Religion
Denominations | Population | % of total |
---|---|---|
Catholicism | 5,558,901 | 54.5 |
Roman Catholics | 5,289,521 | 51.9 |
Greek Catholics | 268,935 | 2.6 |
Protestantism | 1,985,576 | 19.5 |
Calvinists | 1,622,796 | 15.9 |
Lutherans | 304,705 | 3.0 |
Baptists | 17,705 | 0.2 |
Unitarians | 6,541 | 0.1 |
Other Protestants | 33,829 | 0.3 |
Orthodox Christianity | 15,298 | 0.1 |
Other Christians | 24,340 | 0.2 |
Judaism | 12,871 | 0.1 |
Other religions | 13,567 | 0.1 |
Total religions | 7,610,553 | 74.6 |
No religion | 1,483,369 | 14.5 |
Did not wish to answer | 1,034,767 | 10.1 |
Unknown | 69,566 | 0.7 |
total | 10,198,315 | 100.00 |
The majority of Hungarians became Christian in the 11th century. Hungary remained predominantly Catholic until the 16th century, when the Reformation took place and, as a result, first Lutheranism, then soon afterwards Calvinism, became the religion of almost the entire population. In the second half of the 16th century, however, Jesuits led a successful campaign of counterreformation among the Hungarians. Orthodox Christianity in Hungary has been the religion mainly of some national minorities in the country, notably, Romanians, Rusyns, Ukrainians, and Serbs.
Faith Church, one of Europe's largest Pentecostal churches, is also located in Hungary. Hungary has historically been home to a significant Jewish community.
According to 2001 census data, the largest religion in Hungary is Catholicism (54.5% — Roman Catholicism 51.9%; Greek Catholicism 2.6%). There is a significant Calvinist minority (16% of the population) and smaller Lutheran (3%),Baptist (0.2%), orthodox(0.015%) and Jewish (0.1%) minorities. However, these census figures are representative of religious affiliation rather than practice; fewer than 12% of Hungarians attend religious services at least once a week and fewer than 50% at least once a year, while 30% of Hungarians do not believe in God.
Read more about this topic: Demographics Of Hungary
Famous quotes containing the word religion:
“Religion is an attempt to get an irrefragably safe investment, and this cannot be got, no matter how low the interest, which in the case of religion is about as low as it can be.”
—Samuel Butler (18351902)
“Every sect is a moral check on its neighbour. Competition is as wholesome in religion as in commerce.”
—Walter Savage Landor (17751864)