Christianity in Albania was established throughout the country in 100 AD. From 1000 AD, the Byzantine Empire carried out Church missions in the area. In relation to the increasing influence of Venice, the Franciscans started to settle down in the area in the 13th century. From the 15th century to the 19th century, under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, Christianity was replaced by Islam as the majority religion in Albania. A Pew Research Center demographic study from 2009 put the percentage of Muslims in Albania at 79.9%.[1] The CIA World Factbook gives a distribution of 70% Muslims, 20% Eastern Orthodox, and 10% Roman Catholics.[2] However, the Albanian government gives the percentages of religious affiliations with only 38% Muslim, 16% Eastern Orthodox, 17% Catholic and 25% atheist or nonreligious.[3]
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Eastern Orthodoxy is practiced by about 20% of Albanians within Albania.[3] Eastern Orthodoxy is also practiced by many ethnic Albanians in Balkans and Albanian communities living in western Europe,USA and Australia. Albania is historically linked with both the Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy as well as Islam.It was among the first peoples of the region to receive missionaries and accept the Christianity. With the split of the Church,Orthodoxy become the religion for those Albanians inhabiting the areas under the Byzantine rule.
Although Orthodox Christianity has existed in Albania for centuries, and the Orthodoxy historically(before the arrival of Islam) constituted about 50% of the population of Albania,the first Orthodox liturgy in the Albanian language was held not in Albania, but in Massachusetts. Subsequently, when the Orthodox Church was allowed no official existence in communist Albania, Albanian Orthodoxy survived in exile in Boston (1960–1989). It is a curious history that closely entwines Albanian Orthodoxy with the Bay State.
The Roman Catholic Church in Albania is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. Around 17% of the religious population is Catholic,[3] the third largest religious denomination after Islam and Orthodoxy. There are five dioceses in the country, including two archdioceses plus an Apostolic Administration covering southern Albania.
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