Tatarstan is a multinational republic and a home to representatives of a big number of confessions and religious associations.

The religious situation in Tatarstan is on the whole stable and reflects changes in state-church relations that took place over the last decades and activities of various religious associations all over the Russian Federation.

Azimovsky Mosque

In Tatarstan, the relationship between the state and church develop in line with the logics of the present stage of religious revival.

The state policy of the republic is aimed at supporting the balance of interests of Islam and Orthodox Christianity and equality of all religions before the law. The formation of culture of tolerance on the basis of respect for human rights and respect for religious diversity have been taking place over the last decade in a form of a dialogue at the state, social, confessional and interconfessional levels.

As of January 1, 2008, as many as 1398 religious organizations were registered in Tatarstan, comprising the following: 1055 - Muslim, 255 - Orthodox Christian under the Moscow Patriarchate, Real-Orthodox Church - 5, Old Believers’ Church -2, Catholics - 2, Jews - 4, Protestant communities of different doctrines – 71 (Evangelic Christians-Baptists - 4, Evangelic Christians – 30, Christians of Evangelic faith – 16, Adventists of the 7th day – 10, Lutherans – 5, New Apostle Church – 1, Jehovah’s Witnesses -5), Bahai – 1, Krishnaists – 2, Church of the Last Testament (Vissarionov’s) – 1.

In terms of a number of operating religious organizations Tatarstan is leading among the other Russian regions. There are as many as 1400 cult buildings in the republic: 1150 mosques, 200 churches, 50 cult buildings of other confessions.

	Annunciation Cathedral

During the last years the religious organizations worked out some important documents, reflected the most urgent questions of their mutual relations with the state and society. ("Bases of social concept of the Russian Orthodox Church" and " Bases of social program of the Russian Muslims", accepted by the RF Council of Muftis). The development of public relations caused the scientific approach to creation of new projects of state-confessional relations.

The Law of the Republic of Tatarstan "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations" dated August 28, 1999, came into effect. It provides for specific features of the multinational republic, sets forth legal principles of church-state separation, specifies the position of the state as regards religious relations, proclaims freedom of conscience and religious associations. The Law is intended to achieve mutual understanding, tolerance and true freedom of conscience and freedom of worship.

Since the law was enacted in the republic, the considerable improvements were achieved in the spiritual and moral climate, organisational unity in the religious organisations strengthened.