Religious landscape

Be it in its early history (the Old Regime), in Liberal times, or during the Republic, Portugal presents us with some specific characteristics we may still encounter nowadays. On the one hand, there is a religious identity that mixes, almost symbiotically, with the very cultural identity of the nation; on the other hand, a quasi constant fight between political or cultural factions and a meaningful part of the Roman Catholic clergy.

According to the 1900’ census, only 5.000 Portuguese were non-Christian Roman Catholics. This number shows us the nearly total lack of religious diversity in Portugal, at the time of the beginning of the Republican regime.

After the 1930’s, however, the Estado Novo (New State) continued the strength of Roman Catholicism in the nation. Generically emphasising religious freedom, an inheritance impossible to lose since the First Republic, it was assumed in those times, becoming part of educational programmes, that the nation only had one religion: Catholicism.

There are twenty dioceses in Portugal, grouped into three ecclesiastical provinces: Braga, Lisbon, and Évora.

D 28 September 2012    AJosé Carlos Calazans ALuís Seabra Melancia APaulo Jorge Soares Mendes Pinto

The major religion remains Roman Catholic. According to the results of the latest Census in 2011, 81% of Portuguese people are Catholic, 3,6% from other religions and 6,8% have no religion.

For further information, see the article "Religions and Secularism in Portugal: mainly a lingering monotheism" (September 2015) by H. Machado Jorge on O-Re-La website.

D 17 September 2015    AHelena Vilaça AMaria João Oliveira

The study "Religious identities in the Lisbon metropolitan region" was directed by Prof. Alfredo Teixeira and published by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation (Portugal). It was carried out for CITER - Research Centre for Theology and Religious Studies -, with the support of the Lisbon Holy House of Mercy and the Patriarchate of Lisbon.

The study was developed by researchers Alfredo Teixeira (Catholic University of Portugal), Helena Vilaça (University of Porto), Jorge Botelho Moniz (NOVA University Lisbon), José Pereira Coutinho (Númena), Margarida Franca (University of Coimbra) and Steffen Dix (Catholic University of Portugal).

Religious diversity in Portugal is highly concentrated in the Lisbon metropolitan area. According to the study "Religious Identities in Portugal" (2011-2012), it has the highest concentration of minority religious movements (non-Catholic) and non-religious affiliation movements. The uniqueness of the Lisbon metropolitan region makes it a veritable laboratory for religious diversity in Portugal.

Religious positions in the Lisbon metropolitan region (percentages) (2018)

Source: « Religious identities in the Lisbon metropolitan area » (CITER, 2018)

The data on Catholicism confirms what was observed in the 2011 survey, suggesting that there is a decrease in its relative importance. Although more than half of the population declare themselves to be Catholic (54.9%), the proportion of individuals who say they belong to no religion is growing (around 35%). Within this group, non-believers represent 21.8% and the group of believers with no religious membership has more than doubled in less than 10 years, now standing at 13.1%. Compared with the 2011 study, the number of Catholics has fallen to almost 13%, while believers with no religious attachment and non-religious individuals have increased by 7%. Minority religious groups (9.2%) are not too significant, even in the most religiously diverse region of the country. Among non-Catholic Christians in particular, Evangelicals and Jehovah’s Witnesses are the most represented (around 7%).

To summarise the main findings:

• 64.7% of respondents belong to a religion.
• 9.2% of respondents identify themselves as having a non-Catholic religion.
• The municipality of Lisbon has the highest rate of people with no religion (40%).
• The North and South Tagus regions and the Setúbal Peninsula have the highest percentages of Christian and non-Christian minority religious groups (10.3% and 9.6% respectively).
• 2/3 of respondents received religious education at school.
• During childhood, 2/3 and ¾ respectively of their fathers and mothers were Catholic.
• 50.4% of the population has never changed religion.
• 23.8% of respondents are no longer practising but have continued to believe.
• Disagreement with doctrines or moral codes is the main reason for non-belief among people with no religion.
• The most recurrent weekend practices are those related to the domestic area - resting (45.2%) or looking after the house (34.4%).
• 25.5% of respondents usually attend a church or temple service (once or twice a month).
• More than half of respondents have not talked about religious matters in the past month.
• Almost 91% of respondents have never felt discriminated against because of their religious belief.
• 49.3% of respondents pray regularly.
• 67% of believers who belong to a religion attend places of worship in their area of residence.
• Those with no religion are the youngest age-group and have the highest level of education.

D 8 January 2019    AHelena Vilaça AJorge Botelho Moniz