Edit filter log

'{{Short description|None}} {{Pie chart |thumb=right |caption=Religion in Portugal (Census 2021)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tabulador.ine.pt/indicador/?id=0011644&lang=EN|title=Census - Final results: Portugal - 2021|access-date=2022-11-23|publisher=Statistics Portugal}}</ref> |label1 = [[Catholicism]] |value1 = 80.20 |color1 = Blue |label2 = [[Orthodoxy#Christianity|Orthodoxy]] |value2 = 0.69 |color2 = DarkBlue |label3 = [[Protestantism]] |value3 = 2.13 |color3 = DarkOrchid |label4 = [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] |value4 = 0.72 |color4 = LightBlue |label5 = Other [[Christian]] |value5 = 1.04 |color5 = LightGreen |label6 = [[Buddhism]] |value6 = 0.19 |color6 = Yellow |label7 = [[Hinduism]] |value7 = 0.22 |color7 = Red |label8 = [[Judaism]] |value8 = 0.03 |color8 = Honeydew |label9 = [[Islam]] |value9 = 0.42 |color9 = Green |value10=0.28|value11=14.09|label10=Other Religion|label11=No Religion|color11=Grey}} [[File:Monasterio de Santa Cruz, Coímbra, Portugal, 2012-05-10, DD 01 (cropped).JPG|right|thumb|250px|[[Monastery of the Holy Cross (Coimbra)|Church of the Holy Cross]] in [[Coimbra]].]] [[Christianity]] is the predominant '''religion in Portugal''', with [[Catholicism]] being its largest denomination. [[Portugal]] has no official religion, though in the past, the [[Catholic Church in Portugal]] was the state religion. According to the 2021 Census, 80.2% of the population of Portugal is Catholic, though in 2001 only about 19% attended [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] and took the [[sacrament]]s regularly,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20020711232529/http://www.ecclesia.pt/rpd/totais.htm also possibly a decrease since then https://www.dn.pt/portugal/norte/interior/missas-dominicais-perderam-23-mil-fieis-desde-2001-2376179.html</ref> while a larger number wish to have their children [[Infant baptism|baptized]], be married in a church, and receive [[Last Rites]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ateismo.net/diario/2007/01/portugal-est-mais-secularizado-do-que.php|title=Portugal está mais secularizado do que a Espanha|access-date=2007-04-28|publisher=Diário Ateísta|date=18 January 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929083103/http://www.ateismo.net/diario/2007/01/portugal-est-mais-secularizado-do-que.php <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-09-29}}</ref> Portugal is one of the most religious countries in Europe, most Portuguese believe with certainty in the [[existence of God]] and [[Importance of religion by country|religion is important]] in their lives.<ref>[https://www.dn.pt/portugal/portugueses-sao-mais-cristaos-e-vao-mais-a-igreja-do-o-resto-da-europa-9396819.html Portugueses são mais cristãos e vão mais à igreja do que o resto da Europa ocidental]</ref><ref>[https://www.publico.pt/2018/10/29/sociedade/noticia/portugal-unico-pais-europa-ocidental-onde-quase-metade-catolicos-acredita-deus-existe-1849285 Portugal é dos países onde mais pessoas garantem que Deus existe]</ref> According to the [[Pew Research Center]] Portugal is the 9th most religious country out of 34 European countries, 40% of Portuguese Catholics pray daily,<ref>[https://www.pewforum.org/2017/08/31/five-centuries-after-reformation-catholic-protestant-divide-in-western-europe-has-faded/ Five Centuries After Reformation, Catholic-Protestant Divide in Western Europe Has Faded] [[Pew Research Center]].</ref> and 36% say religion is very important in their lives.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/12/05/how-do-european-countries-differ-in-religious-commitment/|title=How do European countries differ in religious commitment? Use our interactive map to find out|publisher=Pew Research}}</ref> Although [[Separation of church and state|Church and State]] were formally separated during the [[Portuguese First Republic]] (1910–1926), a separation reiterated in the constitution of 1976, Roman Catholic precepts continue to have a significant bearing in Portuguese society and [[Culture of Portugal|culture]]. The educational and health care systems were for a long time the Church's preserve, and in many cases, whenever a building, bridge, or highway was opened, it received a blessing from the [[clergy]]. Although Church and State are formally separate, the Catholic Church still receives certain privileges.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.concordatwatch.eu/showtopic.php?org_id=1361&kb_header_id=4131 | title=Concordat (2004) : Text &#124; Concordat Watch - Portugal }}</ref> == Demographics == According to the 2021 Census, 80.2% of the population aged 15 and older is [[Catholic Church|Catholic]], a figure very similar to that recorded in the 2011 Census, when 81.0% selected [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]] as their religion. About 5% adhere to other forms of [[Christianity]], with 2.1% being [[Protestantism|Protestant]], 0.7% [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], 0.7% [[Orthodoxy#Christianity|Orthodox]], and 1% members of other Christian churches. Just over 1% indicated belonging to non-Christian religions, with 0.4% being [[Islam|Muslim]], 0.2% [[Hinduism|Hindu]], 0.2% [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] and 0.3% members of other religions. 14% indicated not having any religion.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Statistics Portugal |title=Resident population with 15 and more years old (No.) by Place of residence (at the Census 2021 moment) and Religion |url=https://tabulador.ine.pt/indicador/?id=0011644&lang=EN |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=tabulador.ine.pt}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |+Religion in Portugal - Census 2021<ref name=":0" /> !Religion !Number !Percent |- |style="background:#CCECFC;"|'''[[Christianity]]''' |style="background:#CCECFC;"|'''7,444,786''' |style="background:#CCECFC;"|'''84.77%''' |- |''- [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]]'' |''7,043,016'' |''80.20%'' |- |''- [[Orthodoxy#Christianity|Orthodoxy]]'' |''60,381'' |''0.69%'' |- |''- [[Protestantism]]'' |''186,832'' |''2.13%'' |- |''- [[Jehovah's Witnesses]]'' |''63,609'' |''0.72%'' |- |''- Other Christian'' |''90,948'' |''1.04%'' |- |style="background:#FEFAC5;"|'''Non-Christian religions''' |style="background:#FEFAC5;"|'''99,984''' |style="background:#FEFAC5;"|'''1.14%''' |- |''- [[Buddhism]]'' |''16,757'' |0.19% |- |''- [[Hinduism]]'' |''19,471'' |0.22% |- |''- [[Judaism]]'' |''2,910'' |0.03% |- |''[[Islam|- Islam]]'' |''36,480'' |0.42% |- |''- Other non-Christian'' |''24,366'' |0.28% |- |style="background:#DCD9FA;"|'''[[Irreligion|No Religion]]''' |style="background:#DCD9FA;"|'''1,237,130''' |style="background:#DCD9FA;"|'''14.09%''' |- | colspan="3" |<small>Note: Question asked to the population aged 15 and older</small> |} Census data show some regional differences. [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]] is strongest in the [[Azores]] (91.6%), [[Madeira]] (90.9%) and the [[North Region, Portugal|North]] region (88.1%). On the other hand, the [[Algarve]] (65.9%) and the [[Lisbon metropolitan area|Lisbon]] region (67.5%) have the lowest percentages. It is also in the regions of Lisbon and the Algarve that the highest proportions of members of other [[Christianity|Christian]] churches, of other religions and of people without religious affiliation are found. Members of other Christian religions make up more than 10% of the Algarve's population. In the Lisbon metropolitan area and in the Algarve, more than 2% of the population follow non-Christian religions and the percentage of the [[Irreligion|non-religious]] population varies between around 6% in the Azores and Madeira and 23.1% in Lisbon.<ref name=":0" /> {| class="wikitable" |+Religion in Portugal, by region and subregion - Census 2021<ref name=":0" /> ! rowspan="2" |Region / Subregion ! rowspan="2" |Total ! colspan="2" style="background:#CCECFC;" ! |'''[[Christianity]]''' ! colspan="2" |''- [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]]'' ! colspan="2" |''- Other Christian'' ! colspan="2" style="background:#FEFAC5;" ! |'''Non-Christian religions''' ! colspan="2" style="background:#DCD9FA;" ! |[[Irreligion|No Religion]] |- ! style="background:#CCECFC;" |'''Number''' ! style="background:#CCECFC;" |'''Percent''' !''Number'' !''Percent'' !''Number'' !''Percent'' ! style="background:#FEFAC5;" |'''Number''' ! style="background:#FEFAC5;" |'''Percent''' ! style="background:#DCD9FA;" |'''Number''' ! style="background:#DCD9FA;" |'''Percent''' |- !'''[[North Region, Portugal|North]]''' !3,080,860 !'''2,800,199''' !90.9% !''2,713,422'' !''88.1%'' !''86,777'' !''2.8%'' !'''13,901''' !0.5% !'''266,760''' !8.7% |- |''- Alto Minho'' |200,719 |186,700 |93.0% |''182,778'' |''91.1%'' |''3,922'' |''2.0%'' |843 |0.4% |13,176 |6.6% |- |''- Cávado'' |354,448 |326,382 |92.1% |''316,353'' |''89.3%'' |''10,029'' |''2.8%'' |1,407 |0.4% |26,659 |7.5% |- |''- Ave'' |359,786 |337,864 |93.9% |''331,712'' |''92.2%'' |''6,152'' |''1.7%'' |1,065 |0.3% |20,857 |5.8% |- |''- Porto Metropolitan Area'' |1,482,881 |1,298,978 |87.6% |''1,242,176'' |''83.8%'' |''56,802'' |''3.8%'' |9,051 |0.6% |174,852 |11.8% |- |''- Alto Tâmega'' |75,014 |71,298 |95.0% |''70,322'' |''93.7%'' |''976'' |''1.3%'' |176 |0.2% |3,540 |4.7% |- |''- Tâmega e Sousa'' |351,334 |336,254 | style="background:#DEF9CD;" |95.7% |''331,688'' | style="background:#DEF9CD;" |''94.4%'' |''4,566'' | style="background:#F9D5CD;" |''1.3%'' |665 | style="background:#F9D5CD;" |0.2% |14,415 | style="background:#F9D5CD;" |4.1% |- |''- Douro'' |161,898 |153,218 |94.6% |''150,764'' |''93.1%'' |''2,454'' |''1.5%'' |405 |0.3% |8,275 |5.1% |- |''-Terras de Trás-os-Montes'' |94,780 |89,505 |94.4% |''87,629'' |''92.5%'' |''1,876'' |''2.0%'' |289 |0.3% |4,986 |5.3% |- !'''[[Central Region, Portugal|Central]]''' !1,913,725 !'''1,701,383''' !'''88.9%''' !'''''1,629,396''''' !'''''85.1%''''' !'''''71,987''''' !''3.8%'' !'''11,839''' !0.6% !'''200,503''' !10.5% |- |''- Oeste'' |309,434 |260,346 |84.1% |''243,082'' |''78.6%'' |''17,264'' |''5.6%'' |3,190 |1.0% |45,898 |14.8% |- |''- Região de Aveiro'' |312,848 |280,256 |89.6% |''266,890'' |''85.3%'' |''13,366'' |''4.3%'' |1,661 |0.5% |30,931 |9.9% |- |''- Região de Coimbra'' |376,608 |329,606 |87.5% |''316,240'' |''84.0%'' |''13,366'' |''3.5%'' |2,195 |0.6% |44,807 |11.9% |- |''- Região de Leiria'' |244,620 |217,214 |88.8% |''206,914'' |''84.6%'' |''10,300'' |''4.2%'' |1,774 |0.7% |25,632 |10.5% |- |''- Viseu Dão Lafões'' |217,504 |202,062 |92.9% |''196,121'' |''90.2%'' |''5,941'' |''2.7%'' |754 |0.3% |14,688 |6.8% |- |''- Beira Baixa'' |70,760 |63,935 |90.4% |''62,030'' |''87.7%'' |''1,905'' |''2.7%'' |474 |0.7% |6,351 |9.0% |- |''- Médio Tejo'' |196,410 |175,806 |89.5% |''169,509'' |''86.3%'' |''6,297'' |''3.2%'' |1,008 |0.5% |19,596 |10.0% |- |''- Beiras e Serra da Estrela'' |185,541 |172,158 |92.8% |''168,610'' |''90.9%'' |''3,548'' |''1.9%'' |783 |0.4% |12,600 |6.8% |- !'''[[Lisbon metropolitan area|Lisbon Metropolitan Area]]''' !2,390,959 !'''1,782,739''' !74.6% !''1,614,932'' !''67.5%'' !''167,807'' !''7.0%'' !'''56,059''' !2.3% !'''552,161''' !23.1% |- !'''[[Alentejo Region|Alentejo]]''' !595,238 !'''479,001''' !80.5% !''453,268'' !''76.1%'' !''25,733'' !''4.3%'' !'''8,872''' !1.5% !'''107,365''' !18.0% |- |''- Alentejo Litoral'' |80,845 |53,887 | style="background:#F9D5CD;" |66.7% |''50,200'' | style="background:#F9D5CD;" |''62.1%'' |''3,687'' |''4.6%'' |4,566 | style="background:#DEF9CD;" |5.6% |22,392 | style="background:#DEF9CD;" |27.7% |- |''- Baixo Alentejo'' |94,460 |72,811 |77.1% |''69,003'' |''73.0%'' |''3,808'' |''4.0%'' |900 |1.0% |20,749 |22.0% |- |''- Lezíria do Tejo'' |199,892 |166,491 |83.3% |''154,743'' |''77.4%'' |''11,748'' |''5.9%'' |2,339 |1.2% |31,062 |15.5% |- |''- Alto Alentejo'' |90,105 |79,351 |88.1% |''76,731'' |''85.2%'' |''2,620'' |''2.9%'' |321 |0.4% |10,433 |11.6% |- |''- Alentejo Central'' |129,936 |106,461 |81.9% |''102,591'' |''79.0%'' |''3,870'' |''3.0%'' |746 |0.6% |22,729 |17.5% |- !'''[[Algarve]]''' !390,103 !'''297,366''' !'''76.2%''' !'''''257,046''''' !'''''65.9%''''' !'''''40,320''''' ! style="background:#DEF9CD;"|'''''10.3%''''' !'''7,951''' !'''2.0%''' !'''84,786''' !'''21.7%''' |- !'''[[Azores]]''' !195,788 !'''183,186''' !93.6% !''179,395'' !''91.6%'' !''3,791'' !''1.9%'' !'''521''' !0.3% !'''12,081''' !6.2% |- !'''[[Madeira]]''' !215,227 !'''200,912''' !93.3% !''195,557'' !''90.9%'' !''5,355'' !''2.5%'' !'''841''' !0.4% !'''13,474''' !6.3% |- | colspan="12" |<small>Note: Question asked to the population aged 15 and older</small> |}{{multiple image | align = right | caption_align = center | perrow = 2 | image1 = Catholics by municipality - Census 2021.png | width1 = 450 | caption1 = Percentage of Catholics by municipality | image2 = Other christians - Census 2021.png | width2 = 450 | caption2 = Percentage of members of other Christian denominations by municipality | image3 = Non-Christian religions.png | width3 = 450 | caption3 = Percentage of members of other religions by municipality | image4 = No-religion.png | width4 = 450 | caption4 = Percentage of non-religious by municipality | total_width = 610 | header = Religion by municipaliy - 2021 Census }} In 124 of the 308 [[Municipalities of Portugal|municipalities]], over 90% of the population indicated being Catholic in the 2021 Census. The municipalities with the highest percentages are [[Mesão Frio]] (97.0%), [[Ribeira de Pena]] (96.5%), [[Resende, Portugal|Resende]] (96.4%) and [[Baião, Portugal|Baião]] (96.3%) in the North region, and [[Vila Franca do Campo]] (96.3%) in the Azores. The least Catholic municipalities are located in the Algarve and on the Alentejo coast with [[Lagos, Portugal|Lagos]] (55.2%), [[Vila do Bispo]] (56.1%), [[Sines]] (56.2%), [[Aljezur]] (56.3%) and [[Odemira]] (56.7%) with the lowest percentages . The municipalities with the highest proportions of members of other Christian denominations are Lagos (14.3%), [[Albufeira]] (13.2%), [[Portimão]] (12.7%), [[Loulé]] (11.3%) and [[São Brás de Alportel]] (11.0%), all in the Algarve. The municipalities with the highest proportion of followers of non-Christian religions are Odemira (16.5%), Albufeira (4.1%), [[Lisbon]] (3.9%), [[Odivelas]] (3.4%) and [[Amadora]] (3.2%), in the Alentejo, Algarve and Lisbon regions. With regard to the non-religious population, the highest percentages are registered in parts of the Alentejo and the Algarve with Sines (35.5%), Vila do Bispo (33.7%), [[Grândola]] (31.7%), Aljezur (31.5%) and [[Aljustrel]] (31.4%) recording the highest percentages. In 15 municipalities more than a quarter of the population is not religious. On the other hand, in 74 municipalities this percentage is less than 5%.<ref name=":0" /> There is a very considerable difference in terms of religious composition between the inhabitants with [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] nationality and the foreign population residing in the country, which makes up 5.2% of the total population. 82.6% of residents of Portuguese nationality are Catholic, while only 36.4% of foreigners identify with the Catholic Church. Just over 3% of Portuguese nationals belong to other Christian denominations, a percentage that approaches 30% among foreign residents. Only 0.6% of residents of Portuguese nationality reported belonging to non-Christian religions, with this percentage being 12.3% among foreigners. As for the population without religious affiliation, the percentage is 13.7% among residents born in Portugal and 21.5% among residents born abroad.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Statistics Portugal |date=2022-12-19 |title=Publication "Census - What the Census tell us about the population of foreign nationals residing in Portugal" |url=https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_publicacoes&PUBLICACOESpub_boui=66196836&PUBLICACOESmodo=2 |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=Statistics Portugal}}</ref> ==History== {{more citations needed section|date=August 2012}} [[File:Braga March 2016-7a.jpg|230px|right|thumb|18th century organs and ceiling inside [[Braga Cathedral]].]] As in most provinces of the [[Roman Empire]], the religious beliefs and deities of the [[Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula|Pre-Roman populations]] mingled and coexisted with [[Roman mythology]]. In the Portuguese case, those Pre-Roman religions were basically [[Proto-Celtic]] or [[Celt]]ic, chief amongst them that of the [[Lusitanians]] (see ''[[Lusitanian mythology]]''). Jewish populations have existed in the area, going back to the Roman era or even before that, and are directly related to [[Sephardi]] history. The [[Roman Province]]s of [[Lusitania]] (comprising most of Portugal south of the [[Douro]] river) and of [[Gallaecia]] (north of the Douro river) were first Christianized while part of the Roman Empire. During this period, [[Bracara Augusta]] (the modern city of [[Braga]]) became one of the most important [[Bishop (Catholic Church)|episcopal]] centres, alongside [[Santiago de Compostela]]. [[Christianity]] was solidified when the [[Suevi]] and the [[Visigoths]]—[[Germanic peoples|Germanic tribes]] already Christianized—came into the [[Iberian Peninsula]] in the fifth century. Early Visigoths followed the [[Arianism|Arian heresy]], but they joined Roman mainstream after the eighth century. The city of Braga played an important role in the religious history of the period, namely during the renunciation of the Arian and [[Priscillianist]] heresies. Two synods were held in Braga in the sixth century, marking the origin of its ecclesiastical significance. The [[Ecclesiastical history of Braga|Archbishops of Braga]] retains the title of Primate of Portugal, and long claimed supremacy over the whole of the churches of [[Hispania]]. Braga had an important role in the Christianization of the whole Iberian Peninsula. The first known bishop of Braga, Paternus, lived during the end of the fourth century, although [[Saint Ovidius]] (d. 135 AD) is sometimes considered one of the first bishops of this city.<ref>[http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/91134 Santi Beati]</ref> In the early fifth century, [[Paulus Orosius]], a friend of [[Augustine of Hippo|Saint Augustine]], born in Braga, wrote several theological and historical works of great importance. In the sixth century, another influential figure was [[Saint Martin of Braga]], a bishop of Braga who converted the Suevi from [[Arianism]] to [[Catholicism]]. He also founded an important monastery near Braga, in [[Dumio]] (''Dume''), now an archaeological site. Several [[Archbishopric of Braga|Ecumenical Councils were held in Braga]] during this period, a sign of the religious importance of the city. Christianity saw its importance diminish in southern Portugal during [[Moorish]] rule in the [[Al-Andalus]] period, beginning in 711 with the [[Umayyad conquest of Hispania]], even if most of the population still followed Christianity according to the [[Mozarabic Rite]]. In the north, however, Christianity provided the cultural and religious cement that helped hold Portugal together as a distinctive entity, at least since the [[Reconquista|reconquest]] of [[Porto]] in 868 by [[Vímara Peres]], the founder of the [[First County of Portugal]]. By the same token, Christianity was the rallying cry of those who rose up against the Moors and sought to drive them out. Hence, Christianity and the Catholic Church pre-dated the establishment of the Portuguese nation, a point that shaped relations between the two. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} Under [[Afonso Henriques]] (r. 1139–1185), the first [[king of Portugal]] and the founder of the [[History of Portugal (1112-1279)|Portuguese Kingdom]], church and state were unified into a lasting and mutually beneficial partnership. To secure papal recognition of his country, Afonso declared Portugal a vassal state of the [[Pope]], and was as such recognized in 1179 through the [[papal bull]] ''[[Manifestis Probatum]]''. The King found the Church to be a useful ally as he drove the Moors towards the South. For its support of his policies, Afonso richly rewarded the Church by granting it vast lands and privileges in the conquered territories. The Church became the country's largest landowner, and its power came to be equal to that of the [[nobility]], the [[Military order (society)|military order]]s, and even, for a time, the Crown. But Afonso also asserted his supremacy over the Church, a supremacy that — with various ups and downs — was maintained. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} Although relations between the Portuguese State and the Catholic Church were generally amiable and stable, their relative power fluctuated. In the [[History of Portugal (1279-1415)|13th and 14th centuries]], the Church enjoyed both riches and power stemming from its role in the reconquest and its close identification with early Portuguese nationalism. For a time, the Church's position vis-à-vis the State diminished until the growth of the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese Overseas Empire]] made its [[Mission (Christian)|missionaries]] important agents of [[Colonisation|colonization]] (see, for example, ''[[Kingdom of Kongo]]''). Until the 15th century, some Jews occupied prominent places in Portuguese political and economical life. For example, [[Isaac Abrabanel]] was the treasurer of King Afonso V of Portugal. Many also had an active role in the Portuguese culture, and they kept their reputation of diplomats and merchants. By this time, Lisbon and Évora were home to important Jewish communities. In 1497, reflecting events that had occurred five years earlier in Spain, Portugal [[History of the Jews in Portugal|expelled the Jews]] and the few remaining Moors — or forced them to convert. In 1536, the Pope gave King [[João III]] (r. 1521–1557) permission to establish the [[Portuguese Inquisition]] to enforce the purity of the faith. Earlier, the country had been rather tolerant, but now orthodoxy and intolerance reigned. The [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit Order]] was placed in charge of all education. In the 18th century, anti-Church sentiment became strong. The [[Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal|Marquês de Pombal]] (r. 1750–1777) [[Suppression of the Society of Jesus|expelled the Jesuits]] in 1759, broke relations with the [[Holy See]] in [[Rome]], and brought education under the State's control. Pombal was eventually removed from his office, and many of his reforms were undone, but [[anti-clericalism]] remained a force in Portuguese society. In 1821, the Inquisition was abolished, [[Christian monasticism|religious orders]] were banned, and the Church lost much of its property. Relations between Church and State improved in the second half of the 19th century, but a new wave of anti-clericalism emerged with the establishment of the [[Portuguese First Republic]] in 1910. Not only were Church properties seized and education secularized, but the Republic went so far as to ban the ringing of church bells, the wearing of clerical garb on the streets, and the holding of many popular religious festivals. With the outbreak of the [[First World War]] the [[Portuguese First Republic]] viewed it as a unique opportunity to achieve a number of goals: putting an end to the twin threats of a Spanish invasion of Portugal and of foreign occupation of the colonies and, at the internal level, creating a national consensus around the regime. These domestic objectives were not met and the armed forces, whose political awareness had grown during the war, and whose leaders had not forgiven the regime for sending them to a war they did not want to fight, seemed to represent, to conservative forces, the last bastion of "order" against the "chaos" that was taking over the country. By the mid-1920s the domestic and international scenes began to favour an authoritarian solution, wherein a strengthened executive might restore political and social order. ===''Estado Novo''=== Under the [[Estado Novo (Portugal)|''Estado Novo'']], the [[corporatism|corporatist]] [[totalitarian]] regime of [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] (r. 1932–1968), the Church experienced a revival. Salazar was himself deeply religious and infused with Catholic precepts. Before studying [[law]], he had been a [[Seminary|seminarian]]; his roommate at the [[University of Coimbra]], [[Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira]], later became [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal]] [[Patriarch of Lisbon]]. In addition, Salazar's corporatist principles and his [[Constitution of Portugal|constitution]] and labour statute of 1933 were infused with Roman Catholic precepts from the papal encyclicals ''[[Rerum novarum]]'' (1891) and ''[[Quadragesimo anno]]'' (1931). Salazar's state claimed to base itself on the principles of traditional Roman Catholicism, with an emphasis on order, discipline, and authority. Class relations were supposedly based on harmony rather than the [[Marxist]] concept of conflict. The family, the parish, and Christianity were said to be the foundations of the State. Salazar went considerably beyond these principles, however, and established a full-fledged dictatorship. His corporate government, in the opinion of some, contained about equal blends of Roman Catholic principles and [[Benito Mussolini]]-like [[fascism]]. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} In 1940, a ''[[Concordat]]'' governing Church–State relations was signed between Portugal and the [[Holy See|Vatican]]. The Church was to be "separate" from the State but to enjoy a special position. The Concordat of 1940 reversed many of the anticlerical policies adopted during the First Republic, and the Catholic Church was given exclusive control over religious instruction in the public schools. Only Catholic clergy could serve as chaplains in the armed forces. Divorce, which had been legalized by the republic, was made illegal for those married in a Church service, but remained legal with respect to civil marriage. The Church was given formal "juridical personality," enabling it to incorporate and hold property. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} Under Salazar, critics believe that Church and State in Portugal maintained a comfortable and mutually reinforcing relationship. While assisting the Church in many ways, however, Salazar insisted that it stay out of politics — unless it praised his regime. Dissent and criticism were forbidden; those clergy who stepped out of line — an occasional parish priest and once the [[List of Bishops of Porto|Bishop of Porto]] — were silenced or forced to leave the country. The rest of the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, led by Cardinal [[Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira]], a great friend and supporter of Salazar, remained silent on the issue. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} ===Changes after the Revolution of 1974=== In the [[Portuguese Constitution of 1976]], after the [[Carnation Revolution]] of 1974 and the [[Portuguese transition to democracy|transition to democracy]], Church and State were again formally separated. The Church continues to have a special place in Portugal, but for the most part, it has been disestablished. Other religions are now free to organize and practice their beliefs. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} [[File:Prozelo Procession (7).JPG|thumb|Catholic procession in [[Ferreiros, Prozelo e Besteiros|Prozelo]]]] In addition to constitutional changes, Portugal became a more secular society. The practice of religion has since declined. The number of men becoming priests fell, as did charitable offerings and attendance at Mass. By the early 1990s, most Portuguese still considered themselves Roman Catholic in a vaguely cultural and religious sense, but only about one-third of them attended Mass regularly. Indifference to religion was most likely among men and young people. Regular churchgoers were most often women and young children.{{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} The Church no longer had its former social influence. During the 19th century and on into the Salazar regime, the Church was one of the most powerful institutions in the country — along with the Army and the social and economic elite. In fact, military, economic, governmental, and religious influences in Portugal were closely intertwined and interrelated, often literally so. Traditionally, the first son of elite families inherited land, the second went into the army, and the third became a bishop. By the early 1990s, however, the Roman Catholic Church no longer enjoyed this pre-eminence but had fallen to seventh or eighth place in power among Portuguese interest groups. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} By the 1980s, the Church seldom tried to influence how Portuguese voted, knowing such attempts would probably backfire. During the height of the revolutionary turmoil in the mid-1970s, the Church urged its communicants to vote for centrist and conservative candidates and to repudiate communists, especially in northern Portugal, but after that the Church refrained from such an overt political role. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} The Church was not able to prevent the enactment of the constitution of 1976, which separated Church and State, nor could it block legislation liberalizing [[divorce]] or [[abortion]], issues it regarded as moral and within the realm of its responsibility. ==Religious practices== {{unreferenced section|date=August 2012}} [[File:Virgen de Fátima.JPG|230px|right|thumb|The image of [[Our Lady of Fátima]] present in the [[Chapel of the Apparitions]], [[Cova da Iria]], at the [[Sanctuary of Fátima]].]] [[File:Cristo Rei, Lisboa, Portugal, 2012-05-12, DD 01.JPG|230px|right|thumb|The [[Sanctuary of Christ the King]] overlooking [[Lisbon]] in [[Almada]].]] The practice of religion in Portugal has shown striking regional differences. Even in the early 1990s, 60 to 70 percent of the population in the traditionally Catholic North regularly attended religious services, compared with 10 to 15 percent in the historically anti-clerical [[Alentejo|South]]. In the [[Greater Lisbon|Greater Lisbon Area]], about 30 percent were regular churchgoers. The traditional importance of Catholicism in the lives of the Portuguese is evident in the physical organization of almost every village in Portugal. The village churches are usually in prominent locations, either on the main square or on a hilltop overlooking the village. Many of the churches and chapels were built in the 16th century at the height of Portugal's colonial expansion, and were often decorated with wood and gold leaf from the conquests. In recent decades, however, they were often in disrepair, for there were not enough priests to tend them. Many were used only rarely to honor the patron saints of the villages. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} Much of the country's religious life has traditionally taken place outside the formal structure and official domain of the Roman Catholic Church. This is especially true in rural areas where the celebration of saints' days and religious festivals is popular. The most famous religious event in Portugal has been the claimed apparition of the [[Our Lady of Fátima|Virgin Mary]] to three children in [[Cova da Iria]], in the village of [[Fátima, Portugal|Fátima]], in 1917. Two of the children, [[Jacinta and Francisco Marto]], were beatified in 2000 and canonized saints in 2017 by [[Pope Francis]].<ref>Leonard Foley, SAINT OF THE DAY (Cincinnati: St. Anthony Press, 2003) 47,8.</ref> The apparition of the [[Our Lady of Fátima|Heavenly Mother]] in this small village in the district of [[Santarém District|Santarém]] has led hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to visit the [[Sanctuary of Fátima|Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima]] each year, many in the hope of receiving healing. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} Women tended to practice their religion more than men did, as evidenced by [[church attendance]]. The image of the Virgin, as well as that of Christ, were commonly displayed, even in [[labour union]] offices or on signs in demonstrations. Other aspects of Portuguese folk religion were not approved by the official Church, including [[witchcraft]], [[Magic (paranormal)|magic]], and [[Magic (paranormal)|sorcery]]. Formal religion, folk beliefs, and superstition were frequently jumbled together. Particularly in the isolated villages of northern Portugal, belief in witches, witchcraft, and evil spirits was widespread. Some persons believed in the concept of the "[[evil eye]]" and feared those who supposedly possessed it. Again, women were the main practitioners. Almost every village had its "seers," practitioners of magic, and "healers." Evil spirits and even [[werewolves]] were thought to inhabit the mountains and byways, and it was believed that people must be protected from them. Children and young women were thought to be particularly vulnerable to the "evil eye." {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} As people became better educated and moved to the city, they lost some of these folk beliefs. But in the city and among educated persons alike, superstition could still be found, even in the early 1990s. Sorcerers, palm readers, and readers of cards had shops, particularly in poorer neighborhoods, but not exclusively so. In short, a strong undercurrent of superstition still remained in Portugal. The formal Church disapproved of superstitious practices but was powerless to do much about them. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} In contrast to that of [[Spain]], Roman Catholicism in Portugal was softer and less intense. The widespread use of folk practices and the humanization of religion made for a loving though remote God, in contrast to the harshness of the Spanish vision. In Portugal, unlike Spain, God and his saints were imagined as forgiving and serene. In Spain, the expressions depicted on the faces of saints and martyrs were painful and anguished; in Portugal they were complacent, calm, and pleasant.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://countrystudies.us/portugal/59.htm | title=Portugal - Religious Practices }}</ref> == Other Christians == === Protestantism === For most of Portugal's history, few non–Roman Catholics lived in the country; those who did could not practice their religion freely. They had been kept out of the country for three centuries by the Inquisition. However, the [[United Kingdom|British]] began settling in Portugal in the nineteenth century brought other Christian denominations with them. Most belonged to the Anglican [[Church of England]], but others were Protestant [[Methodists]], [[Congregationalists]], [[Baptists]], and [[Presbyterians]]. The establishment of a constitutional monarchy in 1834 granted limited religious toleration, and consequently led to the opening of an [[Anglican]] chapel ([[St. George's Church, Lisbon]]). A second chapel was opened in 1868. The Anglican mission coincided with the growing influence of the [[Old Catholic]] movement in Portugal. Congregations were created from Roman Catholic priests and [[Laity|laypeople]] who refused to accept the dogmas of the [[infallibility]] and [[universal ordinary jurisdiction]] of the [[Pope]], as defined by the [[First Vatican Council]] in 1870. The [[Lusitanian Catholic Apostolic Evangelical Church]] was formed as a result in 1880 (and has been a member church of the [[Anglican Communion]] since 1980); however, laws still restricted the activities of non–Roman Catholics. [[St Andrew's Church, Lisbon]] - a congregation of the [[Church of Scotland]] - was built in 1899. The oldest Portuguese-speaking Protestant denomination is the ''Igreja Evangélica Presbiteriana de Portugal'' (Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Portugal), tracing its origins back to the work of a Scottish missionary on Madeira in the early 19th century.<ref>http://www.igreja-presbiteriana.org IEPP website</ref><ref>[http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/regions/europe/portugal/evangelical-presbyterian-church-of-portugal.html World Council of Churches' website]</ref> By the early 1990s, only some 50,000 to 60,000 [[Anglicans]] and [[Protestants]] lived in Portugal, less than 1 percent of the total population. The 1950s and 1960s saw the arrival of [[Pentecostals]], [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Portugal|The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], and [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], all of whom increased in numbers more rapidly than the earlier arrivals did. All groups, however, were hampered by prohibitions and restrictions against the free exercise of their religions, especially missionary activities. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} These restrictions were lifted after the Revolution of 1974. The constitution of 1976 guarantees all religions the right to practice their faith. Non–Roman Catholic groups came to be recognized as legal entities with the right to assemble. Portuguese who were both not Roman Catholics and were conscientious objectors had the right to apply for alternative military service. The Roman Catholic Church, however, still sought to place barriers in the way of missionary activities. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} === Eastern Orthodoxy === The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] is present in small numbers in Portugal, mostly through diaspora from Eastern European countries with a native Eastern Orthodox population. Some are organised through local jurisdictions of their mother churches, most often headed from Spain or other neighbouring countries. These include: * The {{interlanguage link|Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Spain and Portugal|fr|Métropole orthodoxe grecque d'Espagne et du Portugal}}, part of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople]] and based in [[Madrid]]. It was established in 2003 from part of the [[Greek Orthodox Metropolis of France]]. * The [[Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Western Europe]], based in [[Paris]], has one missionary parish in Portugal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dioceseserbe.org/fr/espagne.html|title=Espagne et Portugal|publisher=Diocèse d’Europe occidentale de l'Église orthodoxe serbe|website=dioceseserbe.org|date=16 May 2015 |access-date=2019-04-01}}</ref> * The [[Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe]], based in Paris, has an auxiliary bishop in Spain and Portugal. * The [[Eparchy of Central and Western Europe]] of the [[Bulgarian Orthodox Church]] (with seat in Berlin), has one parish in Portugal. * The {{interlanguage link|Diocese of Geneva and Western Europe|ru|Женевская и Западно-Европейская епархия}} of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]], headed from Geneva by Archbishop [[Michael (Donskoff)]], also has one parish in Portugal. * The [[Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church in Spain and Portugal (Moscow Patriarchate)|Spanish-Portuguese Exarchate]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]], based in Madrid, claims 11 parishes in Portugal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pravmir.ru/russkaya-tserkov-sozdala-novyie-strukturyi-za-rubezhom-chto-eto-znachit/|title=Русская Церковь создала новые структуры за рубежом – что это значит|date=31 December 2018|website=www.pravmir.ru|language=ru-RU|access-date=2019-03-03}}</ref> It was established in December 2018 following the [[2018 Moscow–Constantinople schism|rupture of relations between Moscow and Constantinople]]. The latter had previously cared for Russian parishes through the [[Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe]], based in Paris. There is also a non-canonical jurisdiction, the [[Lusitanian Catholic Orthodox Church]], which defines itself as both [[Independent Catholic]] and [[Eastern Orthodox]]. It does not have any recognition from the canonical jurisdictions above. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} ==Other religions== [[File:Lisbon Mosque.jpg|right|thumb|The [[Lisbon Mosque]].]] ===Baháʼí Faith=== {{Main|Baháʼí Faith in Portugal}} The first visitor of the [[Baháʼí Faith]] to Portugal was in 1926.<ref name="Manha">{{Cite news |last = Moreira |first = Rute |title = Comunidade Baháʼí em Portugal |newspaper = Correio da Manhã |date=2001-01-13 |url=http://bahai-library.com/moreira_comuidade_bahai_portugal |access-date = 2010-05-03}}</ref> Its first Baháʼí [[Spiritual Assembly#Local Spiritual Assemblies|Local Spiritual Assembly]] was elected in [[Lisbon]] in 1946.<ref name="Manha"/> In 1962 the Portuguese Baháʼís elected their first [[Regional Baháʼí Council|National Spiritual Assembly]].<ref name="BinW">{{cite book |last=Smith |first=Peter |title=Baháʼís in the West |publisher=Kalimat Press |year=2004 |pages=22, 36–38 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x7wyJdyE60oC&pg=PA22 |isbn = 978-1-890688-11-0}}</ref> In 1963 there were nine assemblies.<ref name="stats">{{cite web |url =http://bahai-library.com/handscause_statistics_1953-63&chapter=1#19 |title = The Baháʼí Faith: 1844-1963: Information Statistical and Comparative, Including the Achievements of the Ten Year International Baháʼí Teaching & Consolidation Plan 1953-1963 |author= Compiled by [[Hands of the Cause]] Residing in the Holy Land |page = 109}}</ref> The population of the Baháʼí community Ain Portugal was estimated at some 2,100 members in 2010 according to the [[Association of Religion Data Archives]] (relying on [[World Christian Encyclopedia]]).<ref name="ARDA-10">{{cite web |title=QuickLists: Most Baha'i Nations (2010) |work=[[Association of Religion Data Archives]] |year=2010 |url=https://www.thearda.com/QL2010/QuickList_40.asp |access-date=2020-10-16}}</ref> ===Hinduism=== {{Main|Hinduism in Portugal}} From the mid-1990s on there was an influx of Hindus of Nepalese origin in Portugal as a result of labour migration originated from that South Asian country. It is also possible to find in the Metropolitan Areas of all the regions several Hare Krishna communities, consisting mainly of non-Portuguese Europeans, Brazilians, US citizens and a few Portuguese. Besides this, there is a Hindu community of approximately 9,000 persons, which largely traces its origins to Indians who emigrated from the former Portuguese colonies of Lusophone Africa, particularly from Mozambique, and from the former colony of Goa and other possessions in Portuguese India. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} Hindus in Portugal are, according to the Indian Embassy in Lisbon, mainly Gujaratis (Gujarati is taught at the Hindu Community Cultural Centre in Lisbon), Punjabis and Goans. The majority of the Hindus live in the Lisbon and Porto Metropolitan areas. ===Judaism=== {{Main|History of the Jews in Portugal}} The [[History of the Jews in Portugal|Jewish community in Portugal]] numbered between 500 and 1,000 as of the early 1990s. The community was concentrated in Lisbon, and many of its members were foreigners. The persecution of Portuguese Jewry had been so intense that until the twentieth century Portugal had no synagogue or even regular Jewish religious services (the [[Lisbon Synagogue]] was founded in 1904). The few Jewish Portuguese were hence isolated from the main currents of Judaism. Their community began to revive when larger numbers of foreign Jews (embassy personnel, business people, and technicians) began coming to Portugal in the 1960s and 1970s. In northern Portugal, there are a few villages where [[Marranos]], descendants of Jews who converted to Christianity to avoid persecution and whose religion was a mixture of Judaism and Christianity, still exist (see [[Belmonte Jews]]) numbering several thousand. {{Citation needed |date = November 2022}} ===Islam=== {{Main|Islam in Portugal}} Portugal's [[Islam in Portugal|Muslim]] community consists of a small number of immigrants from Portugal's former colonies in [[Africa]], namely [[Mozambique]] and [[Guinea-Bissau]], and small numbers of recent immigrant workers from [[Northern Africa]], mainly [[Morocco]]. In the 1991 census the number of Muslims in Portugal was under 10,000. The Muslim population in 2019 is approximately 65,000 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/muslim-population-by-country/|title=Muslim Population By Country 2020|website=World Population Review}}</ref> The main Mosque in Portugal is the [[Lisbon Mosque]]. The majority of Muslims in the country are [[Sunni]]s, followed by approximately 5,000 to 7,000 [[Nizari Isma'ilism|Nizari Ismaili Shia Muslims]]. There is also a limited number of [[Ahmadiyya]] Muslims.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mamiop8TPxYC&pg=PA193 |title=Islam, Europe's Second Religion: The New Social, Cultural, and Political Landscapes |page=193 |author=Shireen Hunter |year=2002 |publisher=Praeger Publishers |isbn=0-275-97608-4 |access-date=19 June 2014}}</ref> In 2015, Lisbon was chosen to be the global seat of the [[Nizari]] [[Shi'a]] community; the second largest Shi'a denomination in the world. Their spiritual leader, the [[Aga Khan IV]], purchased the historical Mendonça Palace to use as its headquarters, as well as the headquarters of [[Aga Khan Foundation|his foundation]].<ref>{{cite news|website=The Ismaili News|url=https://the.ismaili/news/historic-agreement-establishes-global-seat-imamat-portugal|title=Historic agreement establishes Global Seat of Ismaili Imamat in Portugal|date=4 June 2015|access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref> ===Buddhism=== There is also a small population of between 50,000 and 80,000 [[Buddhism|Buddhists]] and Buddhist sympathisers (respectively) in Portugal. More than any other non-Christian denomination, and more than any other when it comes to ''sympathizers''. A new Buddhist [[Vihara]] called Sumedharama, has been founded in July 2010 and located at north west of Lisbon, near Ericeira.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sumedharama.pt/projecto-2/|title=Sumedhārāma Buddhist Monastery|year=2020|access-date=13 May 2020}}</ref> The Bacalhôa Buddha Eden Oriental Park, near [[Bombarral]], is also a recent Buddhist inspired garden, although not strictly a worshipping place; It was built as a protest to the destruction of the Bamyan Buddhas in Afghanistan in the early 2000s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bacalhôa Buddha Eden |url=https://bacalhoa.pt/enoturismo/bacalhoa-buddha-eden |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=bacalhoa.pt}}</ref> ===The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints=== There is a small population of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Portugal|Latter Day saints living in Portugal]]. The Church reports 45,576 members and 67 congregations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/facts-and-statistics/country/portugal|title=Statistics and Church Facts &#124; Total Church Membership}}</ref> The Church also completed and dedicated its first temple in Portugal in 2019. ==Irreligion== There are between 420,960 and 947,160 (4 to 9% of total population) [[atheist]], [[agnostic]], and [[irreligious]] people,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991206060729/http://adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 6, 1999|title=The Largest Atheist / Agnostic Populations|access-date=2007-04-28|publisher=www.adherents.com|last=Zuckerman|year=2005}}</ref> according to other sources 6.5% of the population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aidscongress.net/article.php?sid=93|publisher=www.aidscongress.net|title=7 HIV-AIDS Virtual Congress|year=2002|access-date=2007-04-28 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929073331/http://www.aidscongress.net/article.php?sid=93 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-09-29}}</ref> According to the 2021 Census, there were 1,237,130 (14.09%) people who specifically stated they were without religion. ==See also== *[[Catholic Church and the Age of Discovery]] *[[Cult of the Holy Spirit]] *[[Dissolution of the monasteries in Portugal]] *[[Fifth Empire]] *[[History of Roman Catholicism in Portugal]] *[[Sebastianism]] *[[Hinduism in Portugal]] *[[Protestantism in Portugal]] ==References== {{reflist}} {{Country study}} {{Religion in Portugal}} {{Religion in Europe}} [[Category:Religion in Portugal| ]] [[Category:Catholicism in Portugal|*]]'