History and culture: The exhibition “Religious map of Russia” in Saint-Petersburg

The State Museum of the History of Religion (St. Petersburg) presents the exhibition "The religious map of Russia" dedicated to the diversity of religious life in Russia. Its exhibits demonstrate features of worship, ceremonies, sacraments and celebrations of various religious communities.

Territory of our state was historically inhabited by hundreds of people. National Population Census 2010 confirmed that the Russian Federation is one of the most multicultural countries in the world - here live representatives of more than 180 nationalities. They profess different religions that are an integral part of their spiritual culture.

In Russia today there are no official statistics of adherents of a religion law forbids to require citizens' applications on their religious affiliation. Thus, on the religiosity of Russians and their religious identity can only be judged by opinion polls of the population and data on the registration of religious organizations. At the beginning of 2010, 23 494 religious organizations representing all known religions have been registered in Russia - Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and other indigenous people of the Siberian and Far Eastern regions retain elements of traditional beliefs - Shamanism. On the territory of the North Caucasus and the Rostov region, along with representatives of other faiths densely populated with members of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In general in Russia today is about 70 religious traditions.

A special section of the exhibition is dedicated to the Karaites (followers of Karaism) - a small unique ethno-religious group, only two years ago, with the return of the Crimea to Russia returning to the religious map of our country. On the one hand, Karaism is religious groups within Jewish. On the other, Karaism language belongs to the Turkic language group. However, the presence of religious terms is borrowed from Hebrew, gave the name of the Crimean Karaite dialect language "leshon Tatars" - "Tatar language".

All of this unique religious diversity in Russia is widely illustrated with exhibits, including: painting, drawing, Orthodox icons and Buddhist tanks, clergy vestments, objects of worship and church utensils, liturgical books.

The exhibition will run till May 11, 2016.