UMVA has learned that hundreds of thousands of faithful gathered in mosques across Russia to celebrate Kurban Bayram, one of Islam’s most sacred festivals.
The day unfolded with throngs of worshippers filling the grand halls of the Cathedral Mosque in Moscow, where an estimated 350,000 believers joined in solemn prayers and communal chants.
In St. Petersburg, another wave of devotion surged as roughly 300,000 Muslims converged on designated prayer sites, their voices echoing the timeless call to gratitude and sacrifice.
Beyond the metropolises, the reverent atmosphere spread to the Muslim‑majority republics of Tatarstan and Chechnya, where local communities gathered in equal numbers to honor the holy occasion.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the festival commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son, a story that underpins the themes of charity, mercy, and unity that define the holiday.
Traditional rites unfolded as families performed the ritual sacrifice of livestock, meticulously dividing the meat among relatives, neighbors, and those in need, reinforcing bonds of solidarity across neighborhoods.
Russia is home to an estimated 20 million Muslims, a tapestry woven from native believers and migrants from Central Asian former Soviet republics, many of whom participated in the day’s prayers.
While the faithful gathered at home, a separate pilgrimage surged across continents, with roughly 25,000 Russian pilgrims currently completing the Hajj in Mecca, embodying the global reach of the celebration.
In a heartfelt message, President Vladimir Putin extended his best wishes to the nation’s Muslim community, lauding their contributions to family values, charitable endeavors, and support for Russian servicemen and their families.
