Cetinje, Montenegro, February 13, 2026
Photo: mitropolija.com
The Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral has entered Montenegro’s ongoing public debate over whether Sunday should remain a mandatory non-working day for parts of the economy, calling on authorities to find a constitutional way to preserve Sunday as a weekly day of rest.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Church said the issue “in a certain way concerns the religious rights of a large number of citizens of Montenegro, especially those who are Christians.”
The debate follows a ruling by the Constitutional Court that struck down a provision of the Law on Internal Trade which had designated Sunday as a compulsory weekly day off for employees in retail. The court found the measure unconstitutional, reopening discussion among policymakers, business representatives and labor groups.
The Church noted that the previous legal provision had effectively placed retail workers “on equal footing with a large number of other employees who don’t work on Sundays in any case,” citing most public administration and local government staff, as well as employees in education.
“Sunday is a commanded day in the Christian faith,” the statement said, emphasizing that Christians are expected to attend the Divine Liturgy on that day. From the earliest days of Christianity, Sunday has been regarded as a time dedicated to prayer, the study of Scripture and community life.
The Church called on competent authorities to find a “constitutional and lawful way” to ensure that Sunday remains the day when employees use their weekly rest as provided for by the Labor Law.
“In a world and time in which the alienation of man from God and from one another is becoming ever more visible,” the Church said, “it’s beneficial that there exists a common day for the majority of employees when our daily activities can slow down and fall silent as much as possible, and we may dedicate ourselves to God and to one another.”
The debate over Sunday trading is expected to continue in the coming weeks as lawmakers consider potential amendments to existing legislation.
Follow OrthoChristian on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe and Gab!
