The practice ofProtestantism in Luxembourg is divided across several different churches anddenominations. The largest Protestant churches in the Grand Duchy are theProtestant Church of Luxembourg,Church of England, andProtestant Church in the Netherlands. In 2022, Protestantism was the largestminority religion in Luxembourg (after the majorityRoman Catholic Church), with an estimated 2% of the population.[1]
As a result of fierce opposition byJesuitcounter-Reformationists, Protestantism was outlawed in Luxembourg until 1768. By 1815, Luxembourg had small populations ofLutherans,Calvinists, andWaldensians. TheCongress of Vienna changed the religious establishment; not only did Luxembourg pass to the ProtestantHouse of Orange-Nassau, but it was also occupied by the armies of ProtestantPrussia. The first permanent Protestant church wasLuxembourg City'sBaroqueTrinity Church, which was appropriated by the Prussian garrison to hold their services. When the Prussian army left Luxembourg, the Trinity Church passed to the civilian population.
In 1885, about 0.5% of the inhabitants of Luxembourg were Protestant or 1,100 out of 213,000 inhabitants. By 1914, there were more than 6,000, or approximately 2.3%.
Most of the nineteenth century saw little change in the religious composition of Luxembourg's population, with only a marginal increase in the number of Protestants. However, towards the end, tens of thousands of German immigrants, many of whom were Lutheran or Calvinist, moved to Luxembourg to work in thesteel industry.Grand Duke Adolphe sought to both recognise the contribution of Protestants and to establish state authority over the new denominations. To these ends, he ordered the creation of a new church, the Protestant Church of Luxembourg (PKL), which would unite the Lutherans and Calvinists. Immediately, the new church became recognised by the state as an officially mandated religion, similar in status to theRoman Catholic Church.
Throughout the twentieth century, the growth ofexpatriates in Luxembourg caused a surge in number of further Protestant churches. New churches include Lutheran churches from the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden,Anglican andPresbyterian churches from the United Kingdom, andEvangelical churches from the United States. In 2003, theChurch of England unsuccessfully applied to be given the same officially mandated status as the PKL and the PRKL.[2]
In 2022, the government had formal conventions with six religious groups. The Anglican Church was recognised as one group and another group was made up of the Reformed Protestant Church of Luxembourg and the Protestant Church of Luxembourg. Recognition means eligibility for financial support from the government.[1]