'Pastafarian' man wins right to wear colander on his head in driving licence photo
Andrei Filin is a member of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Russian man has won the right to wear a colander on his head in his driving licence photo, after insisting the kitchen utensil is part of his ‘Pastafarian’ religious beliefs.
Andrei Filin, who wears a knitted yellow pasta strainer on his licence, is a follower of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster – a US-based parody faith satirising religion.
He is the first person in Russia and the fifth person in the world to be allowed to don the kitchenwear on his driving license.
Writing on Twitter, Mr Filin said: “The first license with a colander in Russia! What a great day!”
The driving licence was issued by a Main Directorate for Road Traffic Safety office in Moscow on 9 January, Russia Beyond the Headlines reports.
The deputy head of the Moscow State Traffic Inspectorate, Vladimir Kuzin, told Russian media that if Mr Filin is ever stopped by traffic police he must have a colander on his head or “his license will be taken from him,” Russia Today reports.
Mr Kuzin added there are no plans to change the regulations for driving licence photos.
Russian traffic police said on Tuesday they are investigating why Mr Filin was allowed to take the photo wearing the knitted hat, adding if it any rules are found to have been violated the license will be annulled.
Mr Filin told Russia Today: “If they try to take my license away - it will be a scandal. A few lawyers have already offered me their support and I would gladly accept their help.”
The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, created in 2005, was designed to satirise creationism and the literal interpretation of religious scripture. It holds a giant invisible and inebriated spaghetti monster created the Earth about 4,000 years ago by accident.
In November Lindsay Miller from Massachusetts was allowed to wear a colander in her driving licence photo. She won an appeal to wear the kitchenware with the help of an attorney associated with the American Humanist Association.
In 2011, Niko Alm from Austria became the first person to win the right to wear a colander in is driving licence photo, citing himself as a 'Pastafarian'.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments