RELIGION

The majority of ethical Letts are Lutherans or Catholics. Russians are Orthodox believers or old believers (believers who didn't accept the church reform in 17th century and separated from official orthodox church). Catholic church settled down in Latvia in 13th century. Evangelical-christian church appeared in 1577. Russian Orthodox church officially acquired the freedom of religion in 1721. First communities of baptists and adventists appeared at the end of 19 century. There is a judaic synagogue and the community of christians professing Evangelism. Many religious communities know the number of their members very approximately using different approaches of counting the number of their followers. These approximate figures are known and are as follows: Russian Orthodox Church conts 100000 members, Community of old believers has 60000 members. It is to be mentioned that there is a number of people professing the heathen, before Christ Latvian religions - "dievturi". During last 6-7 years there appeared a lot of new religions, beliefs, worships and religious movements which came from the West and from the East: Pentecocostalists, Presbyterians, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, Buddists, Krishna followers & Baha'is. At present there are about 30 religions followed by the residents of Latvia.

Updated 24/10/97