eurel     Sociological and legal data on religions in Europe and beyond
You are here : Home » Poland » Social and religious data » Religious groups and nonreligion

Religious groups and nonreligion

Pagans and Paganism in Poland

Rodzimowierstwo (Native Faith) it is a system of ethnic beliefs based on the mythology and beliefs of the local community refering to the pre-Christian tradition. Polish Pagans believe in gods (...)

Rodzimowierstwo (Native Faith) it is a system of ethnic beliefs based on the mythology and beliefs of the local community refering to the pre-Christian tradition. Polish Pagans believe in gods identified with the forces of nature. Pagans celebrate during the year six major holidays (most of them clearly refering to the dates when changes in the length of the day occur). Polish Pagans have their own website and magazine Gniazdo, dedicated to their religion. In August 2013 in Lodz, the first National Congress of the Polish Pagans was organised. It is estimated that the number of followers and supporters is increasing. There are currently four registered Pagan religious denominations: Polski Kościół Słowiański (Polish Slavonic Church – number in register 83), Rodzima Wiara (Native Faith - number in register 93), Zachodniosłowiański Związek Wyznaiowy "Słowiańska Wiara" (West Slavonic religious denomination "Slavic Faith" - number in register 155), Rodzimy Kościół Polski (Native Polish Church - number in register 80).
Polish Pagans are members of the Pagan International Federation. The main goal of this organization is to support all Pagans in their personal and public life, and to help ensure that they have the same rights as the followers of other beliefs and members of other religions.

D 14 January 2014    AMichał Zawiślak

Other religious groups

1. Religions in Poland
173 denominations were registered in 2011 in the Republic of Poland. Most of them can be classified as Protestant (67) and Eastern Christians (18). However, in a (...)

1. Religions in Poland

173 denominations were registered in 2011 in the Republic of Poland. Most of them can be classified as Protestant (67) and Eastern Christians (18). However, in a sociological perspective, since after Second World War Poland is one of the most religiously homogeneous societies in Europe, and even in the world. About 90% of Poles declare themselves as Catholics, although the precise percentage of Catholics differs depending on the research methods used in collecting data.
According to Census data from 2011, asides Catholics, most people in the population belong to the Orthodox Church (156 000, 0,4%) and the Jehovah’s Witnesses (137 300, 0,4%). Considerably fewer people belong to the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession (70 800), The Pentecostal Church (26 400), the Mariavits Old Catholic Church (10 000), the Polish Catholic Church (8 800), and the Baptist Church (6 000). Other denominations compose a group of about 44000 people.

2. Religious belonging in Poland

Belonging to religious denominations in Poland (2008)

Denomination Number %
Total 1 510 100
Roman-catholic 1 381 91,5
Orthodox 10 0,7
Jehova’s Witness 6 0,4
Evangelical 5 0,3
Greek-Catholic 1 0,1
Old-Catholic 3 0,2
Muslim 1 0,1
Buddhism 1 0,1
Not applicable 94 6,2
No answer 8 0,5

Source: European Values Studies 2008

Belonging to religious denominations in Poland (2014)

Denomination Number %
Total 1 615 100
Catholic (denomination not specified) 104 6,4
Roman Catholic Church 1 327 82,2
Protestant (denomination not specified) 2 0,1
Baptist 2 0,1
Lutheran, Evangelical Church 3 0,2
Pentecostal chuch 1 0,1
Eastern Orthodox Church (denomination not specified) 2 0,1
Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church 2 0,1
Jehova’s Witness 5 0,3
Polish Catholic Church 1 0,1
Other Christian denomination 1 0,1
Eastern religions (Buddhist, Hindu, Krishna, Tao, Zen etc.) 1 0,1
Other non-Christian religions 1 0,1
Not applicable 163 10,1

Source: European Social Survey 2014

D 19 April 2016    AWojciech Sadłoń

CNRS Unistra Dres Gsrl

Follow us:
© 2002-2024 eurel - Contact