While Catholicism dies in the West, Orthodoxy is flourishing in Russia

Mar 2

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Catholicism in western Europe seems to be on its last legs but Orthodoxy is enjoying a ‘colossal’ revival in Russia.

I seen this encouraging news today on Voices from Russia:

Russians are Becoming “More Orthodox”

According to a poll taken by the all-Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VTsIOM), over the past 16 years, the proportion of Russians attending services increased from 57 percent to 71 percent. VTsIOM said that the results indicate that 7 percent attend services at least once a month, 30 percent attend occasionally, and 34 percent go sporadically. The number of those who never attend services fell from 42 percent to 26 percent. Amongst those baptised Orthodox, the proportion of those who attend services is 83 percent. At the same time, 11 percent of unbelievers said that they occasionally went to church. According to VTsIOM, 33 percent of respondents received charitable aid at one time or another, whilst 29 percent donated money to the church. VTsIOM took the poll on 18-19 February 2012; they interviewed 1,600 people in 138 locations in 46 Russian oblasts and republics.

1 March 2012

Pravoslavie.ru

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/news/51900.htm

Posted on March 2, 2012, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.

  1. Roger Buck | March 3, 2012 at 9:43 pm

    This is very encouraging to read.

    I am intrigued by Eastern Europeans vis a vis Christianity and their resistance to Western decadence. The case of Hungary, Poland etc.

    A subject that interests me a great deal Shane, is the presence of Eastern Europeans in Ireland today. I wonder if they might be bringing something very important indeed.

    I’ve heard 5 per cent of the people in Eire today are Polish. Incredible if true. And even if not true with the presence presumably of Lithuanians, Slovaks etc probably brings the number of Eastern Catholics coming in up to close to five per cent.

    I wonder this could mean for Ireland? Not sure if you have thoughts about this already posted here. I’ve looked a bit – but it’s a BIG (and very meaningful) site …

    Reply
    • shane | March 3, 2012 at 9:51 pm

      Roger, thank you.

      I don’t have any figures but I know that a lot of Poles have returned home or immigrated elsewhere since the collapse of the construction industry. Poles here tend to be younger and more secular than their compatriots at home.

      This is the blog of a traditionalist Polish Catholic living in Ireland: http://dheaglain.wordpress.com/

      Reply

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