The dominant religion in Ukraine is Christianity, with roughly 87% of the population identifying as Christian and the large majority of those belonging to the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Ukraine's faith landscape is unusual in Europe because it blends a deeply rooted Orthodox majority with a substantial Eastern Catholic (Greek Catholic) presence, an unusually strong Protestant community, and a small but historically significant Muslim minority among the Crimean Tatars.
The Religious Demographics
Surveys vary year to year, but the broad picture of belief in Ukraine is consistent. The major communities break down roughly as follows:
- Orthodox Christianity: around 65-70% of the population, split between the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the formerly Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
- Ukrainian Greek Catholicism: roughly 8-10%, concentrated heavily in the western regions around Lviv.
- Protestantism: about 2%, including a notably large community of Baptists and Pentecostals.
- Roman Catholicism: roughly 1-2%, with historic ties to the Polish community.
- Islam: around 1%, mainly Crimean Tatars and other Turkic peoples.
- No religion or undeclared: a sizeable share, especially among younger and urban Ukrainians.
Importantly, many Ukrainians describe themselves simply as "Orthodox" without naming a specific jurisdiction, a reflection of how identity, culture and faith overlap rather than strict denominational membership.
A Thousand Years of Christian History
Christianity arrived in the lands of Kyivan Rus' in 988 CE, when Prince Volodymyr the Great accepted baptism and adopted Byzantine Christianity as the state religion. This event, often called the Baptism of Rus', made Kyiv one of the great centres of Eastern Slavic Christianity and shaped a thousand years of religious culture across the region.
The picture grew more complex with the Union of Brest in 1596, which created the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. This church kept Eastern Byzantine liturgy and traditions while entering into communion with Rome, and it remains the dominant faith in western Ukraine today. Under Soviet rule, religion of all kinds was suppressed: the Greek Catholic Church was forcibly dissolved in 1946 and existed underground for decades, becoming the largest banned religious community in the world until its restoration in 1989.
The Split From Moscow
For much of the modern era, Ukrainian Orthodoxy was administered under the Moscow Patriarchate. After Ukraine regained independence in 1991, a movement for an independent national church gathered momentum. The decisive moment came in 2019, when the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople granted autocephaly (full self-governance) to the newly formed Orthodox Church of Ukraine, a landmark event in global Orthodoxy.
Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 sharply accelerated this realignment. Many parishes that had remained under Moscow's jurisdiction transferred their allegiance to the OCU, and the question of church affiliation became closely tied to national identity. Even the calendar shifted: in 2023 Ukraine moved its official Christmas observance from January 7 to December 25, distancing itself from Russian religious tradition.
Sacred Sites and Living Traditions
Ukraine's spiritual heritage is written into its landscape. The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, or Monastery of the Caves, is the country's most revered Orthodox complex, famous for underground passages holding the naturally preserved remains of monks. Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, dating to the 11th century, dazzles visitors with Byzantine mosaics and frescoes. The Pochaiv Lavra is a major pilgrimage destination, while Saint George's Cathedral in Lviv anchors Greek Catholic life in the west.
Beyond architecture, faith shapes everyday culture. Easter is the high point of the year, marked by midnight services, baskets of paska bread and decorated eggs blessed by priests, and the greeting "Khrystos Voskres!" (Christ is Risen!). Christmas brings koliadky, traditional carols sung from house to house. The art of pysanky, intricately patterned Easter eggs made with a wax-resist technique, carries symbols that predate Christianity itself, blending ancient folk belief with Orthodox observance. To explore more about the country, see our ukraine country guide.
Minority Faiths
Although Christianity dominates, Ukraine is genuinely pluralistic. Its Protestant community is one of the largest by proportion in Europe, with active Baptist and Pentecostal congregations. Islam is practised mainly by the Crimean Tatars, an indigenous Turkic people of the Crimean peninsula whose mosques and traditions have endured despite displacement and occupation. Ukraine also has a long Jewish history, with cities such as Uman remaining important Hasidic pilgrimage sites that draw thousands of visitors each year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main religion in Ukraine?
The main religion is Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The country is overwhelmingly Christian, with most believers belonging to the Orthodox tradition, followed by a significant Greek Catholic minority concentrated in the west.
What is the difference between the OCU and the Moscow-linked church?
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) is an independent national church that received autocephaly from the Ecumenical Patriarch in 2019. The other body was historically tied to the Moscow Patriarchate, and many of its parishes have shifted toward the OCU since 2022.
Are there Muslims in Ukraine?
Yes. Islam is practised by around 1% of the population, primarily among the Crimean Tatars, an indigenous Turkic people of Crimea who maintain their own mosques and religious traditions.
When do Ukrainians celebrate Christmas?
Since 2023, Ukraine's official Christmas date is December 25. Previously many Orthodox Ukrainians observed it on January 7 under the older Julian calendar, and the change reflects a broader cultural separation from Russian tradition.