How to behave in a Russian Orthodox church,
Russia has countless shrines and monasteries: Ancient, modern, wooden, stone, churches on cliffs....The overwhelming majority of them are Orthodox, and their doors are open for everyone. However, there are some rules that one should know before visiting.
Do not quarrel with believers
The first thing a visitor should know when he or she is inside an...
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Orthodox church is that you shouldn’t irritate the parishioners. Even if you know you’re right and they are not. For example, there is no official ban on taking photographs inside a church, but this is something that can distract or annoy the churchgoers (especially if you use a flash or if everyone hears the typical sounds of the shutter). Someone can order you to put the camera/phone away. Be respectful. The worst thing is to start arguing. Do not forget that in Russia there is a law on offending the rights of believers.
Dress appropriately
If you are a man, remove your hat before entering the church. Women usually cover their heads with a veil.
Actually, according to canon law, the veil concerns only married women since it symbolizes the husband’s power over his wife. But the original symbolism has been forgotten and now everyone covers their heads: Women, young ladies, and girls.
Women should also not enter the church in revealing clothing and bright makeup. And when visiting convents, women should wear long skirts.
Enter the church correctly
If you are a tourist and have come to the church solely out of curiosity, then enter calmly. But if you want to look like a real Orthodox believer, then you should know the following:
Firstly, before entering the church, cross yourself and bow three times. You have to put the first three fingers together and touch your forehead, then your stomach, then the right shoulder and the left. Cross yourself again after you’re inside.
A common mistake is crossing yourself and bowing simultaneously. You should bow in between the crossing. Your mistake might be noticed and it’s possible a churchgoer may come over and give you some instructions.
Do not speak on the phone
It is better to switch your phone off altogether or at least turn off the sound. It is customary to remain silent in the church. Whispering is acceptable, but only when necessary. If your ringtone violates the church’s silence, it is really bad. All the praying babushkas will look at you with disapproval.
Move about gracefully
Do not run, recite your own sermons, stage performances (remember Pussy Riot?) or play Pokemon Go.
Walk slowly inside the church. During services it is better not to walk or pray near the icons. In accordance with the Orthodox tradition, it’s necessary to remain standing for the whole ceremony (usually, if there are benches and chairs by the walls, they are for those who physically cannot stand), which normally lasts about one and half hours.
The altar is a forbidden spot
The altar is the space that is blocked off by the iconostasis wall: It is categorically forbidden to go there. The same goes for the soleas – an elevated platform (usually with steps) in front of the altar and iconostasis. Clergymen can step onto the soleas if the priest requests it, while only priests and male clergy members can go inside the altar.
You should also not turn your back to the altar. Churchgoers usually turn around lightly and slowly move towards the exit. But hardly anyone follows this rule since it is rather difficult to walk out this way.
Light a candle
As a rule, each saint has his “sphere of responsibility.” Those who pray for health, light a candle to the Mother of God, the Savior or St. Pantaleon. John the Revelator is the patron of creativity. Students light candles to Sergius of Radonezh before exams. And those who pray for repose light a candle to the Crucifix, which is always by the entrance.
And don’t eat
If you see food on a stand in the church, this is not a buffet for the churchgoers. It can be prosphora (liturgical bread), but it’s only for those who have received communion. Many churches also collect food and then give it out to needy parishioners.
Obviously, you must also not eat food that you bring with you.
Actually, Russia is a multi-confessional country, but most of its citizens (75 percent, according to surveys) are Orthodox Christians.

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Why are Russian people (mostly) Orthodox Christians?
The vast majority of Russians identify as Orthodox Christians, loyal to the religion that came here more than thousand years ago. However, many Russians see their Christian identity as quite symbolic.
When a priest at the most Eastern Orthodox church in Russia, situated on the Commander Islands in the Bering Sea (almost 5,000 miles east of Moscow), starts to conduct his morning liturgy at 8 AM, the previous day isn’t even over in the capital. No other religion is so widespread in Russia; almost every community, big or small, hosts its own Orthodox church.
It’s not surprising: according to statistics, approximately 75% Russian citizens consider themselves Orthodox Christians. But how did it all start?
Politics lead to a change of faith
Until the late 10th century, Slavic tribes were predominantly pagan with different communities preferring and emphasizing different “local” gods. And ordinary people were absolutely okay about that. Want to win a battle – make a sacrifice to Perun, god of thunder and war. Want a rich harvest – pray to Mokosh, the mother-of-all.
They would have never tried to change their ancient faith if it hadn’t been for the influence of the elites. Princess Olga (920 – 969) was the first ruler of Rus who was baptized in Orthodox Christianity in Byzantium in the 950s but only her grandchild Vladimir (960 – 1015) decided to baptize the whole country.
Historians mostly suppose that ambitious Vladimir didn’t care about Christ much – he wanted to unite his country under one rule and one church. First, he tried to impose the cult of Perun, his favorite pagan god, but people didn’t embrace it. The prince needed a better option and an influential foreign ally.
Choosing a religion
According to the Tale of Past Years, a Russian medieval chronicle, Vladimir, eager to examine all possible options, invited priests of different confessions: a Byzantine Orthodox, a Catholic from the Holy Roman Empire, a Muslim from Volga Bulgaria and a Khazar rabbi. Presumably, he said something like: “Okay, now tell me about your faith and impress me.”
The Muslim failed when he mentioned that Islam prohibits drinking. Shocked, Vladimir replied: “Drinking is the joy of all Rus. We cannot exist without it” and immediately sent the man away.
The rabbi also didn’t inspire the prince as he wondered: “Okay, so if Judaism is so great, where is your land?” The rabbi, confused, answered that the Holy Land of his people was occupied. “Well, – Vladimir said – if you lost your own land how can I rely on your religion?” So Russia lost its chance to convert to Judaism as well.
Vladimir rejected the German Catholic as well, stating: “Go back to where you came from, as our fathers rejected your faith and so will we”. It left him with the Byzantine priest who impressed the prince. His envoys to Constantinople were also reported to return fascinated by the beauty of Orthodox churches and divine service. So Vladimir converted to Orthodoxy himself in 988 and decided to baptize his country to this confession. At least, that’s what the chronicle says.
Baptism by fire
As historians mostly suppose, Vladimir’s turn to Orthodox Christianity was more about the improvement of Russians’ connections with Christian states than about sentiments: for Rus, Byzantium was an important trade partner. So sharing a religion would be useful for Vladimir.
He ordered the destruction of the statues of old gods in Kiev (back then – the capital of Rus) and had them thrown into the Volkhov River. People were crying and mourning their idols, but there was nothing they could do. As for the more remote and independent cities, Vladimir sent his warlords with armies to baptize these territories. For instance, one of them, Dobrinya, had to burn down many buildings on Novgorod to make the citizens agree to baptize.
Strong traditions
And so it began – for almost a thousand years the powers-that-be in Russia worked with Christianity, promoting this religion and supporting priests. Only when the Bolsheviks came to power in 1917 and tried to turn Russia into an Atheist state, was religion banned and the clergy destroyed (at least, at the beginning of their rule). Then the policy became less hostile, but praying and visiting church remained frowned upon in the USSR until the late 1980s.
Since the fall of the USSR, Orthodoxy is back in the game and, according to official statistics, is quite popular. However, both priests and sociologists point out that many of those calling themselves Orthodox don’t fast or attend church regularly (79% and 63%) according to a 2014 poll. For them, religion is but a symbol, an identity.
“Faith doesn’t penetrate our life, our everyday behavior”, as Sergei Kravets, the head of Orthodox Encyclopedia center said. Probably, Prince Vladimir would be disappointed. Or perhaps not.
If you want to know more about pagan beliefs of Slavs which Vladimir suppressed so relentlessly please enjoy our piece on ancient Slavic gods.

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