Deputies have defined the requirements for images of temples in the media and advertising

Newsreels and images on a historical topic are not prohibited by the law on the "crucifixion," the legal department of the Moscow Patriarchate explained to Izvestia. The bill, which prohibits images of religious buildings without corresponding symbols in the media, the Internet, advertising, as well as cards of goods and services, was approved in the first reading on June 10, 2025. The document was amended for the second and third readings.

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"Newsreels from the Soviet period showing churches without crosses will not be subject to the law, due to the fact that there were no crosses on many desecrated and ruined churches during this period," Abbess Xenia (Chernega), head of the legal department of the Moscow Patriarchate, told Izvestia.

She participated in the drafting of these amendments. She also clarified that the new changes allow the depiction of temples and other objects of religious worship without religious symbols, if this may lead to their desecration.

"For example, domes of churches with crosses should not be depicted on seats in vehicles or on floor carpets," said Abbess Xenia.

If there is no cross in the film or in any creative work, "then the law cannot be applied to what has already happened," Yana Lantratova, chairman of the State Duma Committee on the Development of Civil Society, Public and Religious Associations, explained to Izvestia.

"And, of course, it will not apply to artistic images," she said.

The MP called for separating cases of "mashing" religious symbols from issues of insulting the feelings of believers.

"This is a completely different story: if a person buys a rug with an image of a temple, puts it down, starts trampling on it and does it in public with the aim of insulting religious feelings, then he will be charged with insulting religious feelings," she said.

Read more in the exclusive Izvestia article:

Symbolic protection: the law will prohibit the image of temples without crosses