Religion in Poland

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Religion in Poland is changing. For many centuries Poland has been one of the world’s most Catholic countries, but religious life is declining and becoming more diverse.

Today most Poles still identify as Roman Catholic. In the 2021 census, 71.3% said they were Catholic, down from 87.6% in 2011. About 28% of Catholics attend Mass weekly. Other religions are small: Eastern Orthodox about 0.4%, Protestants around 0.4%, Jehovah’s Witnesses about 0.3%, Greek Catholics about 0.1%, and Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism each under 0.1%.

Looking at past data, 2018 statistics showed 93.5% of the population affiliated with some religion, with 3.1% nonreligious. Catholics made up about 91.9% of the population, and Eastern Orthodoxy about 0.9%. Attitudes toward religion have shifted over time: in 2015, 61.1% said religion was very or extremely important in their lives, while 13.8% said it was of little or no importance.

Poland’s religious landscape has deep roots. Before Christianity became dominant, many people practiced forms of pre-Christian faith. The Christianization of Poland began in the 10th century, and tolerance levels varied over the centuries. The Holocaust during World War II destroyed most of Poland’s Jewish community, which had been large and influential. Today Poland’s population remains mostly Christian, with Catholics forming the large majority, but there are growing numbers of people who belong to other faiths or to no religion.

The Polish Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and separates church and state. Minorities have the right to establish cultural and educational institutions and to participate in religious matters. There are about 125 registered faith groups in Poland, including newer or minority faiths such as the Native Polish Church and the Polish Slavic Church, which reflect Poland’s long tradition of religious diversity.

The Catholic Church remains influential in Polish society, but its political role and public reputation have faced challenges from various scandals and debates over abortion and church-state connections.