How remote conflict shapes religious engagement: the impact of Russian invasion of Ukraine on religiosity in Europe

War and its associated suffering often lead people to turn to religion. Yet, it remains unclear whether this effect is limited to those directly impacted by war or whether the mere anticipation of conflict can also heighten religiosity. This study examines changes in religiosity among Czech and Polish residents surveyed before and after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In Czechia, we found that religiously identified individuals reported higher levels of religiosity post-invasion, while no such change occurred among the non-religious. In contrast, in Poland, the invasion had no effect on religiously affiliated individuals but led to increased religiosity among those who identified as non-religious. We further analyzed data from Uruguay and Spain, countries geographically distant from the conflict, where we observed no and weak changes in religiosity, respectively. A supplementary analysis of Google Trends data reveals that online searches for “prayer” rose more sharply in countries closer to the conflict zone right after the invasion. These findings suggest that the psychological impact of anticipated violence—even from afar—can activate religious responses, likely as a coping mechanism. We further propose that the religious composition of a society shapes which groups are most susceptible to such effects.