Orthodox youth were counted at Moscow State University

Under the leadership of the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Sociology of Moscow State University for Research and Vice-President of the Russian Sociological Association Igor Ryazantsev, a study was conducted "Attitude of Russian youth towards the Russian Orthodox Church", during which 1805 people from 15 to 30 years old were interviewed in 26 regions of the Russian Federation. 63.2% of respondents called themselves believers, 15% - atheists.

The respondents were divided into several groups:

• "Churched Orthodox (4.4%) - believers classified in this group confess and receive communion at least once a year, and also observe at least Great Lent.

• Unchurched Orthodox (32.1%) are believers by self-identification who are aware of Orthodox rites, customs, literature, but do not have a systematic religious practice.

• Positively related to the Orthodox faith (19.2%) - young people, regardless of confessional and ethnic affiliation, loyal to Orthodoxy.

• Those who have a negative attitude towards the Orthodox faith (2.2%) are young people, regardless of confessional and ethnic affiliation, who are not loyal to Orthodoxy.

The study also ascertained the opinion of young people about the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russian politics, the teaching of Orthodox disciplines in secular schools, and the importance of faith in human life.

In June, the report on the same study was accompanied by other figures.

Thus, according to Interfax, 8% of the respondents called themselves church-going, 55% - non-churched Orthodox. 33% of survey participants had a positive attitude towards the ROC, regardless of religion, 4% - negatively.

Sources

• Young people celebrate Christmas // Pravoslavie.ru. 2006. January 11th.
• Orthodox in Russia are becoming the dominant social group defending their values ​​- sociologist // Interfax-religion. 2006. June 5.