During the pandemic, the number of parishioners of Moscow churches decreased by a third

According to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, only in Moscow, due to the pandemic, the number of parishioners who go to church on Sundays and holidays has decreased by a third, and in some places even by half, theins.ru notes.

The Patriarch believes that "a serious danger is the thought of the optional nature of divine services", an underestimation of the importance of personal presence for participation in the sacraments of the Church.

Kirill also noted that the coronavirus pandemic has caused a "tendency to dehumanize one's neighbor" - people are beginning to be perceived "primarily as a deliberate threat, as potential distributors of infection, and not as a brother and sister". Another problem was the decline in the value of human communication, which is facilitated by the development of modern technologies, when precisely such forms of communication become predominant.

The patriarch is also seriously concerned about the use of distance technologies in education, says the Interfax agency. Many teachers have already noted a significant decline in its quality, - said the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. In addition, according to him, "distance learning practically negates the educational component of the process".

In May, Patriarch Kirill asked wealthy parishioners to help financially the priests and churches affected by the pandemic.