Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Eighty-five percent of Orthodox Russians are aware or heard of the Christmas Fast; every tenth is going to follow the fast.

MOSCOW, November 29, 2019. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey describing how many Russians consider themselves Orthodox Christians, and what Orthodox fasts they follow.

Today the majority of Russians consider themselves Orthodox adherents (67%).  They are mostly women (74%), respondents aged 45-59 (71%) and those aged 60 (73%). Eighty-three percent of Orthodox adherents go to church with varying degrees of frequency. They are represented by 70% of those who go to church from time to time, basically women (82%), young people aged 18-24 (82%), those aged 35-44 (81%), and people living in large cities (74% of metropolitan residents; 74% of respondents living in the cities with a million-plus population; 75% of those living in the cities with 500-950 thousand inhabitants). A further 13% visit church at least once a month. Seventeen percent of Orthodox adherents do not go to church – mainly men (26%) and rural area residents (21%).

Simultaneously, one-third of Orthodox adherents follow Orthodox fasts with varying degrees of frequency (30%); that is a 5-point increase over the recent six months (25%). Fifteen percent of them say they only follow the Great Lent; 14% say they follow most of the fasts but not all.  Two percent of respondents say they strictly observe every fast. Sixty-nine percent of Orthodox Christians do not follow fasts; however this percentage has decreased by 6 p.p. since March 2019.

The share of Orthodox adherents who know or heard of the Christmas Fast is 85%. Only one-third of respondents tried to identify the starting date (30%); 7% of them could identify this date correctly (November 28).

In the Russian mind, the Christmas Fast is associated with food and alcohol restrictions (14%), spiritual abstinence and self-improvement (11%), as well as with the Christmas holiday itself (10%). A further 7% mention positive feelings – joy and happiness; 6% point to a feeling of great holiday and the related preparations.

Nine percent of Orthodox Christians are going to follow the fasting from November 28 to January 6; they are mainly people living in the million-plus cities (16%). One-quarter of respondents remain undecided (25%): mainly young people aged 18-24 (36%) and 25-34 (30%), as well as rural area residents (35%). However, 64% of Orthodox Russians are not going to observe the Christmas Fast: basically men (70%), respondents aged 35-44 (68%), metropolitan residents (80%) and people living in the cities with 500-950 thousand inhabitants (70%).

Nationwide VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on November 27, 2019. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

 

In your opinion, what religion do you belong to?

 (closed-ended question, one answer, %, answer by at least 1% of respondents)

 

Total respondents

Men

Women

Orthodox Christianity

67

57

74

Non-believer

12

17

9

Fluctuating between faith and non-faith

6

8

4

Muslim

5

5

4

I am a believer but I do not belong to any religion

4

4

4

Buddhism

1

0

1

Other

4

6

2

Don’ t know

1

3

2

In your opinion, what religion do you belong to?

 (closed-ended question, one answer, %, answer by at least 1% of respondents)

 

Total respondents

Aged 18-24

Aged 25-34

Aged 35-44

Aged 45-59

Aged 60 and over

Orthodox Christianity

67

52

58

67

71

73

Non-believer

12

19

16

9

11

12

Fluctuating between faith and non-faith

6

8

4

5

5

8

Muslim

5

6

6

6

5

3

I am a believer but I do not belong to any religion

4

5

7

5

3

2

Buddhism

1

0

1

2

0

0

Other

4

8

5

5

3

2

Don’ t know

1

2

3

1

2

0

Do you go to church, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Orthodox adherents)

 

Total respondents

Men

Women

I don’t go to church

17

26

10

I go to church from time to time

70

64

75

I go to church regularly, at least once a month

13

10

15

Do you go to church, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Orthodox adherents)

 

Total respondents

Aged 18-24

Aged 25-34

Aged 35-44

Aged 45-59

Aged 60 and over

I don’t go to church

17

13

18

13

16

19

I go to church from time to time

70

82

64

81

70

65

I go to church regularly, at least once a month

13

5

18

6

14

16

Do you go to church, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Orthodox adherents)

 

Total respondents

Moscow and St Petersburg

Million cities

500-950 thousand inhabitants

100—500 thousand inhabitants

Less than 100 thousand inhabitants

Rural area

I don’t go to church

17

15

13

13

15

17

21

I go to church from time to time

70

73

74

75

72

67

67

I go to church regularly, at least once a month

13

12

12

12

13

16

12

Do you usually follow the Orthodox fasting, or not?

 (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Orthodox adherents)

 

2018

March 2019

November 2019

I do not follow

71

75

69

I only follow the Great Lent  

13

14

15

I follow almost every Orthodox fast but not all

12

9

14

I strictly follow every Orthodox fast

3

2

2

Refusal to answer

1

0

0

Do you know/did you hear/ do you hear for the first time about the Christmas Fasting? If yes, when does it start? (open-ended question, one answer, %, answers by at least 2% of respondents)

 

Total respondents

November 28

7

January 7

5

In December

5

December 25

2

November 27

2

I heard something but I do not know any details/ I do not remember the time period

55

This is the first time I hear about the Christmas fasting

12

Other

3

What thoughts, associations come to your mind when you hear “the Christmas Fast”? Several answers are possible   (open-ended question, up to 2 answers, %, answers by at least 2% of respondents)

 

Total respondents

Food and alcohol restrictions / abstinence from food / diet / lent diet

14

Abstinence / spiritual self-improvement / not to sin / purification / humility

11

Christmas is coming soon / Christmas celebrations / it ends on the Christmas Day

10

Positive feelings / joy / happiness

7

A big holiday / great holiday / preparations for the holiday / holiday mood

6

New Year / New Year is coming soon

3

Good behavior / to do good

3

The birth of Jesus Christ

3

Going to church / Praying

2

Orthodox Christianity / Orthodox tradition / Orthodox holiday / religion

2

Grace / sainthood / highness / spirituality

2

People observe the fast / for the believers

2

Faith / faith in God

2

No associations

3

Other

3

Don’ t know

37

The Christmas Fast is observed from November 28 to January 6. Will you follow the next Christmas Fast, or not?   (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Orthodox adherents)

 

Total respondents

Men

Women

I have not decided yet

25

23

27

I will follow it

9

7

11

I will not follow it

64

70

61

Don’ t know

2

0

0

The Christmas Fast is observed from November 28 to January 6. Will you follow the next Christmas Fast, or not?   (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Orthodox adherents)

 

Total respondents

Aged 18-24

Aged 25-34

Aged 35-44

Aged 45-59

Aged 60 and over

I have not decided yet

25

36

30

23

26

22

I will follow it

9

1

3

9

9

14

I will not follow it

64

62

66

68

64

63

Don’ t know

2

1

1

0

1

1

The Christmas Fast is observed from November 28 to January 6. Will you follow the next Christmas Fast, or not?   (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Orthodox adherents)

 

Total respondents

Moscow and St Petersburg

Million cities

500-950 thousand inhabitants

100—500 thousand inhabitants

Less than 100 thousand inhabitants

Rural area

I have not decided yet

25

14

17

25

25

25

35

I will follow it

9

5

16

5

7

10

11

I will not follow it

64

80

66

70

66

65

53

Don’ t know

2

1

1

0

2

0

1

 

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.

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