How "religious" is modern day Russia?

[Andreas]

I myself have a great love for Russia. However, all too often I hear of such bad things produced by Russia. Things like Russian porn, mail order brides etc. These things leave me wondering how Orthodox is modern day Russia? I hope to visit Russia at some point in my life to see a truly Orthdox country, but sometimes I wonder if that's what I'm going to see when I get there? So could somebody tell me how Orthodox Russia is right now?

[尼古拉前执事]

There were some rather interesting statistics on this in another Praxis section article here at http://www.euphrosynoscafe.com/forum/vi ... php?t=1545

[Andreas]

Very sad statistics. I hope they are wrong.

I wonder how much missionary work is going on there from Orthodox Christians? I sure know there's enough of that from heretics. :ohvey:

[bogoliubtsy]

Regardless of the sad statistics, the churches are filling up in Russia. Many churches in Moscow and St. Petersburg have liturgy and vespers daily and many people attend these services in addition to visiting Russian holy sites. I went to venerate the relics of St. Xenia of Petersburg on a Friday morning and could barely fit into the chapel which houses her relics. There was a lengthy pannikhida being served there with many, many people coming in and out. At Sergiev Posad there were the same type of crowds and long lines to venerate the relics of St. Sergius. In Moscow, icon and Orthodox book venders are all over the place, as are the gold cupolas which you seem to see no matter which direction you turn. There is the little Iveron chapel in Red Square which has a few daily akathists to the Mother of God...many people are constantly coming and going from here, and all of Moscow's churches it seems. Certainly feels much more Orthodox than America! They're in dire need of serious catechetical work, but that will come with time.

[Justin Kissel]

I also hope that the statistics are wrong; or if they aren't wrong, that they improve. God Bless Russia.

[fserafim]

The first time I visited the Holy City of Jerusalem I was scandalized by the commercial activities in the Church of the Holy Sephulcre. Then I saw an old lady praying quietly in a corner and I realized that where you have great piety and sanctity you have profanity. Likewise in Russia. Despite the signs of US porn and materialism, you have another Russia which is truly HolyRussia. There are numerous saints, which you don't hear about - e.g. Blessed Pelagia of Vyritsa, Schemanun Nila, Starets Savva of Pskov, all recently deceased i.e. in 80s and 90s. The mantle of these saints gets passed on. I have never seen great lines of pilgrims trying to get into western Orthodox churches as I saw in St Petersburg, Moscow and Diveyevo - with the exception of the Russian Cathedral in London where there are on average 700 at the Sunday Liturgy. These worshippers are of course from Eastern Europe.

I recommend that you go and see for yourself.

Fr Serafim