As Pope Leo XIV begins his weeklong apostolic journey to Spain, data reveals a nation torn between its deep Catholic roots and rapid secularization.
On Saturday, June 6, 2026, Pope Leo XIV has begun a seven-day trip to Spain. This country on the Iberia peninsula has long been considered one of the historical bastions of the Catholic Church in Europe. New statistics provide a clearer picture of the complex state of Spanish Catholicism.
It should be noted that the historical roots of Catholicism in the country are so deep as to still hold sway regardless of Mass attendance. For example, Father's Day in the country is celebrated on the feast of St. Joseph. And this weekend's feast of Corpus Christi will see massive Eucharistic processions throughout the nation, with the participation even of military and civic leaders, as well as hundreds of marching bands. Similar events happen on feast days throughout the year, and many official vacation days are linked to the liturgical feasts.
A divide between records and reality
As is customary before any papal visit, the Holy See released official figures regarding the Catholic presence in the host country. According to the Vatican, there were more than 45 million Catholics out of a total population of nearly 49 million Spaniards in 2024, representing 93.25% of the population. These figures, however, are based on baptismal registries provided by dioceses. Consequently, they don’t fully reflect the deep secularization currently reshaping the country.
Independent polling suggests a more nuanced reality. In 2020, the Pew Research Center reported that the percentage of Christians in Spain was closer to 70%, with a small Muslim minority of 3.6% and over a quarter of the population (26.4%) identifying as unaffiliated.
More recently, the Spanish Sociological Research Center (Centro de Investigaciones sociológicas, or CIS) found that some 54.3% of Spaniards identify as Catholic. Even more striking, only 18% of the population describe themselves as practicing Catholics. The CIS survey also revealed that 41.1% of Spaniards are disconnected from religion, with 17% identifying as atheists, 13% as agnostics, and 11.1% as indifferent.
At the same time, a 2026 poll by the Fundación SM found that the percentage of Spanish youth identifying as “practicing Catholic” has jumped from 5.9% in 2020 to 12.8% in 2025; “not very practicing” increased from 11.7% to 16%; “agnostic” dropped from 18.6% to 12.6%; and “unbeliever, atheist” from 25.2% to 18.2%. Those who are “indifferent” went from 8.5% to 10.3%, a comparatively small increase. Overall, these numbers would seem to be a sign of hope.
This same survey, published this year, indicated that 45% of young Spaniards aged 15 to 29 identify as Catholic today, compared to 31.6% in 2020.
A shrinking but active clergy
This gap between the three surveys is the result of the different perspectives adopted. Nevertheless, they all highlight the majority position the Catholic Church maintains in the face of the country’s rapid secularization.
According to the Vatican in 2024, the country had 130 bishops, 18,113 priests (including 12,461 diocesan), 601 deacons, 32,996 sisters, and 80,637 catechists. The Spanish Episcopal Conference, for its part, counted 14,994 diocesan priests in 2026 (in 70 dioceses and 22,922 parishes), compared to 19,300 in 2000. The number of women religious is reported as 23,865. It also mentions 82,206 catechists, 79 lay associations and movements nationwide, with 407,356 associated lay people.
With 1,066 candidates for the priesthood, Spanish seminaries have experienced a sharp decline in vocations over recent decades, down from 1,700 seminarians in 2001. However, for the first time in years, the episcopate recorded a slight increase in vocations in 2024, which was confirmed in 2026 with 30 more seminarians compared to the previous year.
It’s important to note the essential role of the Neocatechumenal Way in priestly vocations: this charismatic movement, founded in 1964, provides approximately 20% of the country’s seminarians, with 212 in formation as of 2026.
A strong cultural and social anchor
The still-strong cultural roots of Catholicism in Spanish society are particularly evident in the field of education. According to the Vatican, the Catholic Church owns or manages 5,762 institutions, including 3,773 in primary education, 1,885 in secondary, and 104 in higher education. In total, nearly 1,435 million Spanish pupils and students attend these institutions.
In the medical and social field, the Church owns or administers 5,091 institutions. This includes 58 hospitals and 51 clinics, 848 retirement homes, 660 orphanages and kindergartens, and 226 family counseling centers.
