More than five million Russians took part in Easter services

More than five million Orthodox Russians took part in the solemn Easter services. The press center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia told journalists that "festive services and religious processions on the occasion of the holiday were held in 8.7 thousand Russian churches and temples. As of 17:00 Moscow time on April 23, 5 million took part in them. 34 thousand people, about the same as a year ago." In Moscow, according to Yevgeny Gildeev, deputy head of the information and public relations department of the Moscow police department, 464,000 people visited churches and cemeteries on Easter.

Sources

• More than 5 million Russians took part in the celebration of Easter // Week.Ru. 2006. April 24. (With reference to ITAR-TASS.)
• Almost half a million Muscovites visited churches and cemeteries on Easter // Interfax-religion. 2006. April 24.