Ukraine religions overview

Ukraine culture

According to the 7th article of the law “About liberty of conscience and religious organizations” dated April 23 1991 #987-XII Ukrainian religious communities are seen by the state and secular law as presented by religious centers and administrations, registered in accordance with article 14 of the mentioned law, which means that religious community as a centralized organization is not the subject to state registration and is not a legal body.

The most widespread Ukraine religions are:

Orthodoxy
Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)
Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kiev Patriarchate)
Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
Catholicism
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
Protestantism
Baptism
Lutheranism
Methodism
Pentecostalism
Presbyterianism
Carpathian reformed church
Judaism
Islam (mainly among Crimean Tatars)

The majority of believers are Christians. About 33 of 47 million citizens of Ukraine or 77% of the total name themselves believers. Meanwhile only 5 mln people of Ukraine regularly visit churches.

Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) is a part of Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine and is the most widespread religious jurisdiction on the whole territory of Ukraine apart from three Western regions.

Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kiev Patriarchate) doesn’t make up a majority in any Ukrainian region. Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church dominates in Galicia area (Lviv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk regions). Today sees a growing influence of actively missioning protestant churches.

After 1991 authorities of independent Ukraine were attempting to “adapt” orthodox church in Ukraine to “new realias”. The main idea of such attempts was to create an Autocephalous church and move the hierarchy from Moscow into Kiev. The first year after Ukrainian authorities acquired independence it has supported the activity of some Ukrainian Orthodox bishops which led to church split into Ukrainian Orthodox Church preserved under Moscow Patriarchate jurisdiction, and Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kiev Patriarchate, which declared itself as independent.

Also about 140 000 Ukrainian citizens are Jehovah’s Witnesses. As of today, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kiev Patriarchate has about 4000 churches, while of Moscow Patriarchate - 11000.