Religion in Montenegro

A religious community, called vjerska zajednica in Montenegro, may organize worship, religious education, charitable work and spiritual care. The Constitution gives religious communities equal and free status in their religious affairs and rites while keeping them separate from the state. People may adopt, change or reject a religion, practise publicly or privately, and refuse to disclose their beliefs. Protection also covers theistic, non-theistic and atheistic convictions. Discrimination, hatred and intolerance based on religion are prohibited. Restrictions are lawful only when prescribed by law and proportionate to public safety, order, health, morality or the rights of others. The 2023 census recorded 443,394 Orthodox people (71.10%), 124,668 Muslims (19.99%) and 20,408 Catholics (3.27%). It also recorded 14,260 atheists (2.29%), 2,524 agnostics (0.40%), 13,093 people who made no declaration (2.10%), 2,727 other Christians (0.44%), 568 Protestants (0.09%), 252 Jehovah's Witnesses (0.04%), 214 Buddhists (0.03%), 536 people reporting another religion (0.09%) and 989 people in another category (0.16%). Orthodox affiliation is generally dominant in other municipalities, while Islam has particularly high shares in Rožaje, Petnjica, Gusinje, Plav, Ulcinj, Tuzi and Bijelo Polje. Catholic affiliation is especially visible in Tivat, Kotor and Bar. Local religious life includes the Mitropolija crnogorsko-primorska of the Srpska Pravoslavna Crkva, the Mešihat Islamske zajednice u Crnoj Gori, the Nadbiskupski ordinarijat Bar, the Biskupski ordinarijat Kotor, the Jevrejska zajednica Crne Gore, other smaller Christian communities and Bahá’í communities recorded in state documents. Existing communities can be entered as evidentirana, while new communities can seek registrovana status. Access requires at least three adult believers who are Montenegrin citizens with residence in Montenegro, or foreigners and stateless people with permanent residence. A foreign religious centre may voluntarily submit an application. Religious activity without registration is permitted, but the group does not receive legal-person status or the exclusive rights reserved to registered or evidenced legal persons. The Ministry of Justice and its Directorate for Cooperation with Religious Communities generally has 30 days for registration, 15 days for evidence entry and 30 days for recording changes. Authorities may refuse or prohibit a community for discrimination, violence, hatred or serious violations of human dignity; an appeal can be brought before the Administrative Court. Religious rites normally take place in religious buildings. A public rite outside such a building requires prior notice to the Interior authority, while a privately requested rite generally does not require notice unless it creates a public-safety risk. Examples include porodična slava, vjenčanje, krštenje, krizma, sunećenje, ispovijedanje, osvještenje and sahrana. A religious rite does not replace a civil marriage or state family registration. A cleric may receive a fee or reward under the rules of the relevant community, but Montenegro has no evidenced nationwide tariff; the requesting person's identity is not entered in the financial record. People may request individual or collective spiritual care in the army, police, detention and prison facilities, juvenile institutions, health institutions and social-care institutions. Religious dietary requirements can also be requested. A foreign cleric may qualify for temporary residence when the person proves registered religious activity and a seat in Montenegro. State or local budgets may support religious communities for cultural, social, health, charitable or humanitarian work. Clerics have recognized rights relating to health, pension and disability insurance, subject to the applicable arrangements. The Law on Celebration of Religious Holidays grants paid leave for specified religious holidays. Orthodox and Catholic Christmas each provide three days; Ramadan Bajram and Kurban Bajram each provide three days; and Jewish Passover and Yom Kippur each provide two days. The exact dates change annually and follow official notices. Schools must respect religious holidays, while essential public services continue. Public education is secular. Religious activity is prohibited in public educational institutions except in licensed secondary religious schools. Religious instruction may take place in religious buildings or suitable rooms outside the school timetable. A minor needs consent from a parent or guardian and personal consent from age 12. Religious schools may operate at all levels except compulsory primary education. Licensed programmes with public validity may receive state funding in proportion to pupil numbers. Government support arrangements in 2025 included Medresa Mehmed Fatih Podgorica and Gimnazija Sveti Sava Podgorica. Montenegro provides for cooperation between the state and religious communities in charitable, social, health, educational and cultural work. Both sides have duties to promote tolerance and interfaith dialogue. Formal mixed commissions have addressed agreements with the Srpska Pravoslavna Crkva, the Islamic community and the Jewish community. Catholic relations are addressed through the Holy See. Agreements may be called a Temeljni ugovor or an Ugovor o uređenju odnosa od zajedničkog interesa, but smaller communities do not necessarily have identical treaty arrangements.