
VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on March 7, 2019. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Do you normally observe Orthodox fasts? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Orthodox respondents (70%)) | ||
| 2018 | 2019 г |
No, I don’t | 71 | 75 |
I observe only Great Lent | 13 | 14 |
I observe most of the fasts but not every fast | 12 | 9 |
I strictly observe every fast | 3 | 2 |
Refusal to answer | 1 | 0 |
Which of the following do you usually do during Great Lent? (closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who observe orthodox fasts to a certain extent (25%)) | ||
| 2015 | 2019 |
Coloring Easter eggs | 43 | 60 |
Abstaining from alcohol | 20 | 54 |
Abstaining from fatty foods | 14 | 52 |
Abstaining from animal-derived foods (meat, dairy products, etc.) | 11 | 47 |
Quitting swearing | 18 | 39 |
Abstaining from evil thoughts | 19 | 38 |
Going to church services | - | 36 |
Giving alms | 16 | 34 |
Quitting smoking | 14 | 32 |
Taking communion | 8 | 25 |
Avoiding entertainment | 11 | 25 |
Going to confession | - | 25 |
Praying on a daily basis | 11 | 24 |
Abstaining from sex | 7 | 18 |
Other | 1 | 4 |
Don’t know | 30 | 3 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!