Hinduism in Montenegro

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Religion in Montenegro (2023 census)[1]
  1. Eastern Orthodoxy (71.1%)
  2. Catholicism (3.27%)
  3. Other Christians (0.57%)
  4. Islam (20.0%)
  5. No religion (2.69%)
  6. Other religions (0.28%)
  7. Undeclared (2.10%)

Christianity is the most widely professed religion in Montenegro, representing 74.4% of the total population, with Eastern Orthodoxy as the largest denomination, which is adhered to by 71.1% of the population. In addition to Christianity, there is also a sizeable number of adherents to Islam at 20% of the population.

Montenegro has no official religion and freedom of religion is a right defined by the country's Constitution, which also defines all religious communities as equal before the law and separate from the state.

Demographics

2023 census
Religion Population %
Eastern Orthodox 443,394 71.1
Roman Catholic 20,408 3.2
Protestant 568 0.1
Christianity 464,370 74.4
Islam 124,668 20.0
Atheist 14,260 2.3
Agnostic 2,524 0.4
Other 22,859 2.8
Historical preview[2]
Religion 1991 2003 2011 2023
Eastern Orthodox 69.1 74.2 72.0 71.1
Islam 19.2 17.7 19.1 20.0
Roman Catholic 4.4 3.5 3.4 3.2
Protestant 1.4 0.4 0.4 0.1
Irreligious / Atheist 1.6 0.9 1.2 2.3
Agnostic 0.07 0.4
Other 0.1 0.07 1.0 0.1
Udeclared/unknown 4.0 3.0 2.6 2.3
Ethnicity
by religion[3]		 Total Montenegrins Serbs Bosniaks Albanians Roma Croats
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
Eastern Orthodox 443,394 71.1 211,398 82.4 203,990 99.3 / / 51 0.1 410 7.3 157 3.0
Islam 124,668 20.0 22,292 8.7 98 0.04 58,859 99.8 22,520 72.7 5,092 90.4 / /
Roman Catholic 20,408 3.2 5,795 2.2 130 0.06 / / 8,085 26.1 / / 4,580 88.9
Protestant 568 0.1 196 0.07 51 0.02 / / 36 0.1 2 0.0 10 0.02
Atheist/Agnostic 16,784 2.7 11,296 4.4 587 0.3 41 0.07 70 0.2 / / 234 4.5

Christianity

Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Podgorica
St. Tryphon Cathedral in Kotor

Eastern Orthodoxy

Adherents of Eastern Orthodoxy in Montenegro are predominantly ethnic Montenegrins and Serbs.[4] Ethnic Montenegrins are divided between a majority affiliated with the Serbian Orthodox Church and a minority affiliated with the canonically unrecognized Montenegrin Orthodox Church, while Serbs overwhelmingly adhere to the Serbian Orthodox Church.[5]

Catholicism

Most Catholics are ethnic Albanians and Croats as well as some Montenegrins.

Islam

Husein-paša's Mosque in Pljevlja

Islam is the largest minority religion in the country. Muslims in Montenegro are divided into two main groups, and further subgroups:

Islam is the dominant religion in the northeastern municipalities, which are part of the Sandžak geographical region, and in municipalities where Albanians form a majority. Islam is the majority religion in the municipalities of Gusinje, Petnjica, Plav, Rožaje, Tuzi and Ulcinj.

Judaism

Hanukkah celebration in Podgorica

According to the World Jewish Congress, there were approximately 400 to 500 Jews in the country in 2022.[6] There is a high respect for the Jewish people and its contribution to the secular civilization.[7] In 2012, the Prime Minister of Montenegro Igor Lukšić signed an agreement with the Montenegrin Jewish community to grant official recognition of Jews as a minority in Montenegro. The agreement also established Judaism as the country's fourth official religion, along with the Eastern Orthodox Church, Catholic Church and Islam.[8]

Atheism

Religiosity is lowest in the Bay of Kotor region and the capital city of Podgorica. Municipalities with highest share of atheists are Herceg Novi (2.43%), Kotor (2.03%), Podgorica (1.99%) and Tivat (1.7%). In contrast, Rožaje has the fewest atheists, who make up only 0.01% of its population.[9]

Religious freedom

Montenegro's laws guarantee the freedom of religion and outlaw several forms of religious discrimination, as well as establishing that there is no state religion in Montenegro. The government provides some funding to religious groups.

According to a 2017 survey conducted by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Office of the Ombudsperson of Montenegro, 45% of respondents reported having experienced religious discrimination.[10]

In 2023, the country was scored 3 out of 4 for religious freedom.[11]

References

  1. "Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in Montenegro 2023" (PDF). Monstat. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  2. Bakrač, Vladimir B. (2012). Religioznost mladih u Crnoj Gori (PDF) (in Serbian). Belgrade: University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy. p. 116. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  3. http://www.monstat.org/eng/page.php?id=1994&pageid=1758
  4. "PM Krivokapić meets with bishops of Serbian Othodox Church". Government of Montenegro. 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  5. Džankić 2016, p. 110–129.
  6. US State Dept 2022 report
  7. "Jevreji u Crnoj Gori". jevzajcg.me. Jevrejska Zajednica Crne Gore. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  8. "Jewish history of Montenegro". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  9. "Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in Montenegro 2011" (PDF). Monstat. pp. 14, 15. Retrieved July 12, 2011. For the purpose of the chart, the categories 'Islam' and 'Muslims' were merged; 'Buddhist' (.02) and Other Religions were merged; 'Atheist' (1.24) and 'Agnostic' (.07) were merged; and 'Adventist' (.14), 'Christians' (.24), 'Jehovah Witness' (.02), and 'Protestants' (.02) were merged under 'Other Christian'.
  10. International Religious Freedom Report 2017 Montenegro, US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  11. Freedom House website, retrieved 12-4-2024

Sources