Billboards with quotations from the Bible including the Ten Commandments appeared on the streets of Moscow on Tuesday.
Billboards with quotations written in large red letters can be seen along the main streets of the capital. For example there is a poster in the city center with the phrase "Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal." Another billboard says "I am the Lord thy God; Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
The Moscow committee of advertising, information and design told RIA Novosti that these billboards have nothing to do with social advertisements, like those campaigning against the dangers of smoking, anti-abortion and anti-drug billboards.
"This is commercial advertising and does not contradict federal law," a committee spokesman said.
"The Russian Orthodox Church has nothing to do with the installation of these billboards. This is a private initiative," a source from the Church's information department in Moscow said.
Russian bloggers suggest that the idea belongs to Baptists or Protestants.
