MOSCOW, May 5 (UPI) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a letter congratulating Orthodox Christians and all Russians who celebrate Easter, officials said.
"The Easter gives joy and hope to millions of people, inspires for good deeds and noble aspirations. It turns them to original spiritual values that play a special role in Russia's history and feed the national culture," the Kremlin press office on Sunday quoted Putin as saying in his letter.
Although the Russian Constitution separates the church from the state, the Russian Orthodox Church, which celebrated Easter on Sunday, is very influential in the country, RIA Novosti reported.
"The church incessantly cares about strengthening high moral and ethical ideals and family traditions in society and upbringing the younger generation. The church does a lot to solve pressing social problems," Putin said in his letter.
