Islam Far More Important for Russia’s Muslims than Christianity is for Russia’s Orthodox, Levada Survey Finds

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Apr. 28 – Only 21 percent of Russians who identify as Orthodox Christians say that their religion plays a very important role in their lives and only 38 percent say that it plays quite an important one, for a total of 59 percent, much lower figures than among Russians who identify as Muslims report, according to a new Levada Center poll.

            Among self-identified Muslims, the sociological service says, 44 percent say their faith plays a very important role in their lives and 39 percent more say that it plays quite an important one, for a total of 83 percent (levada.ru/2024/04/27/prazdnovanie-pashi-i-religioznye-predpochteniya-rossiyan/).

            This is yet another indication that Orthodoxy is less strong in Russia than the Kremlin and the Patriarchate like to believe and that Islam is far stronger among its followers in the Russian Federation than many at the center and elsewhere have often thought, a difference that undoubtedly worries the Kremlin and is likely to play a key role in Russia’s future.