Why go
A church’s history can include worship, confiscation, demolition or a change of use. That background helps explain religious heritage beyond its appearance. Easter foods, Buddhist traditions in Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva, and the presence of mosques also show why Russian religious culture cannot be reduced to one tradition.
The full story
Russian Orthodoxy traces its historical foundations to the Christianisation of Kyivan Rus’ in the tenth century. The baptism of Vladimir in 988 became a defining event in that tradition. Before the 1917 Revolution, the Russian Orthodox Church was closely integrated with the imperial state. The Soviet authorities promoted atheism and sought to weaken religious institutions. They confiscated property, restricted religious activity and demolished or repurposed many religious buildings. Belief nevertheless survived, although the degree of repression and toleration changed during the Soviet period. Religious life also extends beyond Orthodoxy. Muslim communities form part of Russia’s cultural history, and Buddhism has longstanding roots in Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia. Some Siberian and Far Eastern communities preserve shamanic and other local traditions. Easter customs include coloured eggs, Easter cakes and paskha, a traditional festive food. Such customs can carry cultural meaning as well as expressing personal religious belief.