The Scientology Church in Portugal was founded in 1984 and was originally been registered on April 7, 1988 with the approval of the Ministry of Justice as a religious association. In 2001 a new era for those religious communities established by the law for freedom of religion, that exist in the country for more than 30 years or whose existing at the international level is older than 30 years. The Portuguese Ministry of Justice granted now the Scientology Church of Portugal the special status of a “religious collective society”, roughly comparable to the status of a body of governed by public law in Germany, after the Scientology her work as a law-abiding community had demonstrated Church Portugal more than a quarter-century. Taking into account all relevant legal, moral and religious points of view and the decision of the European Court of human rights on 05 April 2007 (in the Scientology Church Moscow against Russia) received the Scientology church now their full State Recognition as a religious community in Portugal. This decision resulted in a number of privileges, which were previously only the Catholic Church part.

Including the full tax exemption of marriages concluded before Scientology Ministers with civil marriage equality, the right of clergy to the Chaplaincy, State compliance with the Scientology holidays on their members and the right to enter a Church-State agreement with the State on particular religious requests. In 2003, the Portuguese Government set up a Commission to secure the adequate implementation of the religious freedom law dating back to 2001. However, the exact procedure was first published in 2004 after which to proceed is to get State recognition. The Portuguese Government began also a working for inter-religious dialogue, which is to promote dialogue between the authorities and the society the multi-cultural and multi-faith. This decision of the Portuguese Ministry of Justice underlines the position of the Scientology Church and shows on how absurd the discussion to Scientology in Germany has become. We look forward to the community in Portugal, already taking the necessary steps to move their religious activities in a larger and more representative building”, said Maja Nuesch of the Scientology Church Germany. Last year more than 1500 opened centers, missions and Scientology churches, including larger central church buildings such as London and Berlin.

With the creation of new groups in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Bahrain this year, the international presence of Scientology consists of more than 7,500 centres, missions and churches in 163 Nations with more than 10 million members. Press service of the Scientology Church Bayern e.V. contact: Ms. Uta Eilzer – line press service be Anichstrasse 12, 80802 Munich TEL 089-890912639 mobile: 0163 9102460 FAX 089-38607-109 eMail: