Orthodoxy Emerges as Austria’s Second Largest Christian Denomination

St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Vienna. Photo: viennaitineraries.com

VIENNA, AUSTRIA — As reported by UOJ-Greece, Orthodoxy has become the second largest Christian denomination in Austria, reflecting decades of historical presence, migration, and recent growth. According to Statistics Austria, about 4.9 percent of the population—approximately 436,700 people—identified as Orthodox Christians in 2021, placing Orthodoxy behind Roman Catholicism and ahead of Protestant communities.

Orthodox roots in Austria date back to the 17th century, particularly in Vienna, long before the guest worker migrations of the 1960s and 1970s. Today, seven Orthodox jurisdictions cooperate through a joint Episcopal Conference founded in 2010, while additional communities, including ROCOR and Macedonian parishes, also serve the faithful.

Recent growth has been fueled by migration, especially following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022, as well as by conversions among native Austrians. Orthodox religious education has been offered in public schools since the early 1990s, and new churches have been built and consecrated across the country, underscoring Orthodoxy’s expanding role in Austrian society.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Abp. Ieronymos of Athens stated that, without Christ, Europe loses peace and stability. 

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