MOSCOW, April 16, 2009. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data on what religious regulations Russians keep to, what they think is celebrated on Easter, and how Russians celebrate this holiday.
Russians think that Easter is a celebration of Christ's Resurrection (44%) or just a holiday associated with Jesus Christ (21%). There are also those who think that this is a Day of Remembrance (3%), Birthday of Christ or celebration of unity and purification (2% for each). Respondents who think that Easter mark the end of fasting and the beginning of spring are 1 % for each group. 28% of Russians were undecided on what is celebrated on Easter.
First of all, Russians celebrate Easter by making special Easter dishes such as "paskha", "kulich" and others (64%); other 27% take Easter dishes to church for blessing. In 38% of cases Russians receive guests and make visits (most of them are middle-sized cities and smaller localities residents - 42-44%), 29% of respondents go to cemeteries. Rarer Russians tend to go to Easter vigil service (8%) and make presents (7%). Only 12% are not planning to celebrate Easter - most of them are Muscovites and St.Petersburgians (20%).
Russians considering themselves Orthodox more often cook Easter dishes (75%), bless them (34%) and visit someone (43%).
In general, answering the question what religious regulations and rituals Russians follow, Russians mainly name visiting church, fasting (14% for each) and celebrating religious holidays (11%). 5% report that they follow all Commandments; those who receive sacraments, live honestly and pray are 3% for each. 2% remember the dead, 1% do not work on holidays and weekends. Nevertheless, almost half of Russians considering themselves believers do not follow any religious regulations and rituals (47%).
The share of those visiting church are highest among Orthodox Christians (17%). Islamic worshippers tend to practise fasting (20%); followers of other religions more often than other respondents report that they celebrate religious holidays (28%).
The initiative Russian opinion poll was conducted on April 11-12, 2009.
1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia.
The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
What do you think is celebrated on Easter? (open-ended question, any number of answers) | |
Resurrection of Christ | 44 |
Christ`s Day | 21 |
Remembrance Day | 3 |
Birthday of Christ | 2 |
Spiritual purification and unity | 2 |
End of Fast | 1 |
Beginning of spring, arrival of spring | 1 |
Tribute to tradition | 1 |
Hard to tell | 28 |
If you plan to celebrate Easter, how will you celebrate it? | |||||
| Total respondents | Religious and ideological groups | |||
Orthodox Christians | Followers of other Christian Church religions and believers outside confessions | Non-believers | Between faith and non-faith | ||
I will make Easter dishes (eggs, paskha, kulich) | 64 | 73 | 57 | 36 | 52 |
I will go to church to have my Easter food blessed | 27 | 34 | 12 | 4 | 7 |
I will attend Easter vigil | 8 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
I am going to receive guests and make visits | 38 | 43 | 37 | 26 | 34 |
I will go to cemetery | 29 | 34 | 16 | 13 | 14 |
I will make presents | 7 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
Other | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
I am not going to celebrate Easter | 12 | 2 | 18 | 36 | 21 |
Hard to tell | 4 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
Which religious regulations and rituals do you follow? | |||||||
| Total respondents | Orthodox Christians | Islamic worshippers | Followers of other religions | Believers outside confessions | Non-believers | Those between faith and non-faith |
I visit church | 14 | 17 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
i practice fasting | 14 | 16 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
I celebrate religious holidays | 11 | 12 | 5 | 28 | 10 | 8 | 5 |
I follow all Commandments | 5 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
I receive sacraments | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
I live honestly | 3 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
I pray | 3 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
I remember the dead | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
I do not work on holidays and weekends | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
I do not follow neither regulations nor rituals | 47 | 45 | 42 | 44 | 77 | 85 | 58 |
other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
hard to tell | 10 | 8 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 32 |
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!