Level of religiosity of the Orthodox population in Bulgaria according to data of Orthodox Church registries (1989–2014)

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleНиво на религиозност на православното население в България според данни от православните храмови регистри (1989–2014)
3. Language term Bulgarian
4. lemma author Nachev, Ivaylo
5. lemma category Culture and national identities
6. Publication date 7-2-2019
7. lemma work Назърска, Жоржета [Author]. Ниво на религиозност на православното население в България според данни от православните храмови регистри (1989–2014)
8. lemma manifestations Christianity and Culture
9. Keywords sacramental life of the Church - Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Religiosity
10. Lemma body

    1. The article aims to provide data on the level of religiosity of Orthodox Christiana in Bulgaria   based on the religious behavior represented in the execution of the sacraments baptism and marriage. The authors pointed that in contrast to the lack of research on the Orthodox Christian group such surveys have been done to other religious denominations. The survey covers a 25-years period in which statistics surveys have shown growing number of people in the country saying they are Eastern Orthodox (combined with a superficial religiosity among a large part of this group according to some authors). Based on registries of some 80 churches, the study showed increased numbers in the big cities – both baptism and marriage –  in the early 1990s, followed by a steady decline (with the exception of a few specific cases). In the smaller towns the number decline steeper after a short-term growth in the early 1990s.  Only marriages in certain central churches showed increase. The authors argued the figures show continuous secularization, boosted by negative demographic and economic trends.