Three quarters of Russians believe that the church should stay away from political affairs, according to the recent opinion poll conducted by VTsIOM pollster.

      At the same time, a relative majority of respondents (43 percent) think the current relations between the government and the church are "harmonious".

      The Russian Orthodox Church’s political influence grows, and many people voice fears that the Church has become too active in the country’s political life. 75% of respondents are sure the church should avoid meddling in politics.

      Forty-four percent believe that it can be allowed to influence the spiritual and moral life of society, and 63 percent believe the church has a very big influence in these spheres.

      There are also some categorical opinions, as 31 percent of respondents think the church should limit its activities solely to religion. And about 16% believe the church can involve in all spheres of life, including politics.

      The survey was conducted on June 9-10, 2012 with a total of 1,600 respondents from 138 cities and towns participating.