Luxembourg

Luxembourg, a small western European country bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany, [Page 721]counted around 500,000 inhabitants in 2010, of whom 43% are foreigners. Most of the migrants have come from European Union (EU) nations, chiefly from Portugal but also from Italy, France, and Belgium, and therefore are mostly of Roman Catholic origin.

According to the European Values Study (EVS) of 2008, 75% of the populace declare themselves as belonging to a religion: 69% Catholic, around 2% Protestant, 2% other Christian religions, and around 2.5% non-Christian religions. One out of four inhabitants declares not belonging to any religion.

Relationships between the state and religions are organized by bilateral agreements signed between the state and official representatives of most of the religious bodies. This model of relationship is issued from the “Concordat” of 1802 with the Catholic Church. Five criteria must be fulfilled to be eligible to sign a convention with the state: The religion must (1) have international recognition, (2) be recognized in at least one EU country, and (3) be ready to submit itself to law and order in Luxembourg and (4) to be established in the country (5) in sufficient members. This convention gives a legal status to the designated church and affects the number of its clergy. The state is allowed to intervene in their nomination and takes charge of their salaries and pensions as they are assimilated to the civil service.

The last convention signed with the Catholic Church (represented by the Archbishop) was in 1997. Conventions exist also with the Protestant Church of Luxembourg, the Jewish communities, the Hellenic Orthodox Church of Luxembourg, and the Anglican Church. During the Balkan war, the influx of refugees increased and modified the religious landscape so that conventions were also signed with the Rumanian Orthodox Church of Luxembourg, the Serbian Orthodox Church of Luxembourg, and the Assembly of Muslim Worship in Luxembourg.

During the past decade, a certain distance can be observed regarding religious institutions. While the percentage of people who declared affiliation with a religion remained stable, religious attendance shows deep changes. The proportion of those who observe regular religious practices decreased dramatically, reaching 13% in 2008 (21% in 1999); 53% do not attend religious services (48% in 1999). But at the same time, the proportion of those considering religion important in life remains stable (around 43%), and religious identity is still shared by more than 55% of the population, who consider themselves religious.

In a 2008 survey in Luxembourg, one's particular religion was not seen as the only possibility of a true religion as 60% of people declared that all great world religions contain some basic truths. Almost half of those who belong to a religion share this opinion, as do almost half of those who declare that they do not belong to any religion.