39% of the World's Catholics Live in Latin America
Despite a decline, Latin America remains the most Catholic region, with Paraguay at 89% and Uruguay at 34%.
Despite seeing a consistent drop in Catholic faith, Latin America continues to be home to the most practicing population in the world. When Columbus first arrived in the Americas, he did so with funds from Isabella I of Castile, who was known as the “Catholic Queen.” Colonization was then justified on religious grounds, serving the mission of converting natives into the “superior” Catholic faith. Requerimiento was a document drafted in 1513, often read out loud to Native Americans, ordering them to join the faith and serve the Spanish monarchy or face the consequences — war, death, and slavery.
La Virgen de Guadalupe allegedly “paid a visit” to a poor farmer in Mexico almost 500 years ago, and since then, it served as a powerful icon to turn the faiths of the natives. Schools and cathedrals were built all over the region on behalf of the Church. The effects of this massive indoctrination are still present in Latin America:
The current Pope was born in Argentina.
You can still see the Virgencita all over Mexican culture.
Despite much of the younger generation turning its back on mass attendance, most of their weddings are still officiated by the Church.
Even though all countries’ governments are now separate from the Church around 9M children are still enrolled in a Catholic school in the region.
A few months ago, we shared a chart about the decline of Catholicism in Latin America, but it’s happening at very different paces depending on which country you look at. Paraguay is the most Catholic country in the continent, and the 4th in the world, with 89% of its population still practicing. On the other extreme is its neighbor Uruguay, with only 34% of its population practicing.