Christianity is the predominant religion in Montenegro, with approximately 74.4% of the population adhering to the faith according to the latest 2023 census data. The vast majority of Christians in the country belong to the Eastern Orthodox tradition, which acts as a cornerstone of Montenegrin cultural and historical identity.
Religious Breakdown
While the country is officially a secular state with no state religion, its Christian landscape is deeply divided along denominational and political lines:
- Eastern Orthodoxy (71.1%): The largest religious body in the country.
- Roman Catholicism (3.27%): Mainly practiced by ethnic Croats and Albanians.
- Other Christian Denominational Groups (0.57%): Includes minor Protestant and evangelical communities.
The Orthodox Church Schism
The Orthodox majority is deeply fragmented by an ongoing jurisdictional rivalry between two main bodies.
The dispute between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Montenegrin Orthodox Church centers heavily on the ownership of historic ecclesiastical properties, properties rights, and national identity.
Catholic and Protestant Presence
The Roman Catholic Church has deep roots along the Adriatic coastline. The Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor) region serves as the cultural center of Montenegrin Catholicism, defined by historic Venetian-style churches and island sanctuaries like Our Lady of the Rocks.
In contrast, Protestantism and Evangelicalism have an exceptionally small footprint in Montenegro. The country has one of the lowest percentages of evangelical Christians in Europe, consisting of only a handful of tiny, localized churches spread across Podgorica and Bar.
Links for further overview of Montenegro:
Stichting HEALING THE NATIONS 