Religion in Lithuania
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The Religion in Lithuania is predominantly Catholic, reflecting Lithuania's history, with a strong presence from other minorities.
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[edit] Christianity
[edit] Roman Catholicism
79% of Lithuanians belong to the Roman Catholic Church.[1] Roman Catholicism has been the majority denomination since the Christianization of parts of Lithuania proper in 1387 (the Highland) and in 1413 (Samogitia, the Lowland).[citation needed]
Some Catholic priests led the resistance against the Communist regime which continued after independence against socialism and liberalism, especially in ethical questions.
The Hill of Crosses near Šiauliai, a shrine to the anti-communist resistance, was where thousands of Latin rite crosses were placed. Latin crosses were forbidden on the hill by the Czarist, Russian Orthodox, authorities in 1800s. The Soviet authorities continued the prohibition. Despite being bulldozed in 1961 the planting continued and Pope John Paul II visited the hill during his visit to Lithuania.
[edit] Eastern Orthodoxy
Eastern Orthodoxy claims 4.9% of the population, mainly the Russian minority.[citation needed]
[edit] Protestantism
Protestants makes up 1.9% of the population, mainly the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania.[citation needed]
Small Protestant communities are dispersed throughout the northern and western parts of the country. Samogitia was historically positioned between the two German-controlled states of Livonia to the north and the Protestant formerly monastic, Teutonic State of Prussia to its south. In the 16th century, from those two regions Lutheranism started to spread into the country. The majority of Prussian Lithuanians living in East Prussia and in Memelland (what is now the Klaipėda Region of modern Lithuania) were Lutherans, and most of them were resettled in the Federal Republic of Germany along with the rest of the East Prussian German inhabitants after World War II. Since 1945 Lutheran Protestantism in Lithuania has declined.
Various Protestant churches have established missions in Lithuania since 1990, including the United Methodists, [2] the Baptist Union, [3] the Mennonites, [4] and World Venture. [5]
[edit] Non-Christian Religions
Rabbinic Judaism, Islam, and Karaite Judaism together make up about 1.6% of the population.[citation needed]
[edit] Karaites
According to a Karaite tradition several hundred Crimean Karaites were invited to Lithuania by Grand Duke Vytautas to settle in Trakai ca. 1397. A small community remains in Trakai today, which has preserved the Turkic Karaim language and distinctive customs, such as its traditional dish called "kibinai", a sort of meat pastry, and its houses with three windows, one for God, one for the family, and one for Grand Duke Vytautas.
[edit] Romuva
A neo-pagan Romuva religion is slowly gaining popularity in Lithuania, since the country regained its independence.[citation needed]
[edit] See also
- Roman Catholicism in Lithuania
- Romuva
- Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn
- Islam in Lithuania
- Hinduism in Lithuania
- Karaite Judaism
[edit] References
- ^ (English) Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. Population by Religious Confession, census. Updated in 2005.
- ^ (English) United Methodists evangelize in Lithuania with ads, brochures
- ^ (English) Baptist beginnings in Lithuania.
- ^ (English) Graduation: Lithuania Christian College
- ^ (English) World Venture. Lithuania.
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