Russia’s beautiful orthodox churches are now to be used for both islamic and christian prayer. The unification, initiated by president Putin, aims to bolster attendances to Orthodox churches as well as bridge the growing divide of religion in Russia. It is now expected that most major churches will accommodate the needs of islamic prayer, such as to resemble those of a mosque.
Moscow’s muslims, many of them very young, have often expressed the need for more mosques in Moscow, as Ramadan and other festivities often led to overcrowding and lack of space.
It is unclear whether the Roman-Catholic church and other religious temples will follow suit in Russia. One thing is clear however, this initiative, like all the other ones started by Putin, is extremely popular among the people.