Report: Number of Christians in Europe declines by 17 mln over past five years

A map of Christianity distribution in the world. Photo: world population review

On January 12, 2026, a new analytical review was published, indicating a notable decline in the Christian population in European countries over the past five years. According to the presented estimates, the total number of believers decreased by approximately 17 million people, reports World Population Review.

The study notes that the decline is sustained in nature and affects most European countries. On average, the share of the population identifying themselves as Christians has decreased by approximately 3–4% over the past five years.

Against the general background, individual Eastern European countries stand out, where religious self-identification remains high. In particular, in Romania, the overwhelming majority of the population continues to consider themselves Christians, which sharply contrasts with trends in Western Europe.

At the same time, on a global scale, Christianity maintains its position as the largest religion: about 2.38 billion people worldwide consider themselves its followers. However, the report's authors emphasize that Europe is gradually losing its status as the demographic center of Christianity.

Experts link the ongoing changes to the loss of interest in religion, the weakening of the church's social role, and the consequences of migration, which has changed the religious composition of the population.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that 388 million Christians experience persecution and discrimination for their faith.

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