Slovenia is a small state in the very center of Europe. When tourists visit the country, they are impressed by the natural beauties of this state and the architectural diversity of buildings. Slovenia borders on Croatia, Italy, Austria and Hungary, part of the land is washed by the Adriatic Sea. Slovenes are a very friendly and sociable nation, they will always help and prompt if you contact them with questions. Slovenians successfully integrate into Europe, speak several languages: German, Italian and English, which makes it easier for them to communicate with their neighbors in the European Union.
What the statistics say
What is the main religion in Slovenia, statistics will best tell. It varies from year to year, but the latest results show that the number of believers has increased since 2002, while the number of atheists has decreased.
Atheism is a legacy of the communist regime. In 2002, there were 10% of atheists, and according to information in 2010, their number has halved.
80% of Slovenia's population is Catholic. The total share of all Christians in the country is 90% (Catholics, Lutherans, other confessions).
Besides Slovenes, Christians living in this country are Germans, Hungarians,Serbs, Italians and Romanians.
Since 1995, the Union of Christian Churches has been operating in Slovenia. It consists of Catholics, Lutherans and Orthodox. The Pentecostal Church, which is actively developing in the country, is also a member of this council, but on a voluntary basis.
Traditional churches in Slovenia, apart from the Catholic, are Orthodox (2.3%) and Lutheran (0.8%).
Catholicism
As can be seen from the statistics, the main religion in Slovenia is Catholic Christianity. The Catholic Church of Slovenia includes 4 dioceses and 2 archdioceses. The head of the Catholics of Slovenia is the archbishop (currently Anton Stres).
There are 2 archdioceses of Catholics in Slovenia: Ljubljana and Maribor, as well as 4 dioceses:
- Koperskaya.
- Novo Mesto.
- Tele.
- Murska Sobota.
The following are considered major Catholic churches in Slovenia: the Cathedral of St. Nicholas (Ljubljana), the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Maribor) and the Cathedral of St. Nicholas (Murska Sobota).
Christian denominations and sects
The country's constitution guarantees equal rights in practicing religion in Slovenia, as it is a secular state. Religion does not take part in government and cannot influence the authorities.
Freedom of religion allowed numerous Christian denominations (Pentecostals, Baptists) and sects (Scientology, Jehovah’s sect and variousdestructive directions of Satanism).
In 2003, a religious scandal erupted in Slovenia. Because of the spread of sects, the Minister of Religion organized the persecution of freedom of religion. Confessions that did not belong to traditional religions were outlawed and persecuted. Many people appeared in Slovenia who did not like this initiative very much. Discussions began in newspapers, radio and television. A new law on religious freedom was developed and adopted in a short time, passions subsided.
Now in Slovenia, everyone can profess the faith or religion they wish.
There are few Orthodox churches in Slovenia. Orthodox, along with Lutherans, are a minority in this country. If you look into history, we can conclude that the Christians of Slovenia, both before the split of the single church and after the split in 1054, were part of the territory influenced by Catholic Rome. The modern Orthodox Church in Slovenia belongs to the Serbian Metropolis.
Islam in Slovenia
After Christianity, Islam is the second largest religion in Slovenia. There are two Islamic organizations operating in the country:
- Islamic Community of Slovenia.
- Muslim Society of Slovenia.
The listed Islamic organizations consider themselves Sunni madhab.
The reason for the emergence of Islam in Slovenia, as elsewhere, was the process of migration, mainly from the former republicsYugoslavia.
According to statistics, Muslims in Slovenia are 3%. Most Muslims are from Bosnia (74%) and Albania (11%).
The Catholics of Ljubljana opposed the construction of a mosque in the capital of Slovenia for a long time, but in 2008 a decision was reached to build a place of worship for the Muslims of Slovenia.
The main religion of the country of Slovenia is Christianity (Catholics, Orthodox, Lutherans), and in second place, as mentioned above, is Islam.
