Russia is among the world's nations whose constitution upholds the separation of church and state. Each individual therefore has the right to follow the religion of their choice. All existing faiths on Russian territory freely practice their beliefs.

Nevertheless, it is Orthodox Christians who are the most numerous, with nearly 2 million of them belonging to what is known as the "Old Believers." In total, they represent approximately 56.5% of the population. Sunni Islam is the country's second religion, practiced by more than 15% of the population. Next comes Judaism, which has approximately 2 million followers, or 2% of the population. The remaining Russians are of Catholic, Protestant, or Buddhist faith.

Orthodoxy

The Arrival of Orthodox Christianity in Russia

Orthodox Christianity entered Russia in the late 10th century, when the country converted to Byzantine Christianity. Since its introduction to the territory, Orthodox Christianity has always maintained a close connection with politics. It was notably used by Stalin in mobilizing the population for the "Great Patriotic War." It should be noted that patriotism is one of the fundamental values of Orthodoxy. The grip of Orthodox liturgy on people was so strong that they identified themselves through the traditions, cultures, and teachings instilled by the religion.

During the period of Mongol rule, Orthodoxy allowed the people to maintain their cultural and national identity while keeping Western ideology at bay. In 1988, the country celebrated the millennium of Orthodox Christianity. Three years later, Russia orchestrated a mass return to Orthodoxy with a profusion of baptisms, the reopening of churches, and intense liturgical fervor.

Islam

Islam holds the second position after Orthodoxy and has nearly 22 million believers, representing approximately 15% of Russia's population. Islam's arrival in Russia dates back more than 1,300 years, and the first mosques were established in the North Caucasus, Tatarstan, and the regions of the Volga, Siberia, and the Urals. Generally, practitioners are Sunni, though approximately 5% are Shia. There is also a presence of Ahmadi Muslims in certain regions of the country.

Nowadays, the number of mosques distributed across Russian territory is approximately 7,000, and 3,467 Muslim associations were officially registered in 2003.

Judaism

Recognized as one of Russia's traditional religions, Judaism has nearly one million followers on the territory, though many believers have migrated to Israel.

Russia is therefore the fourth country in the world to host the Jewish community after Israel, France, and the United States. Numerous synagogues can be found in almost all major Russian cities.

Buddhism

In Russia, this religion is primarily practiced in three regions: Kalmykia, Buryatia, and Tuva. However, it has also spread to other regions such as Altai, Chita, and Irkutsk. In 2008, the country had approximately 1 million Buddhists.

Buddhism appeared in the late 16th century and experienced its growth between the 17th and 19th centuries. It arrived in Russia through Mongolian and Tibetan lamas.

In the 18th century, after pledging allegiance to the tsarist authorities, they obtained the right to preach in the Transbaikalia region, east of Lake Baikal.

Catholicism

The Russian Catholic Church follows two rites. There are churches that adopt the Byzantine rite and others that follow the Latin rite. Catholicism began to spread across the territory in the early 19th century and has approximately 500,000 followers.

Protestantism

Protestantism entered Russia in the 16th century, but its expansion occurred during the 18th and 19th centuries, when German missionaries were passing through the country.