Russian Orthodox Church makes prayer service for “those obsessed with computer passion”

The Russian Orthodox Church has written a special prayer service for people who are obsessed with video games. However, it still must be approved by the Holy Synod, Russia’s Ecclesiastical governing body.

According to the Petrozavodsk and Karelian diocese’s official website, the Synodal Liturgical Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church made and edited 39 services and rites in 2021.

One of them is called a “Prayer singing for those obsessed with computer passion,” (via RIA Novosti). It was submitted for consideration by the Holy Synod. The prayer’s text will be made public after approval. 

No separate prayers have been written focused on mobile and console gamers, which perhaps means that those platforms are beyond salvation in the eyes of the Russian Orthodox Church?

At the beginning of 2022, the World Health Organization officially classified video game addiction as an addictive behavior disorder.

Video games have been a target of government regulations across the globe. Russia is not an exception as politicians and state media usually demonize or blame this medium for different crimes among underage citizens.