Religion in Greece
Among religions in Greece, the largest denomination is the Greek Orthodox Church, which represents the majority of the population[1] and which is constitutionally recognised as the "prevailing religion" of Greece (making it one of the few European countries with a state religion). Other major religions include Catholicism, Islam and Protestantism.
According to a 2005 Eurobarometer Poll, 81% of Greek citizens believe that there is a God, whereas 16% believed in some sort of spirit or life force and 3% responded that they did not believe there is any sort of God, spirit or life force.[2] According to a more recent survey (April 2011) conducted by Kapa Research (a major Greek polling firm) at the request of To Vima newspaper, asking Greek citizens whether they believed in God or not, 56.3% answered "yes", 20% answered "probably yes", 7.7% answered "probably no" and 13% answered "no".[3]
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[edit] Greek Orthodoxy
The Greek Orthodox Church, a member of the Eastern Orthodox Communion, is accorded the status of "prevailing religion" in Greece's constitution, and Greece is the only country in the world where an Eastern Orthodox Church is clearly recognized as a state religion. Its members comprise between 95% and 98%[1] of the population, although recent surveys on the religiosity of Greek citizens seem to contradict these numbers.[2]
The status of the Orthodox church as the "prevailing religion" is largely based on the role the church played for the preservation of the Greek nation through the years of the Ottoman Empire but also for the role the church played in the Greek War of Independence. As a result, many[who?] attribute to the modern Greek nation an ethnoreligious identity, though granted not as strong as it exists say, in the Jewish nation.
The Church of Greece is largely exempt from taxes, compared to other religious organizations. Furthermore, the mainstream Orthodox clergy's salaries and pensions are being paid for by the State at rates comparable to those of teachers. All Greek students in primary and secondary schools in Greece attend Christian Orthodox instruction, although there is an exemption system for students who do not want to attend, as long as the exemption is requested by both parents.
[edit] Catholicism
[edit] Roman Catholicism
Indigenous Catholic Greeks number approximately 50,000[4] and are found all over Greece, the majority however live in the Cyclades and the Ionian Islands. The presence of Catholics in the Greek islands is a heritage from the time of the Venetian domination during the Middle Ages.[citation needed] The Roman Catholic community has increased in size in recent years due to immigration and today number over 200,000.[4]
[edit] Greek Catholicism
Catholic Greeks of the Byzantine Rite (Uniates) number approximately 5,000[4] and mostly live in Athens.
[edit] Protestantism
Protestants, including Greek Evangelical Church and Free Evangelical Churches, stand at about 30,000.[5][6] Assemblies of God, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and other Pentecostal churches of the Greek Synod of Apostolic Church have 12,000 members.[7] Independent Free Apostolic Church of Pentecost is the biggest Protestant denomination in Greece with 120 churches.[8] There are not official statistics about Free Apostolic Church of Pentecost, but the Orthodox Church estimates the followers in 20,000.[9]
[edit] Islam
Indigenous Turks and Muslims in Greece are mostly of Turkish origin though a community of Greek Muslims exists as well. The number of followers of Islam is estimated to be at 97,604 people or 0.95% of the total population, according to the 1991 census.[10] Immigrant Muslims are estimated between 200,000 and 300,000.[11]
[edit] Judaism
The Jewish community in Greece currently amounts to roughly 5,500 people, concentrated mainly in Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa, Volos, Chalkis, Ioannina, Trikala and Corfu, while very few remain in Kavala and Rhodes.[12] It is composed largely of two groups, the Romaniotes, Jewish communities dating back to Antiquity, and the Ladino-speaking Sephardim, who arrived from Spain and settled chiefly in Thessaloniki during Ottoman times.
[edit] Hellenic Neopaganism
About 2,000 people are members of Hellenic Neopaganism (Dodekatheic) congregations.[13][14][15]
[edit] Other faiths
Other minor faiths in Greece include Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, Mormons and Scientologists. Groups that constitute less than 1 percent of the population includes Baha'is.[16]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Greece". The World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gr.html#People. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
- ^ a b "Eurobarometer on Social Values, Science and technology 2005 - page 11" (PDF). http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf. Retrieved 2007-05-05.
- ^ To Βήμα - Πιστεύουμε αλλά δεν εκκλησιαζόμαστε
- ^ a b c "Religious Freedom in Greece (September2002)" (RTF). Greek Helsinki Monitor Minority Rights Group - Greece. http://www.greekhelsinki.gr/bhr/english/organizations/ghm_mrgg_religious_freedom_2002.rtf. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
- ^ "Executive Summary Discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief GREECE" (PDF). Dr Ioannis Ktistakis & Dr Nicholas Sitaropoulos. ec.europa.eu. 2004-06-22. http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/fundamental_rights/pdf/aneval/religion_el.pdf. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
- ^ "International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Greece". US Dept. of State/Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. www.state.gov. 2006-09-15. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90178.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
- ^ Synod of Apostolic Church of Christ
- ^ Chirch adresses from the Official Site - in Greek
- ^ Orthodox estimate - in greek
- ^ Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών, Υπηρεσία Ενημέρωσης: Μουσουλμάνικη μειονότητα Θράκης and Ελληνική Επιτροπή για τη διαχείρηση των υδατικών πόρων: Στοιχεία από την πρόσφατη απογραφή του πληθυσμού
- ^ "International Religious Freedom Report 2006: Greece". US Dept. of State/Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. www.state.gov. 2006-09-15. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71383.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
- ^ Short History Of The Jewish Communities In Greece (pdf), publicized by the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece
- ^ Newstatesman - The ancient gods of Greece are not extinct
- ^ Telegraph.co.uk - Modern Athenians fight for the right to worship the ancient Greek gods
- ^ The US government gives a generic number of 2000.United States Department of State - International Religious Freedom Report 2006
- ^ H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ: Επιτροπές της Ιεράς Συνόδου - ΣΥΝΟΔΙΚΗ ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ ΕΠΙ ΤΩΝ ΑΙΡΕΣΕΩΝ
[edit] Notes
- US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2006: Greece
- Tomkinson, John L., Between Heaven and Earth: The Greek Church, Anagnosis (Athens, 2004) ISBN 960-87186-5-1
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