Religion In Switzerland
Switzerland has no state religion, though most of the cantons (except for Geneva and Neuchâtel) recognize official churches (Landeskirchen), in all cases including the Catholic Church and the Swiss Reformed Church. These churches, and in some cantons also the Old Catholic Church and Jewish congregations, are financed by official taxation of adherents.
Christianity is the predominant religion of Switzerland (72.1% of total resident population). 20.1% of the total population are irreligious. The largest minority religion is Islam (4.5%, figures as of 2010).
Read more about Religion In Switzerland: Demographics, Legislation, Freedom of Religion, History, See Also
Famous quotes containing the words religion and/or switzerland:
“... it was religion that saved me. Our ugly church and parochial school provided me with my only aesthetic outlet, in the words of the Mass and the litanies and the old Latin hymns, in the Easter lilies around the altar, rosaries, ornamented prayer books, votive lamps, holy cards stamped in gold and decorated with flower wreaths and a saint’s picture.”
—Mary McCarthy (1912–1989)
“I look upon Switzerland as an inferior sort of Scotland.”
—Sydney Smith (1771–1845)