Online religious dating sites gaining popularity

Religious dating sites are gaining popularity on the Web, including for Orthodox Christians. In the mass consciousness, believers usually are seen far from modern life, and even more so from the Internet. However, the number of completed questionnaires on religious dating sites indicates the opposite, writes RIA Novosti.

"It is a common prejudice that believers look at the Internet as a different reality. This is not true. The Internet is a means of communication, and it is absolutely normal to use it. The Church does not prevent such communication of people," said hieromonk Macarius (Markish), the leader of the Internet project "Questions to the Father" in the network "Yelitsy".

The dating site for the Orthodox "ABC of Fidelity" offers to read the Bible, a prayer book, to study the church calendar, and at the same time find your love. The choice of candidates for the match is quite wide: more than 15 thousand men and almost 18 thousand women.

As on other similar sites, first you fill in a questionnaire here. While completing the questionnaire, you can admire the photos of couples who were married precisely because of the "ABC of Fidelity".

There are several forums on the Internet where believers discuss religious dating sites and, in addition to enthusiastic responses, also give warnings about danger.

Internet communication, like any other, has its own "threats, disadvantages and defects," warns hieromonk Macarius. Although one can get acquainted "in different ways", the Church here does not impose any restrictions, only calls for "attention and caution," because on the Internet there are "rascals, swindlers, criminals who catch their victims with the help of the Internet."

According to the clergyman, an attempt to overcome loneliness is peculiar not only for young people, but for believers of all ages, as some "are a victim of divorce or widowhood".