Religion in Poland

St. Florian's Cathedral, Warsaw.

Most residents of Poland adhere to the Christian faith, with 89.8% belonging to the Roman Catholic Church.[1] Catholicism plays an important role in the lives of many Poles and the Roman Catholic Church in Poland enjoys social prestige and political influence.[2] The Church is widely respected by its members, who see it as a symbol of Polish heritage and culture.[3] The rest of the population consists mainly of Eastern Orthodox (about 806,000 believers, Polish and Belarussians[4]), Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland (about 85,000) and various Protestant (about 250,000, with about 130,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in the largest religious minorities.[5][6]

According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005:[7]

According to the most recent CBOS opinion poll published in the fall of 2008:[8]

From the beginning of its statehood, different religious coexisted in Poland and some minorities were tolerated by rulers of Poland. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Poland was famous for its unique religious tolerance (see Statute of Kalisz (1264) and Warsaw Confederation (1573)).

However in the 15th and 18th century, pressure from the Catholic Church caused tensions to rise between Catholics and Protestants after the Edict of Wieluń and later the Tumult of Torun contributing to the Age of Enlightenment.

The Polish Constitution and religion

Old Catholic Mariavite Church in Plock.

According to Poland's Constitution freedom of religion is ensured to everyone. It also allows for national and ethnic minorities to have the right to establish educational and cultural institutions, institutions designed to protect religious identity, as well as to participate in the resolution of matters connected with their cultural identity.

Religious organizations in the Republic of Poland can register their institution with the Ministry of Interior and Administration creating a record of churches and other religious organizations who operate under separate Polish laws. This registration is not necessary; however, it is beneficial when it comes to serving the freedom of religious practice laws.

Rodnover groups, registered with the Polish authorities in 1995, are Rodzimy Kościół Polski (the Native Polish Church) which represents a tradition that goes back to Władysław Kołodziej’s 1921 Święte Koło Czcicieli Światowida (Holy Circle of Worshipper of Światowid), and Polski Kościół Słowiański (the Polish Slavic Church),[9] Zrzeszenie Rodzimej Wiary (ZRW, "The Native Faith Association"), "Association for Tradition and Culture 'Niklot'" (founded in 1998).

Major denominations in Poland

Catholic St. Anne's Church in Warsaw
Catholic Mariavite Monastery in Felicjanów.
Denomination Members Leadership
Catholic Church in Poland[10]
 • Roman Catholic
 • Byzantine-Ukrainian
 • Armenian 		33,550,000  • Józef Kowalczyk, Prymas of Poland
 • Józef Michalik, Chairman of Polish Episcopate
 • Celestino Migliore, Apostolic Nuncio to Poland
 • Jan Martyniuk, Archbishop Metropolite of Byzantine-Ukrainian Rite
Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church 806,000 Metropolitan of Warsaw Sawa
Jehovah's Witnesses in Poland 126,488[11] Warszawska 14,Pl-05830 Nadarzyn
Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland 100,000 Bishop Fr. Jerzy Samiec
Old Catholic Mariavite Church in Poland 23,300 Chief Bishop Fr. Michał Maria Ludwik Jabłoński
Pentecostal Church in Poland 21,200 Bishop Fr. Marek Kamiński
Polish Catholic Church 20,000 Bishop Wiktor Wysoczański
Seventh-day Adventist Church in Poland 9,600 Fr. Paweł Lazar, President of the Church
Christian Baptist Church in Poland
 • Baptist Union of Poland 		6,500 President of the Church : Gustaw Cieślar
Islamic Religious Union in Poland 5,100 President of the Supreme Muslim College Stefan Korycki
Evangelical Methodist Church in Poland 4,460 Ruler of the Church, Bishop Edward Puślecki
Evangelical Reformed Church in Poland 3,500 President consistory Dr. Witold Brodziński
Catholic Mariavite Church in Poland 2,150 Bishop Damiana Maria Beatrycze Szulgowicz
Union of Jewish Confessional Communities in Poland 1,222  • President of the Main Board Piotr Kadlcik
 • Chief rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich

There are roughly 125 other minor religions registered in Poland.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pl.html
  2. ^ "Encyclopædia Britannica-Religion in Poland".
  3. ^ Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2007. "Poland".
  4. ^ http://www.poland.gov.pl/Koscioly,i,zycie,religijne,w,Polsce,126.html
  5. ^ (Polish) Kościoły i związki wyznaniowe w Polsce. Retrieved on June 17, 2008.
  6. ^ http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko%C5%9Bcio%C5%82y_i_zwi%C4%85zki_wyznaniowe_w_Polsce
  7. ^ Eurobarometer Poll 2005
  8. ^ (Polish) 94% Polaków wierzy w Boga
  9. ^ Simpson, Scott (2000). Native Faith: Polish Neo-Paganism At the Brink of the 21st Century
  10. ^ a b "Society". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2002. http://www.poland.gov.pl/?document=397. Retrieved 2008-12-03. 
  11. ^ Retrieved November 21, 2011

External links

Sovereign
states
States with limited
recognition
Dependencies
and other territories
Other entities
Principal religions of Poland
State-recognised
Roman Catholic Church (Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese, Byzantine-Slavonic Rite Church, Armenian Catholic Church) · Polish Orthodox Church · Polish Reformed Church · Evangelical-Augsburg Church · Evangelical Methodist Church · Catholic Mariavite Church · Old Catholic Mariavite Church · Eastern Old-Believer Church · Polish Catholic Church · Seventh-day Adventist Church · Baptist Union of Poland · Pentecostal Church in Poland · Judaism · Islam · Karaites
Not state-recognised
Jehovah's Witnesses · Buddhism · Hinduism