Oh Ireland! How many colors lurks in this country "Ireland is a state of Northern Europe, located on the island of Ireland. The edge of European territories, then only the vast expanses of the Atlantic Ocean. On the east side of the island is washed by the Irish Sea, which in antiquity was called the Iberian Ocean, as well as the Northern Straits and St. George.
Where is ireland
Ireland is located in the north of the European part of the continent. It has access to three seas: the Celtic Sea - the south side, the Irish and North Sea - the east. Near the North Sea is the St George's Strait. The republic is divided into 26 counties: Longford, Karlouskoe, Mitskoye, Limerick and others.
Dublin is the capital of Ireland. The city is famous for its cultural attractions. For example, the distillery museum, the old Jameson distillery, the old castle in Dublin, the leprechaun museum, St. Patrick's and St. Finbarr's Cathedral.
Sheepskin patterned sweater, tin souvenirs, a trefoil image and strong whiskey - all this is where Ireland is located.
According to the latest data, the country's population is 4,593,100 people, with about a quarter of people living in Dublin.
The historical roots of religion in Ireland
The history of religion in Ireland is divided into two eras: pre-Christian and Christian. Pre-Christian worship is Druidism. Druids are the class of priests of the ancient Celts who were engaged in science, medicine and refereeing. The first mention of them is contained in the texts of the traveler Pifey. It was believed that their main role was the transmission of heroic traditions and myths to the young generation by word of mouth. In the IV-V centuries. they lost their status as priests, turning into village healers. In the twentieth century, the teachings of the Druids revived and became known as neuroduism.
Now the religion of Ireland is represented by two main branches: the Catholic and the Protestant church.
Christianity, according to the "Chronicle" of Prosper, originated in the IV-V centuries. ad. It began to gain increasing popularity among the nobility against the backdrop of the decomposition of the primitive communal system. Of great importance was the work of Patrick, later ranked as a saint.
Pope Celestine sent Palladium to Ireland as the first Christian bishop. It is assumed that Christian communities existed before 431, their significance was great, so the Pope sent a bishop there.
Protestantism in Ireland
Protestantism came to the state in the 17th century and was associated with the resettlement of colonists from Britain. Initially, a small community was formed. However, after a small amount of time in the northeastern counties, the number of Protestants increased markedly and exceeded the number of Catholics. All this led to discrimination on the basis of religion, since most of the leading and ruling positions were held by Protestants.
Religion is an integral part of everyday life, it greatly affects the way people live and their worldview. Therefore, after almost four centuries in the life of the Irish, the consequences of a religious schism are still felt. It happened at the end of the 17th century, and its echoes are heard to this day. The split was caused by the enslavement of Ireland by England. However, until 1801 there was a parliament, which was soon destroyed after the union, and the country passed completely under the rule of the English crown.
The flag of Ireland has an interesting feature , the green color symbolizes the Catholics, the orange symbolizes the Protestants, and the white is the peace between them.
Religion in the country nowadays
Nowadays, the country is considered one of the most religious in Europe, but recently the church in Ireland has been pushed aside in the everyday life of citizens, especially among the younger generation.
The Irish constitution and universal rights include the religious beliefs of Catholics since 1937. This phenomenon can be traced if we turn to constitutional documents. Until the 1950s, divorce proceedings were banned, until the 1970s there was a ban on the use of contraception, and there was also an amendment confirming the special role of the Catholic Church. The majority of the population adheres to Roman Catholicism; Protestantism is also widespread. The ideas of atheism and agnosticism are steadily spread among the Irish; according to the census in 1926, the number of Catholics amounted to more than 90% of the population. 65 years after the census, it was found that about 3% of the population were not faithful at all.
The rejection of faith is gaining momentum. This affected the demographic situation in the country. In the mid-90s, one in four children was born out of wedlock. There has been an increase in the number of divorces, single parents and cases of refusal of a joint life.
Who are Roman Catholics?
Roman Catholicism is the Catholic Church, which is known as the Roman Catholic Church. It is the largest and oldest Christian church in the world. The name "Catholic" comes from the Greek "καθ όλη", which means universal, whole. The Catholic Church is often called the Ecumenical Church. Christianity originates from the sermons of Jesus Christ in the 1st century AD. His idea is that God is three-faced: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In 1054, the Great Schism occurred, as a result of which Christianity was divided into two branches: the Western Church with a center in the Vatican and the Eastern Orthodox Church with a center in Constantinople.
Conclusion
According to the latest census in 2006, there are about 3.6 million Roman Catholics in Ireland, 125.6 thousand Protestants, 32.5 thousand Muslims, about 20 thousand atheists are Orthodox and Presbyterians but nevertheless they are and mostly these are young people aged 27-29 people. In total, according to the 2006 census, about a thousand people lived in Ireland who do not believe in God. In 2012, KNA published a report which indicated that the number of atheists over the past six years had increased by 45%, amounting to 269,800. Religion in Ireland, one of the most religious countries, is gradually fading into the background in society.