Religion in Greece
[9] Furthermore, the mainstream Orthodox clergy's salaries and pensions are paid for by the State at rates comparable to those of teachers.
[2] The Catholic community has increased in size in recent years due to immigration and today number over 200,000.
The presence of Catholics in the Greek islands is mostly a heritage from the time of the Venetian domination in the Middle Ages.
[7] Catholic Greeks of the Byzantine Rite (Uniates or Unites) number approximately 6,000 nationwide[10] and mostly live in Athens.
The process of receiving permission from the Ministry of Education and Religion to operate as a church is becoming easier.
[15] The number of citizens of Greece who are Muslims is estimated to be at 140,000 people or 2% of the total population, according to the 2022 report.
The Jewish community in Greece currently amounts to roughly 5,500 people, concentrated mainly in Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa, Volos, Chalkis, Ioannina, Trikala and Corfu, while very few remain in Kavala and Rhodes.
[18] It is composed largely of two groups, the Romaniotes, Jewish communities dating back to Antiquity, and the Ladino-speaking Sephardim, who arrived from Spain and settled chiefly in Thessaloniki during Ottoman times.
Sikhs often face racism and discrimination by the Greek public, who confuse them with Muslims, as well as legal challenges, mostly due to the distinct appearance (The Five Ks).
[citation needed] Young Sikhs often face difficulties when recruited for the mandatory conscription in Greece, due to their long hair, beard and turbans.
Media coverage of Sikhs is minimal and their religion is often reported as "a mix of Hinduism and Islam", whereas it has a separate belief system and many differences.
Sikh Gurudwaras have faced numerous attacks including gunshots and Molotov cocktails.
[citation needed] On 1 March 2006, the Greek government passed a law allowing cremation,[19] a move welcomed by both Sikhs and Hindus.
[23] Other minor faiths in Greece include Jehovah's Witnesses (who number about 28,000[24]), Seventh-day Adventists and Mormons.
