Religious Freedom in Poland

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Poland
www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51573.htm

International Religious Freedom Report 2005
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.

There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report, and government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion.

The generally amicable relationship among religions in society contributed to religious freedom. Jewish community leaders report no serious anti-Jewish incidents in the country over the last two years. However, there were occasional desecrations of Jewish and, more frequently, Roman Catholic cemeteries by skinheads and other marginal elements of society.

FULL REPORT:
www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51573.htm

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another part

A 2003 public opinion poll indicates that the attitude of Poles toward religion is little changed from the last polling, conducted in 2001. Approximately 57 percent of citizens actively participate in religious ceremonies at least once per week. Nine percent of respondents declared that they have no contact with the Roman Catholic Church, an estimated 34 percent declared that they attend church irregularly or sporadically, and approximately 2 percent declared themselves to be nonbelievers. The survey also found women to be more religious than men, with 65 percent of the former attending church regularly, compared with 48 percent of the latter. There was a slight (3 percent) decrease in the number of Poles identifying themselves with the Roman Catholic Church and an identical increase in the number of those reporting they prefer to "believe in their own way."

Foreign missionary groups operate freely in the country.

FULL REPORT:
www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51573.htm

[oldpolish]

Oh! Peace in lands... Jagiellonian tolerance for ages of ages....