Pandemic has Driven Down Attendance at Russian Orthodox Services by More than 60 Percent, Patriarch Kirill Concedes

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Dec. 19 – After falling by half during 2020, the first year of the pandemic, attendance of services of Russian Orthodox Churches declined another 32 percent during the second year, Patriarch Kirill says in his year-end report (patriarchia.ru/db/text/5874415.html and sova-center.ru/religion/discussions/how-many/2021/12/d45508/).

            But if attendance is down, the number of priests and churches continues to increase, at least in Moscow. There are now 1218 ROC churches in the Russian capital and environs, 14 more than a year ago; and there are 24 more priests than in 2020 (patriarchia.ru/db/text/5874439.html).

            In reporting these divergent trends, the first of which has led to a decline in parishioner contributions as well and the second shows it retains other sources of revenue, the independent Orthodox site, Ahilla, says that this shows that “the clericalization of Moscow is increasing” despite the decline in attendance (ahilla.ru/kolichestvo-prihozhan-v-moskovskih-hramah-s-nachala-pandemii-snizilos-na-tret/).