Results of our studies

MOSCOW, April 1, 2010.  Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data concerning how many Russians are going to celebrate Easter and what way are they going to do it.

This year 87% of Russians are going to celebrate Easter. The most traditional way of celebrating is cooking of Easter dishes and it even became more popular (from 45% in 2005 to 71% this year).

42% of respondents are going to make a visit or invite guests, 34% are going to sanctify Easter cakes and other Easter dishes (5 years ago - 14%). Such tradition remains to be popular as going to cemetery (30%). There are fewer respondents who plan to make presents (12%, 5 years ago - 1%) or visit night service (8%, 5 years ago - 3%).  

Easter is mostly celebrated by the majority of orthodox believers (95%) although it is popular among followers of other Christian branches (70%) or atheists (48%). For instance, Easter cakes will be cooked by three fourths of orthodox believers (55%) and every third atheist (33%).

Celebrating Easter is familiar to inhabitants of all regions (88-89%) excluding Urals and Far East - hear the percentage is lower (71 and 74%). First of all residents of North-Western (84%), Volga and Siberian (81%) districts will cook Easter cakes and other dishes. Inhabitants of Central district will sanctify them (50%), the majority of those who wants visit night service is in Urals district (21%).  

  The initiative Russian opinion poll was conducted on March 27-28, 2010. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4 %. 

 

Are you going to celebrate Easter? If yes how are you going to do it?  (close-ended question, one answer)

 

April 2005

April 2008

April 2009

April 2010

I will cook Easter dishes (eggs, paskha, cake)

46

60

64

71

I will sanctify cakes, eggs and paskha in church

14

21

27

34

I will go to night service

3

4

8

8

I will invite guests or make a visit myself

23

30

38

42

I will go to cemetery  

11

16

29

30

I will make presents to my relatives

1

4

7

12

Other

3

3

2

1

I won't celebrate Easter

12

6

12

8

Hard to tell

3

7

4

5

Are you going to celebrate Easter? If yes how are you going to do it?  (close-ended question, one answer)

 

Total respondents

Federal districts*

CFD

NWFD

SFD

PFD

UFD

SFD

DFD

I will cook Easter dishes (eggs, paskha, cake)

71

61

84

64

81

60

81

68

I will sanctify cakes, eggs and paskha in church

34

50

33

41

21

45

18

18

I will go to night service

8

10

6

7

6

21

5

4

I will invite guests or make a visit myself

42

42

39

44

50

37

40

29

I will go to cemetery  

30

44

18

44

28

32

10

7

I will make presents to my relatives

12

13

7

3

21

16

8

10

Other

8

5

11

8

7

12

8

21

I won't celebrate Easter

1

2

0

3

1

0

0

0

Hard to tell

5

6

1

4

4

17

3

5

Are you going to celebrate Easter? If yes how are you going to do it?  (close-ended question, one answer)

 

Total respondents

Followers of  Orthodoxy

Followers of other Christian branches

Atheist, vacillating between faith and unbelief

I will cook Easter dishes (eggs, paskha, cake)

71

79

55

33

I will sanctify cakes, eggs and paskha in church

34

41

6

6

I will go to night service

8

10

0

1

I will invite guests or make a visit myself

42

47

33

22

I will go to cemetery  

30

34

21

15

I will make presents to my relatives

12

14

12

3

Other

8

1

6

1

I won't celebrate Easter

1

2

24

39

Hard to tell

5

3

0

13

 *Used abbreviations:  

  • CFD - Central Federal District
  • NWFD - North-Western Federal District
  • SFD - Southern Federal District
  • PFD - Volga Federal District
  • UFD - Urals Federal District
  • SFD - Siberian Federal District
  • DFD - Far-Eastern Federal District

 

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

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