Europe is losing Christians: Report finds 17 million fewer believers in five years

A new analytical report published on January 12, 2026, has revealed a significant decline in the Christian population in Europe. Over the past five years, the number of believers on the continent has fallen by about 17 million, indicating a steady decline amid a weakening role of the church and migration.

According to World Population Review, the estimates presented show that, on average, the proportion of the population identifying as Christian has fallen by around 3-4% over the past five years. This decline is steady and affects most European countries.

Some countries in Eastern Europe stand out against the general background, where religious self-identification remains high. In Romania in particular, the vast majority of the population continues to consider themselves Christians, which contrasts sharply with trends in Western Europe.

At the same time, on a global scale, Christianity retains its position as the largest religion, with some 2.38 billion people worldwide identifying themselves as its followers. However, the authors of the report emphasize that Europe is gradually losing its status as the demographic center of Christianity.

Experts attribute the changes to a complex of factors: loss of interest in religion, weakening of the public role of the church and the consequences of migration, which has significantly changed the religious composition of the population of European countries.

Recall, according to the annual report World Watch List 2026 (WWL), published by Open Doors, North Korea is the most dangerous country in the world for Christians, while Nigeria is recognized as the most deadly. The annual report also indicates that the number of Christians experiencing high levels of persecution for their faith has risen to 388 million in the last year – an increase of 8 million from the previous WWL. These figures mean that one in seven Christians worldwide, two in five in Asia and one in five in Africa face persecution.