Influence of the Orthodxy

• Despite the dominance of the Orthodox Church there is evidence to suggets that its control over the lives of the people was weakening.
• The provision of Churches and priests had not kept pace with the growth of urbanisation and in any case the Orthodox religion seemed to have little relevance for the workers in the factories and testement blocks who were often more attracted by the teachings of the socialists
• Even in the countryside where faith and religious practices seemed stronger superstition often held a stronger sway than the Orthodox priests who were often regarded as money -grasping and less perfect role models
• Some liberal clergy expressed the wish to regenerate the Church and reform its relations with the Tsarist state but their calls were silenced by the senior conservatives and in particular by Pobedonostsev the over-procurator between 1880 and 1905