Bennett Briggs

According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll from 2005, 49% of Lithuanians responded that “they believe there is a God”, 36% answered that “they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force”, and 12% said that they “do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force”.

This data, which suggests a large Christian population, is indicitive of the overal religious demographics in Lithuania. 77% identify themselves as Roman Catholic, 4% as Russian Orthodox, 6% claim no religion, and 10% did not specify. The remain 3% belong to various other religions.

Lithuania’s constitution and other laws protect religious freedom. Additionally, the criminal code contains three provisions in relation to religious exercise. It prohibits religious discrimination and provides for up to two years in prison for violations. It penalizes interference with religious ceremonies of “traditional” religious groups by imprisonment or community service. Finally, it penalizes inciting religious hatred towards any group by imprisonment for up to three years.

Several government agencies within Lithuania handle religious issues. A department in the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) adjudicates registration requests by religious groups, the prime minister’s staff includes an adviser for religious issues, and the Office of the Equal Opportunities (OEO) ombudsperson adjudicates complaints of discrimination based on religion. Within parliament there is also an ombudsperson that examines whether state authorities properly perform their duty to serve the population, and it is important to note that the review of the protection of religious beliefs fall within the purview of this office.

There is no official state religion, but by law “traditional” religious groups enjoy more benefits, which are not available to others, including government funding, the right to teach religion in public schools, and the right to register marriages. The law does however allow all registered religious groups to own property for prayer houses, and permits construction of facilities necessary for their activities. The law divides registered religious groups into three categories: state-recognized traditional religious groups, other state-recognized religious groups, and all other registered communities and associations. Upon approval of its application and registration, a religious group is considered a legal entity and is recorded in the Register of Legal Entities. Traditional religious groups and associations are registered gratis, while nontraditional groups pay a fee of 107 LTL ($38). As of November 2012 there were 1,087 traditional and 184 nontraditional religious associations, centers, and communities officially registered with the State Register of Legal Entities.