Russian Orthodox Church Has over 16,000 Parishes in Russia - 25 March, 2003

There are 16,195 registered parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church on Russian territory, with a total of 17,480 serving priests and deacons. These figures were quoted in an appeal by Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II, made public at the diocesan assembly of Moscow's clergy in Moscow on Tuesday.

In his address Alexy disclosed that the Russian Orthodox Church at present has 131 dioceses, and the number of bishops is 155.

Russia has 614 active cloisters - 295 monasteries and 319 nunneries. Their number does not include 160 monastery inns and 38 sketes (quiet cloisters).

The Russian Orthodox Church runs 43 theological schools, 32 seminaries, 6 preparatory pastor courses, 4 theological academies, 2 Orthodox universities, 2 diocesan theological schools for women, and 1 divine institute. In addition, there are a number of precentor and icon-paining schools, and also, in Moscow alone, 135 parish Sunday schools.

Moscow today has 560 Orthodox churches and chapels and 959 clergymen.

There are eight cloisters in the capital - four monasteries and four nunneries.