The Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Patriarch Kirill, has asked believers to stop praying for wage increases or significant purchases, stating that such prayers are not heard.
“You should not pray for things that simply are not right to be fulfilled: increase my salary, help me become a boss, help me buy a house, a car, go on vacation — it will not happen, heaven does not respond to such requests,” declared the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church during a sermon delivered at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, on the occasion of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
According to Rosstat, in 2025 the real disposable income of Russians increased by 7.4%, after an increase of 8.2% in 2024 and 5.4% in 2023. In the four years of war in Ukraine, real income would have increased by 21.5%, according to official data.
On average, according to state statistics, Russians had a monthly income of 74,845 rubles (approximately 823 euros) last year, an increase of almost 17% compared to the previous year. However, more than half of this increase was “eroded” by inflation and mandatory payments.
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