Christianity is the largest religion in Europe. Christianity has been practiced in Europe since the 1st century, and a number of the Pauline Epistles were addressed to Christians living in Greece, as well as the Roman Empire.
According to a 2010 study by the Pew Research Center, 76.2% of the European population identified themselves as Christians.
As 2010 Catholics were the largest Christian group in Europe, accounting for more than 48% of European Christians. The second-largest Christian group in Europe were the Orthodox, who made up 32% of European Christians. Although the Protestant Reformation began in Europe, only about 19% of European Christians were part of the Protestant tradition.Russia is the largest Christian country in Europe by population, followed by Germany and Italy.
For at least a millennium, Europe has been nearly equivalent to Christian culture, even though the religion was inherited from the Middle East. Christian culture was the predominant force in Western civilization, guiding the course of philosophy, art, and science.