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| Giving up social media for Lent will cleanse your soul, Russians told | Giving up social media for Lent will cleanse your soul, Russians told |
| (21 days later) | |
| The Russian Orthodox Church has long told its followers to give up milk and meat for Lent but when the annual period of self-denial begins on Monday its leaders want the flock to go one stage further. | The Russian Orthodox Church has long told its followers to give up milk and meat for Lent but when the annual period of self-denial begins on Monday its leaders want the flock to go one stage further. |
| There should be no tweeting or instagramming of the experience – and no social media at all, in order to better cleanse the soul, according to church spokesman, Vsevolod Chaplin. | There should be no tweeting or instagramming of the experience – and no social media at all, in order to better cleanse the soul, according to church spokesman, Vsevolod Chaplin. |
| "I don't mean just people who use depraved, entertaining, stupid and empty information," Chaplin said. "Even useful information, that relates to our work and well-meaning interests, clogs the brain and soul too much." | "I don't mean just people who use depraved, entertaining, stupid and empty information," Chaplin said. "Even useful information, that relates to our work and well-meaning interests, clogs the brain and soul too much." |
| Russians should take the opportunity of Lent to give up social media and "look at themselves and the world around them with different eyes", he said during a press conference this week. | Russians should take the opportunity of Lent to give up social media and "look at themselves and the world around them with different eyes", he said during a press conference this week. |
| "Giving yourself several hours or 15 minutes of time during Lent to not read curses on social networks, but serious texts, serious art, prayer, unhurried conversation with close ones – this is a unique chance to change your life," he said. | "Giving yourself several hours or 15 minutes of time during Lent to not read curses on social networks, but serious texts, serious art, prayer, unhurried conversation with close ones – this is a unique chance to change your life," he said. |
| Russia is currently celebrating Maslenitsa, a week-long pancake festival ahead of Lent. Marking Lent has become quite fashionable in recent years, as the church experiences a revival launched with the fall of the Soviet Union. | Russia is currently celebrating Maslenitsa, a week-long pancake festival ahead of Lent. Marking Lent has become quite fashionable in recent years, as the church experiences a revival launched with the fall of the Soviet Union. |
| The Russian Orthodox Church has gained enormous power and influence under Vladimir Putin, the president. It has often spoken out as a reactionary force pushing for conservative values and against influences that are seen as western, like the Internet. | The Russian Orthodox Church has gained enormous power and influence under Vladimir Putin, the president. It has often spoken out as a reactionary force pushing for conservative values and against influences that are seen as western, like the Internet. |
| Research by the Levada Centre, an independent pollster, recently found that 79 per cent of Russians consider themselves Orthodox. Yet only 5 per cent attend church regularly. | Research by the Levada Centre, an independent pollster, recently found that 79 per cent of Russians consider themselves Orthodox. Yet only 5 per cent attend church regularly. |
| Last month, Patriarch Kirill, the head of the church and a close Putin ally, told a meeting of bishops that the church should increase its presence online in order to combat anti-religious forces. | Last month, Patriarch Kirill, the head of the church and a close Putin ally, told a meeting of bishops that the church should increase its presence online in order to combat anti-religious forces. |
| "When a person makes a query on church life in an Internet search engine, he finds a lot of lies, hypocrisy and hatred," the patriarch said, the news agency RIA-Novosti reported. "Blogs, social networks – all offer new opportunities for Christian testimony. To be absent from there means to admit one's helplessness and reluctance for saving one's brethren." | "When a person makes a query on church life in an Internet search engine, he finds a lot of lies, hypocrisy and hatred," the patriarch said, the news agency RIA-Novosti reported. "Blogs, social networks – all offer new opportunities for Christian testimony. To be absent from there means to admit one's helplessness and reluctance for saving one's brethren." |
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