{"id":58390,"date":"2026-03-31T09:50:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T00:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=58390"},"modified":"2026-03-31T11:29:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T02:29:39","slug":"vomk-report-391","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2026\/03\/31\/vomk-report-391\/","title":{"rendered":"RUSSIA MOVES TO BAN PUBLIC WORSHIP IN HOUSES AND APARTMENTS"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”58392″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Churches in Russia are bracing for what may be one of the largest changes in the country\u2019s religious life since the collapse of the Soviet Union. A bill set to come before Russia\u2019s official legislature, the Duma, in June proposes to ban worship services as well as prayer, religious meetings, and evangelistic activities in houses, apartments, and buildings attached to apartments.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left|color:%23111111″ google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” css=”” el_class=”headline”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]That\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0the word from persecution watchdog Voice of the Martyrs Korea, which says that the bill<\/span>\u00a0is the latest in a series of attempts in recent years by legislators to ban religious gatherings in homes and apartme<\/span>nts. \u201cThe difference this time is that the bill has strong support across nearly all of Russia\u2019s political factions, and it has already undergone legislative review and been pronounced constitutional,\u201d says Voice of the Martyrs CEO Pastor Eric Foley. He says the bill<\/span>\u00a0is being opposed by both Protestant and Russian Orthodox church associations\u00a0<\/span>but appears on track\u00a0<\/span>to be voted into law this summer.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]The bill<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>says that religious activities in\u00a0<\/span>homes, apartments, and buildings attached to apartments\u00a0<\/span>is only\u00a0<\/span>permitted<\/span>\u00a0\u201cfor the purpose of meeting the individual spiritual needs of persons lawfully residing therein.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201cIt\u2019s difficult for Christians outside Russia to understand what a huge change this is,\u201d says Pastor Foley. \u201c<\/span>A \u2018prayer house\u2019\u2014meaning a house or apartment adapted for church use\u2014is among the most\u00a0<\/span>common places<\/span>\u00a0Russian Christians meet.\u00a0<\/span>During Soviet times, churches were of course not able to buy\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<\/span>build<\/span>\u00a0places to meet. They had\u00a0<\/span>no choice but\u00a0<\/span>to meet in houses and apartments. Even after the Soviet Union collapsed, the number of churches that have continued to meet in this way<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>has\u00a0<\/span>remained<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>very high<\/span>. Buying buildings and property in most areas of Russia is simply too expensive for c<\/span>hurches.<\/span>\u00a0For churches that choose not to register with the government but instead meet in\u00a0<\/span>a prayer house<\/span>, this law\u00a0<\/span>essentially criminalizes<\/span>\u00a0their existence.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”58409″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”File photo of a Russian \u201cprayer house\u201d.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]The International Union of Evangelical Christian Baptist Churches, whose churches do not register with the government<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0has provided a template to its churches, encouraging them to write letters to the\u00a0<\/span>Chairman<\/span>\u00a0of the State Duma opposing the bill. The letter says in part,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cAttending services and praying together is an urgent need for every Christian, and the adoption of this law and the introduction of restrictions on the conduct of services in residential premises will lead to an increase in tension and conflicts between us and the authorities.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]The head of one of Russia\u2019s largest Pentecostal denominations, Bishop Sergey\u00a0<\/span>Ryakhovsky<\/span>, of the Russian United Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith, has spoken out publicly against the proposed law on\u00a0<\/span>RuTube<\/span>, Russia\u2019s version of YouTube. \u201cIf the law is adopted, everything that has formed the foundation of our faith for centuries will be under threat: home groups, family prayers, the taking of communion, and much more,\u201d said\u00a0<\/span>Ryakhovsky<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>He\u00a0<\/span>said the law \u201cessentially proposes to fundamentally change the very possibility of our Christian life outside the walls of official church buildings<\/span><\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0The bishop expressed particular\u00a0<\/span>concern<\/span>\u00a0for churches in rural areas and small towns, who typically lack the resources to\u00a0<\/span>purchase<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the kind of special-purpose buildings that will be\u00a0<\/span>required<\/span>\u00a0for meeting under the new law<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”58400″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Bishop Sergey Ryakhovsky, of the Russian United Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith, has spoken out publicly against the proposed law on RuTube, Russia\u2019s version of YouTube” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]A total of 67\u00a0<\/span>lawmakers<\/span>\u00a0co-authored the bill<\/span>, which\u00a0<\/span>is officially a series of amendments to the Federal Law \u201cOn Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations\u201d and the Housing Code of the Russian Federation. The bill is scheduled to\u00a0<\/span>come before the Duma\u00a0<\/span>for a first reading\u00a0<\/span>in June.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]According to the bill\u2019s co-authors, the amendments are necessary to safeguard public order and prevent extremism and illegal immigration.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Sergey Mironov, head of the \u201cA Just Russia<\/span>\u00a0faction\u201d in the State Duma, says, \u201cThe opening of \u2018prayer houses\u2019 in residential buildings concerns many citizens across various regions of our country. Large gatherings of people, disorder in entrances and courtyards, and disregard for\u00a0<\/span>generally accepted<\/span>\u00a0rules of conduct often\u00a0<\/span>accompany<\/span>\u00a0such activities and lead to conflicts between residents and attendees.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Andrey\u00a0<\/span>Lugovoy<\/span>, First Deputy\u00a0<\/span>Chairman<\/span>\u00a0of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, says, \u201c\u2019Prayer\u00a0<\/span>apartments<\/span>\u00a0can turn into shelters for criminal elements, extremists, and illegal migrants. Our draft law will help regulate this situation.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”58406″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”File photo of a Russian \u201cprayer house\u201d.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]But t<\/span>he Consultative Council of Heads of Protestant Churches\u00a0<\/span>says that very few concerns about public safety have ever arisen\u00a0<\/span>as a result of<\/span>\u00a0prayer houses. In a\u00a0<\/span>published appeal to the\u00a0<\/span>Chairman<\/span>\u00a0of the State Duma<\/span>, the Council wrote, \u201cT<\/span>hroughout the history of Protestant churches in Russia, there have been no recorded mass complaints from citizens about their activities. For many years, non-residential premises and premises in apartment buildings have been\u00a0<\/span>regularly used<\/span>\u00a0by Protestant churches to conduct religious services and other rites and ceremonies.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Even the Orthodox Church has expressed concerns. Abbess Ksenia Chernega, head of the Legal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, says the proposed law\u2019s ban on evangelistic activity during private services is \u201cunacceptable<\/span>\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201cFor example, when consecrating a dwelling or administering communion to a sick person at home, a clergyman may come into contact on religious matters with the resident\u2019s relatives living in the same premises who are not followers of the respective religious organization,\u201d\u00a0<\/span>says Abbess Ksenia.<\/span>\u00a0\u201cAccording to the logic of the draft law, in such cases a priest could be held administratively liable for unlawful missionary activity.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Pastor Foley says that\u00a0<\/span>the proposed law reflects\u00a0<\/span>the continued decline in religious freedom\u00a0<\/span>across the Russian Federation<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>The 2025 US C<\/span>o<\/span>mmission on International Religious Freedom report on Russia says,\u00a0<\/span>\u2018Russia criminalizes the activities of several peaceful religious groups by\u00a0<\/span>designating<\/span>\u00a0them as \u201cterrorist,\u201d \u201cextremist,\u201d or \u201cundesirable,\u201d despite no evidence of their promotion of or participation in violence.\u2019<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>That<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0exactly what we see in\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0case of\u00a0<\/span>this new law. Lawmakers say\u00a0<\/span>prayer houses<\/span>\u00a0must be banned\u00a0<\/span>in order to<\/span>\u00a0prevent \u2018extremist\u2019 activity.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>But the\u00a0<\/span>activity\u00a0<\/span>of prayer houses\u00a0<\/span>hasn<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>t<\/span>\u00a0changed for<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>literally a<\/span>\u00a0hundred years.<\/span>\u00a0The only<\/span>\u00a0thing that has changed\u00a0<\/span>is that now Russia<\/span>n authorities<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>are calling house churches a breeding ground for\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/span>extremists<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>despite all\u00a0<\/span>common-sense\u00a0<\/span>evidence to the contrary.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Since 2021, t<\/span>he United States\u00a0<\/span>has\u00a0<\/span>designated Russia as one of 12\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/span>Countries of Particular Concern<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>for religious freedom violations<\/span>, along with countries including\u00a0<\/span>China, Iran, North Korea<\/span>, Pakistan, and Cuba<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Individuals interested in\u00a0<\/span>learning more about restrictions on religious freedom in Russia may visit\u00a0<\/span><\/span>https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/project\/russia-ministry\/<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”58392″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Churches in Russia are bracing for what may be one of the largest changes in the country\u2019s religious life since the collapse of the Soviet …","protected":false},"author":1959,"featured_media":58393,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-58390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1959"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58390"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58390\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58785,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58390\/revisions\/58785"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}