The Moscow Patriarchate insists on children's right to study basics of their religion in state schools

22 August 2008, 13:41

Moscow, August 22, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church believes Russian children have a right to study their religious culture and the only state school can provide them with such a possibility.

"Over 30, 000 buildings belonged to church schools before the October revolution in Russia. However, nowadays no one in Moscow and other cities will give these buildings back. No "great power" of the Church that, according to some people, must make officials kneel down, doesn't help here. We have no such power," deputy head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin said on air of the Finam FM radio station.

The priest reminded that private schools in Russia are schools for rich or very rich people. The Church tries to set up non-governmental schools in various regions of the country: there are about 20 such schools in Moscow and one-two of them work in regional centers.

"However, 95 per cent of Russians consider state schools the only place for educating children in compliance with their outlook", the priest said.

He pointed out to the positive example of state Jewish schools in Russia, where children have a chance to study the basics of Judaism.

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