49 per cent of the respondents were enthusiastic about borrowed celebrations. 35 per cent never cared about their content, and regarded the festivals as merely another pretext for merrymaking. 14 per cent heartily greeted the festivals as yet another way to get Russia closer to the West.
Resolute opponents of outlandish festive events made 22 per cent. Of these, 12 per cent came down on the festivals as clashing with Russian customs and traditions. A mere 10 per cent based their scepticism on theological differences between Eastern and Western Christendom, as reflected in the festivals.
Russia owes borrowed festivals mainly to young people, said a majority of the pollees. Foreign holidays have the greatest appeal to the young, hence young Russians' love for them, said 40 per cent. That viewpoint was especially popular among young respondents-51 per cent of those younger than 24 years of age. 29 per cent tracked down to commercials what they regard as Catholic influences on Russian celebrations. Judging by the probe, Russian cultural integration into the West is only in the background of Russian perceptions of the matter. At any rate, a mere 13 per cent ascribed the mounting popularity of borrowed festivals to public desire to become part of Western culture and mode of life.
Russian Orthodox Christians have always been fairly tolerant to Christians of other denominations. Hence their benevolent stance on festivals of other confessions, and that is why the Russian public turns a blind eye to the religious and cultural purport of those festivals, say VTsIOM experts.
They point out another and, possibly, even more weighty reason. That is atheism. A mere 52 per cent of the respondents said they were religious people. Be that as it may, 53 per cent think the Church ought to enhance its role and presence in contemporary Russian life.
