This harkens to feudal eras when professional medical service was unavailable, but was reinforced in Soviet times when doctors were poorly equipped. Russians believe in preventative medicine, so the consumption of certain foods is thought to have preventative effects.
Another traditional Russian healing practice is called bonki, and consists of glass cups that are pressed against a person's back and shoulders. This is said to heal flu and fever symptoms. This practice has been discredited, but remains common in Russia and Russian communities abroad. Russians also attempt to cure some ailments with vodka, or vodka with sugar. Heat is another preventative measure favored by Russians, who attribute illness to cold more than to viruses (St. Elizabeth Medical Center, 2006).
Religion
Russians have followed Orthodox Christianity since the conversion of Vladimir the Great in 989. After the conversion, however, old pagan practices continued for several centuries thereafter. Despite the fact that the majority of Russians are nominally Orthodox, most do not attend church. There are minorities of Catholics and of other orthodox sects beyond Russian Orthodox. In the Soviet era, Russia was officially atheist, and this has resulted in a significant decline in the importance of religion. It is estimated that today there are only 40 million followers of Orthodoxy, despite nearly 100 million Russians identifying themselves with the faith.
Islam is a major minority religion, with an estimated 23 million followers. They are found in central Russia, in regions such as Tatarstan and Bashkortostan, as well as in the Caucasus region. There are also many Muslims among the seasonal laborers who come to Russia from the Central Asia republics. Some observers have even suggested that Islam will be the largest religion in Russia within our lifetimes (Pipes, 2009). There are centers of Mongol-influenced Buddhism in Tuva, Buryatia and Kalmykia. Shamanism is still practices, particularly in Siberia and Kamchatka. There is a Jewish Autonomous Region, set out in Siberia during the Communist days, but most Russian Jews have emigrated to Israel.
A peculiar Russian religious sect is the Old Believers. This is a splinter group from the Russian Orthodox Church and follow the Orthodoxy most traditionally. There are an estimated 1-10 million Old Believers in Russia today, many living in isolated communities to which their ancestors fled centuries ago.
Art and Expressive Forms
Russia's literature tradition is justifiably famous.
Among the leading contributors have been Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov, Gogol and Pushkin. These writers established the concept of the Russian soul, evaluated Russian ethics and captured images of Russian life in the 19th century. Chekhov made significant contributions to the use of the short story form. Pushkin was the most significant influence on later Russian writers, establishing the tone of Russian literature. In the 20th century, the most celebrated Russian writer was Alexander Solzhenitsyn, whose works exposed the brutality of Soviet rule. Maxim Gorky was another influential Soviet-era writer, who developed the social realism style.
One of the most visible examples of Russian visual art is icon painting. This tradition was derived from Byzantine churches when Vladimir brought Orthodox Christianity to Rus. Russia also went through a period of avant-garde art. Modern Russian visual art is dominated, however, by architecture. The distinctive style of Russian cathedrals, such as St. Basil's in Moscow and the Church of the Savior on Blood in St. Petersburg, is iconic around the world. Soviet architecture is a unique, if bleak, contribution to the Russian cultural heritage. Utilitarian, monolithic and drab, Soviet architecture influences the character of the Russian people by dominating their surroundings.
Traditional Rus architecture can be found in the formerly important village of Suzdal. There is also a strong influence of classical European architecture, as many European architects contributed to the building of St. Petersburg, including most of that city's iconic buildings.
Russia has a rich tradition of other art forms as well, including ballet, the circus and classical...
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