Article 43: Churches and Religious Organisations

Chapter IIIHigh

Constitution Text

“The State shall recognise the churches and religious organisations that are traditional in Lithuania; other churches and religious organisations shall be recognised provided that they have support in society, and their teaching and practices are not in conflict with the law and public morals. Churches and religious organisations recognised by the State shall have the rights of a legal person. Churches and religious organisations shall be free to proclaim their teaching, perform their ceremonies, and have houses of prayer, charity establishments, and schools for the training of priests. Churches and religious organisations shall conduct their affairs freely according to their canons and statutes. The status of churches and other religious organisations in the State shall be established by agreement or by law. The teaching proclaimed by churches and religious organisations, other religious activities, and houses of prayer may not be used for purposes that are in conflict with the Constitution and laws. There shall be no state religion in Lithuania.”

Summary

The State recognises the churches and religious organisations traditional in Lithuania; others are recognised if they have support in society and their teaching and practices do not conflict with the law and public morals. Recognised organisations have the rights of a legal person, freely proclaim their teaching, perform ceremonies and run their affairs by their own canons. Their status in the State is set by agreement or by law. There is no state religion in Lithuania.

Key Points

•The State recognises churches and religious organisations traditional in Lithuania; others are recognised if they have support in society and their teaching and practices do not conflict with the law and public morals.
•Churches and religious organisations recognised by the State have the rights of a legal person.
•Churches freely proclaim their teaching, perform ceremonies, have houses of prayer, charity establishments and schools for training priests; they conduct their affairs by their own canons and statutes.
•The status of churches in the State is established by agreement or by law; religious activity may not be used for purposes contrary to the Constitution and laws.
•There is no state religion in Lithuania.

Practical Example

The Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church and other traditional communities operate as legal persons with their own houses of prayer and seminaries, yet no religion is the state religion and the State does not interfere in their internal affairs.

Exam Tips

The key fact: there is no state religion in Lithuania. Questions also ask which churches the State recognises (those traditional in Lithuania) and how the status of churches in the State is established (by agreement or by law).

Art. 26 Art. 35 Art. 38 Art. 40

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