55% of Russians do not attend church, survey says
For the first time since 1998, the proportion of people who do not attend religious services outnumbers those who attend occasionally.
Levanda Centre · MOSCOW · 03 APRIL 2026 · 09:00 CET
The Russian research organisation Levada Centre recently published a survey about church attendance in Russia.
The study shows that, for the first time since 1998, the proportion of people who do not attend religious services outnumbers those who attend occasionally.
Meanwhile, the percentage of people who attend religious services regularly rather than occasionally is growing.
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According to the survey, 55% of respondents do not attend religious services, an increase of 11 percentage points since June 2025.
Among those who attend, 16% do so at least once a month, another 16% once every few months and 7% roughly once a year or less frequently.
Researches also reported that the lowest proportion of respondents attending religious services was recorded in 1991 (31%), and the highest in 2020 (71%).
Urban women with higher education and resources
The survey also reveals that those who attend religious services most often are women (51%), aged 55 or over (51%), with higher levels of education (48%).
They also have greater financial resources (47%), live in Moscow (61%) and hold management positions (51%).
The Levada Centre's national survey was conducted between 18 and 25 February 2026. They interviewed 1,625 people, aged 18 and over, in 137 populated urban and rural areas across Russia.
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