Changes in the religious beliefs of Ukrainians and plans for celebrating Easter 2025

In the context of the fourth year of full-scale war, Ukrainians are beginning to rethink their religious self-definition and traditions of celebrating spiritual events.

Gradus Research conducted a sociological study on the eve of Easter to understand how beliefs and habits change during the holidays.

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine retains leadership despite experiencing some decline.

According to the survey, 29% of respondents consider themselves supporters of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Although this percentage slightly decreased compared to 2023 (when it was 32%), the OCU remains the most popular denomination among the population.

In second place is Orthodox, which has no specific denominational affiliation, at 24%. This may indicate a crisis of trust in church institutions or a desire to practice their faith outside organized structures.

8% of respondents indicated that they belong to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the same number to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. The latter’s figure remained almost unchanged compared to last year (7%).

The number of non-believers, atheists, and agnostics also remains stable: 15% in 2025, slightly more than 14% in 2023.

Faith in the heart, Easter in the family

Despite constant stress and war conditions, 90% of Ukrainians plan to celebrate Easter. For many, it is a religious holiday and an important cultural tradition that should be supported.

More than half of those surveyed (51%) have already decided that they will attend church during Easter week—most will choose Sunday, but some will gather on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Another 20% could not decide whether they would attend services.

Interestingly, only 29% of respondents do not plan to attend church – in 2023, this figure was significantly higher and reached 40%. Ukrainians are striving to restore the usual rhythm of life despite the threats.

The changes are more profound than they seem.

“The religious identity of Ukrainians is changing under the influence of political and security realities. Many are distancing themselves from the UOC-MP; some are switching to the OCU or looking for their paths to faith outside the traditional framework. This is especially noticeable among young people, for whom spirituality is increasingly becoming a personal space rather than an institutional affiliation,” the expert noted.

The survey was conducted in the Gradus mobile application using the self-completion method. The study covered cities with a population of more than 50,000 residents aged 18 to 60 (except for occupied and frontline territories). The first wave was conducted on April 13-14, 2023 (1,330 respondents), and the second wave was conducted on April 11-14, 2025 (1,000 respondents).