MOSCOW, January 17, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information on why Russians think that our compatriots are becoming increasingly interested in religion and what, according to their viewpoint, the relationship between the state and the Orthodox Church should be like in our country.

People strive after religion first of all as they want to stay close to the national heritage; see faith as their moral ideal; seek consolation in their grief or misfortunes they have to face, as 19-21% for each of the options above identify. Less often respondents associate this taste for religion with the faith people have in the supernatural, divine disposal or just fashion (9-10% for each of the options). No more than 3% explain this eagerness to believe by the ignorance or backwardness of people.

Every tenth respondent does not specify that people nowadays demonstrate any special bent for religion; this point of view is more characteristic of the youth aged 18-24 (16%) than of more senior respondents (8-11%). The youth tends more to associate the interest that people express towards religion first of all with eagerness to stay closer to the national heritage (21%), the middle-age generation (aged 35-44) predominantly associates the fact with the search for consolation in misfortunes that people have to face (24%), whereas the older generation (60 years and more) sees the reason in the desire to be closer to the national heritage as well as in striving after the moral ideal. (22-23% for each of the two options).

The next president should give preference to the Russian Orthodox Church out of all confessions, as more than half of respondents believe (55%). This includes 45% who assume that he should not necessarily be a religious person himself, but should treat the Russian Orthodox Church with respect, support it and attend all public worship attributed to religious holidays. Another 10% suppose that the new president should be a religious person and actively support the Russian Orthodox Church.

One third of respondents (34%) consider that the next president should treat all religions equally and adhere to the principle of separation of the church from the state. This assertion enjoys more support in Moscow and St. Petersburg (43%) than in other cities, towns or villages of the country (32-34%).

The initiative all-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on August 25-26, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.