Catholicism is a religion practiced in nations all around the world. It's a division of Christianity, the largest religion globally. There are several core beliefs of Catholicism. First, Catholics believe that Jesus is the son of God, that he was put to death by crucifixion sometime around 33 CE, and that he rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven. Catholics also believe that the Bible is the word of God. Catholics use the Ten Commandments as a moral and ethical compass. Catholics believe in Adam and Eve, and they believe that all humans are sinners because of Adam and Eve's original sin.
While these basic beliefs are common amongst all variations of Christianity, Catholicism also holds a number of exclusive views unique among Christian denominations. For example, while most Christians view baptism as a symbolic act, Catholics believe that the practice removes this original sin and is necessary for salvation. In addition, Catholics value praying to deceased saints and the Virgin Mary, whereas Christians pray only to the Holy Trinity of the Father (God), the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Additional differences include Catholics' confession of sins to an Earthly priest and the Catholic belief in the existence of Purgatory.
Top 11 Countries with the Greatest Number of Catholics (total headcount):
- Brazil - 123,360,000
- Mexico - 100,000,000
- Philippines - 85,470,000
- United States - 69,300,000
- Italy - 50,474,000
- France - 39,000,000
- Colombia - 35,000,000
- Poland - 33,037,017
- Spain - 30,720,000
- Argentina - 28,770,000
- Congo (Dem. Republic) - 28,700,000
Data from the CIA Factbook and the Pew Research Center has been used to identify nations with the highest population of Catholics. When looking at the total number of Catholics in a nation, Brazil comes out on top. It is estimated that at least 123 million people in Brazil are Catholic, although more recent estimates say this number could now be 140 million or higher.
The ten nations with the most number of Catholics behind Brazil are Mexico, the Philippines, the United States, Italy, France, Colombia, Poland, Spain, Argentina, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, this list changes a bit when you look at the total percentage of a nation that practices Catholicism.
Top 10 Countries with the Greatest Percentage of Catholics:
- Vatican City - 100%
- Timor-Leste - 96.9%
- San Marino - 90.5%
- Paraguay - 89.0%
- Malta - 88.7%
- Andorra - 88.2%
- Croatia - 86.3%
- Poland - 85.8%
- Portugal - 84.5%
- Italy - 83.0%
Vatican City may have only 800 Catholics, but they comprise the micronation's entire population—though granted, considering this is the global headquarters of the Catholic church, it does stand to reason. More than 96% of Timor-Leste's population is Catholic. San Marino comes in third based on the percentage of Catholics at 90.5%. Based on percentages, the top 10 nations with the highest Catholic populations are Vatican City, East Timor, San Marino, Paraguay, Malta, Andorra, Croatia, Poland, Portugal, and Italy.