The majority place of Catholicism
In the history of governance, they have supported conservative and nationalist orientations, with a large part of the clergy openly siding with the traditionalist and identity-based right. While the communist era was very repressive towards religious people, who were seen as opponents of the regime, the collapse of the Eastern bloc and the end of the collectivist ideal gave a significant place to Catholicism. Between 1996 and 1998, former President of the Republic Franjo Tuđman signed four agreements of mutual interest with the Vatican, which officially recognized the historical and cultural importance of Christianity in Croatia. Today, despite the disinterest and atheism of various leaders, the Church can weigh in on educational, family, general, ethical or health-related issues. We could see it during the demonstrations against the gay marriage, the powerful anti-abortion movement or lately the groups against the gender theory, the antivax, etc.
Religious and secular minorities are well represented
According to the latest census results (2021), 78.97% of Croatian inhabitants identify themselves as Catholics, 3.32% as Orthodox Christians, 0.26% as Protestants (mainly Hungarians), 1.32% as Muslims, 0.02% as practicing Jews, while 6.39% are atheists and 3.86% undecided. Orthodox Christians are mainly represented by the Serbian community of Krajina or Eastern Slavonia (4.7%), Protestants by Hungarians, and the Muslim community by Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia or Kosovo. Having lived in the Balkans for centuries, Muslims speak Serbo-Croatian, which contributes to their relatively good integration. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, however, the political situation has deteriorated in recent years. This is due to the ethno-nationalist parties in power, which are stirring up divisions between Muslim Bosnians, Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats.
In Croatia, while the majority of the population is Christian, an anti-clerical, atheistic tendency, a legacy of socialist collectivism, is tending to assert itself. It persists in the civil service, the liberal professions and among intellectuals in general. This form of secular thinking, notable in the media, is also expressed in cultural institutions and, more delicately, in education. At school, the family gets involved and reactionary debates flare up, notably on the question of sex education, which remains a taboo for many traditionalists.
But overall, in its quest for religious coexistence and social cohesion, Croatia is moving peacefully between conservative ideas and modern pragmatism, reciprocal respect for religious practices, community initiatives and secular citizen action.
Calendar festivals, pilgrimages, religious tourism attracts believers from all over the world
While Epiphany, Easter, the Assumption, All Saints' Day, Christmas Eve and St. Stephen's Day are well attended in church by a multi-generational congregation, processions of patron saints give rise to large gatherings. These include St. Blaise's Day (February 3) in Dubrovnik, St. Domnius' Day (May 7) in Split or the pilgrimage by water to the nearby island of Zečevo off Nin (May 5 and August 5). Some sanctuaries and pilgrimage sites, of which there are many throughout the country, are so famous that people come from far and wide to take part. In this sense, we can speak of religious tourism, as in Marija Bistrica, Vepric, Sinj, Solin, Ludbreg, Aljmaš, Voćin, Trsat, Karlovac and Biskupija, not forgetting Međugorje, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where the Virgin is said to have appeared. Dražen Kutleša, Bishop of Pula and Poreč, is in charge of this sector of activity, which is both a spiritual path and a heritage discovery holiday. Several incoming agencies offer local tours and accommodation. For example, Meridian, a tour operator based in Podgora (Split), specializes in this buoyant segment.
