The image of the Patriarch is strongly positive. From the Russian Orthodox Church Russians expect more openness to the public and less corruption in its affaires.

MOSCOW, June 29, 2012. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing the attitudes of Russians towards the patriarch Kirill; what changes in the Church`s performance Russians have mentioned since his enthronement; what they would like to reform in the performance of the Church and it priests.

The personality of the patriarch Kirill still evokes the feeling of respect among Russians who know who he is (46%). The share of those who feel hope (27%), trust (19%), or liking (17%) toward him is still high. Negative emotions are mentioned rarer: distrust – 4%, disappointment – 2%, scepsis, disliking, condemnation – 1% (each). Only 13% are indifferent towards him.

 As a year ago, most of respondents do not mention any changes in the performance of the Russian Orthodox Church since the enthronement of Kirill, however, the number of such respondents has decreased (from 83 to 78%).   The remainder mention the rapprochement between the ROC and the people (4%), restoration of the churches (3%), closer interaction between the ROC and the state, extension of the Church’s influence  (2%, each),  increased attention towards moral education of the public (1%) et cet. Among the negative aspects Russians mention higher level of corruption (3%). And for the first time respondents have mentioned the increased attention to the church from the mass media (1%).

At the same time, Russians do not want to change anything in the activity of the Russian Orthodox Church and its priests (53%). The remainder would like the church to deal exclusively with religious affairs (4%), or to actively promote them, to cancel fees for religious rituals and trade in the church (3%, each), to attract youth to the churches (2%), not to interfere in politics, to put more attention to the mental education, to introduce the religious studies at schools (1%, each). One-third of respondents are hard to answer the question about what exactly they would like to change in the performance of the church.

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted June 16-17, 2012. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

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!