Official Reports: 35.8 Thousand Religious Organizations Function in Ukraine

The State Committee on Nationalities and Religions prepared annual statistics reports reflecting annual indicators of religious activity development in Ukraine.

The State Committee on Nationalities and Religions prepared annual statistics reports reflecting annual indicators of religious activity development in Ukraine. The official information about the network of churches and religious organizations in Ukraine and their provision with religious buildings is approved by the state committee’s Order №09 of 28.02.2011, reports the Institute of Religious Freedom.

According to the report, in accordance with Form 1, as of the beginning of 2011, the religious network in Ukraine included 35,861 religious organizations, which is 677 organizations more than in 2010. In Ukraine 1,884 religious communities are not legal entities, that is, they are not registered, which is not obligatory.

There are 32,521 religious communities with the status of legal entity (which is 581 communities more than last year), 88 (+3) centers, 274 (+9) departments, 459 (+20) monasteries, 357 (+10)  missions, 78 (+2) brotherhoods, 200 (+1) spiritual educational institutions.

Ukraine has 12,762 (+4) Sunday schools attached to religious organizations, 30,199 ministers who administer the affairs of churches and religious organizations, and 386 (+9) religious periodicals.

The information indicates a continual growth in the network of churches and religious organizations in all the aspects studied.

“To a considerable extent, it was facilitated by the current Law of Ukraine 'On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations' of 1991, which established the proper democratic conditions for the free development of the network of religious organizations, and which promotes interdenominational peace,” concluded the experts at the roundtable on the church-state dialogue, which took place in late 2010.

According to the report, in accordance with Form 2, all in all, religious organizations use 23,159 (+372) religious buildings and buildings modified for religious use. This number includes 3,947 buildings that are architectural monuments and 7,718 buildings that have been modified for religious use.

According to official information, 2,403 (+5) religious buildings are under construction. Churches and religious organizations rent 6,963 (+166) buildings for divine services and religious and social activities.

If to compare the number of the registered religious organizations with the number of buildings and rooms used by them, then it becomes evident that only 68 percent of churches and religious organizations are provided with religious buildings for divine services.