The Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastic Province is observed in Slovakia every December 30. This remembrance day commemorates the establishment of a separate ecclesiastical province for Slovakia, which was declared by Pope Paul VI on December 30, 1977, following a history of religious tensions in the region. Over 60% of Slovaks identify as Roman Catholics, and the roots of Christianity in Slovakia date back to the 9th century with the arrival of missioners. The day serves to acknowledge the significant changes in the ecclesiastical structure of Slovakia, particularly after the establishment of Czechoslovakia in 1918 and the subsequent conflicts with Hungarian dioceses. Although it is an official observance, it is not a non-working holiday.