Roman Catholicism in Poland

Ever since Poland officially adopted Latin Christianity in 966, the Catholic Church has played an important religious, cultural and political role in the country.

For centuries, Poland has been a predominantly Catholic country, and for most Poles being Catholic is part of the Polish identity. It has historically been part of what separates Polish culture from neighboring Germany, which is to a large degree Lutheran, and the countries to the east which are Orthodox. During the times of foreign oppression, the Catholic Church remained for many Poles a cultural bulwark in the fight for independence and national survival. For instance, the Polish abbey in Częstochowa, which successfully resisted a siege in the Swedish invasion of Poland in the 17th century, became a symbol of national resistance to occupation. The establishment of a communist regime controlled by Soviet Russia following World War II allowed the church to continue fulfilling this role. The 1978 election of Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyła as Pope John Paul II strengthened this it even further, and the Polish Pope's numerous visits to his mother country became rallying points for both the faithful and for opposition to the regime.

Currently most Poles, by far, adhere to the Christian faith, with approximately 95% belonging to the Roman Catholic Church (according to the Ministry of Foreigns Affairs of the Republic of Poland) [http://www.poland.gov.pl/?document=397] or 88% with 58% as practising Catholics (regularly attending Church) according to 2005 survey by the Centre for Public Opinion Research. [pl icon Centrum Badania Opinii Społecznej ("Centre for Public Opinion Research (Poland)" CBOS). Komunikat z badań; Warszawa, Marzec 2005. [http://www.cbos.pl/SPISKOM.POL/2005/K_049_05.PDF Co łączy Polaków z parafią?] Preface. Accessed 2007-12-14.] . Though rates of religious observance are currently lower than they have been in the past, Poland remains one of the most devoutly religious countries in Europe. Catholicism plays an important role in the lives of many Poles and the Roman Catholic Church in Poland enjoys immense social prestige and political influence. [" [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/466681/Poland#tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=Poland%20--%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia Encyclopedia Britannica-Religion in Poland] ".] Nonetheless, the church is widely respected by both believers and nonbelievers, who see it as a symbol of Polish heritage and culture. [Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2007. " [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559758_4/Poland.html#s13 Poland] ".] Tarnów is the most religious city in Poland, and Łódź is the least. Generally, the southern and eastern parts of Poland are more religious than those of the West and North. Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of Poles continue to declare themselves Roman Catholic [ [http://www.malach.org/article.php/liczenie-wiernych-w-kosciolach G³ogów OnLine - Liczenie wiernych w ko¶cio³ach ] ] .

Hierarchy

Latin names of dioceses in italics.
*Białystok, "Bialostocensis" (1)
**Drohiczyn, "Drohiczinensis" (2)
**Łomża, "Lomzensis" (3)
*Cracow, "Cracoviensis" (4)
**Bielsko–Żywiec, "Bielscensis-Zyviecensis" (5)
**Kielce, "Kielcensis" (6)
**Tarnów, "Tarnoviensis" (7)
*Częstochowa, "Czestochoviensis" (8)
**Radom, "Radomensis" (9)
**Sosnowiec, "Sosnoviensis" (10)
*Gdańsk, "Gedanensis" (11)
**Pelplin, "Pelplinensis" (12)
**Toruń, "Thoruniensis" (13)
*Gniezno, "Gnesnensis" (14)
**Bydgoszcz, "Bydgostiensis" (15)
**Włocławek, "Vladislaviensis" (16)
*Katowice, "Katovicensis" (17)
**Gliwice, "Glivicensis" (18)
**Opole, "Opoliensis" (19)
*Łódź, "Lodziensis" (20)
**Łowicz, "Lovicensis" (21)
*Lublin, "Lublinensis" (22)
**Sandomierz, "Sandomiriensis" (23)
**Siedlce, "Siedlecensis" (24)
*Poznań, "Posnaniensis" (25)
**Kalisz, "Calissiensis" (26)
*Przemyśl, "Premisliensis" (27)
**Rzeszów, "Rzeszoviensis" (28)
**Zamość-Lubaczów, "Zamosciensis-Lubaczoviensis" (29)
*Szczecin-Kamień, "Sedinensis-Caminensis" (30)
**Koszalin-Kołobrzeg, "Coslinensis-Colubreganus" (31)
**Zielona Góra-Gorzów Wielkopolski, "Viridimontanensis-Gorzoviensis" (32)
*Warmia (Olsztyn), "Varmiensis" (33)
**Elbląg, "Elbingensis" (34)
**Ełk, "Liccanensis" (35)
*Warsaw, "Varsaviensis" (36)
**Płock, "Plocensis" (37)
**Warsaw-Praga, "Varsaviensis-Pragensis" (38)
*Wrocław, "Vratislaviensis" (39)
**Legnica, "Legnicensis" (40)
**Świdnica, "Suidniciensis" (41)

Exteritorial units

*Military Ordinariate of Polish Army
*The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei

ee also

* Religious denominations in Poland
* Religion in Poland
* Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
* List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Poland

References

* Frucht, Richard. "Eastern Europe: An Introduction to the People, Lands, and Culture". Volume 1. ABD-CLIO inc. Santa Barbara, Ca.

Further reading

* cite journal
quotes =
last = Pease
first = Neal
authorlink =
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date =
year = 1991
month = Autumn
title = Poland and the Holy See, 1918-1939
journal = Slavic Review
volume = 50
issue = 3
pages = 521–530
issn =
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language =
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External links

* [http://www.episkopat.pl/ Conference of the Episcopate of Poland] pl icon