Religion in Montenegro – What is the Main Religion in Montenegro?

What really is the main religion dominating in Montenegro? And what are the other religions? How did they start? Learn more here!

In order to avoid trouble in a certain country, it is important to know how you will act accordingly based on a country’s culture, tradition, and of course, religion. How? By doing advanced research. Here, we will talk about Montenegro, a country in the Balkans. You might be wondering what religion is dominating this country? Well, the answer is here.

Religion in Montenegro

There are a total of 31 registered religious communities in Montenegro. Their population consists of:

• Orthodox 72%
• Islam 19%
• Catholic 3%
• Atheistic 1%
• Unknown 3%
• Others 2%

Based on this data, Orthodox Christianity is the dominant religion in Montenegro. Let’s find out below the history of how this religion dominated this Balkan country.

Roots of Christianity in Montenegro

Here is a timeline of how Christianity started in Montenegro.

4th Century

Christianity was the main religion in Montenegro in the 4th century. There are written proofs that the church organization was formed during that time. 

9th Century

After the settled Slavs converted to Christianity in the 9th century, the Diocese of Duklja obtained a higher status and power over the clergy in today’s Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina. During the Christian church division in 1054, the population of Montenegro remained under the auspices of the Western Catholic Church.

13th Century

In the 13th century, the Orthodox Serbian Church’s episcopates were created in Montenegro when the Nemanjić dynasty began to rule the country.

14th Century

When the Balšić, the 2nd dynasty in Montenegro, took power in the 14th century, the divided religious alliance population lived in Montenegro. In the area between lake Skadar and the Drim River, Catholics dominated. The Orthodox people lived above Lake Skadar, between the Lovćen mountain and the Morača river. The Balšić dynasty used the Serbian Empire’s disintegration to spread the Catholic faith and declare it as the official religion of Montenegro. 

At the end of the 15th century, Ivan Crnojević, the founder of Cetinje and the ruler of Montenegro, established a metropolitan and founded the Cetinje metropolitanate, which became an independent Orthodox institution. 

Just like in any other place, the issue of religion brings negative occurrences in Montenegro. For this reason, it became the basis of conflict. One must always remember that the most important thing about having a religion is respect for each other’s beliefs.

About the Writer

Hi there! I’m Fatima. My first major travel was in 2016 in the beautiful city of Cebu. After that, I got interested in traveling. Now I enjoy learning languages and other country’s cultures. My goal is to visit at least one country each year and to share my experiences with other people through writing or blogging. Witness my journey by following me on Instagram.​​​​​​​

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