Three Russians in Four Say There are Enough Orthodox Churches Near Them, VTsIOM Poll Finds

Paul Goble

            Staunton, July 2 – Seventy-seven percent of Russians say there are enough Orthodox churches near them, with only eight percent saying there aren’t enough and ten percent saying there are too many, according to a new VTsIOM poll, a view at odds with the Moscow Patriarchate and one that sets the stage for more NIMBY clashes.

            During his 15 years in power, Patriarch Kirill has made the building of new churches the centerpiece of his policies, with the number rising from approximately 14,000 in 2009 to more than 25,000 now; and he has announced plans to build even more in the future (ng.ru/ng_religii/2024-07-02/9_575_church.html).

            But there is less and less support for that approach. In the two capitals, more than one Russian in five says there are already more than enough Russian Orthodox churches. Only in rural areas do more people say there is a need for more churches, 14 percent as compared to four to seven percent in the cities.

            Some supporters of the ROC MP have challenged the poll, arguing that the way the questions were asked distorted how Russians really feel; but others are suggesting that if the Patriarchate really does want to build more churches, it should do so in the villages rather than in the cities and their suburbs.

            Such a shift, if it occurs, would limit the number of clashes between the church and residents. In rural areas, giving land to the church seldom requires that it be taken from other uses including public parks. But focusing on rural areas now would lower the profile of the church; and consequently, Kirill is unlikely to agree.