Statistics of the Catholic Church in Bulgaria and North Macedonia as of 31 December 2017 (from the Central Office for Church Statistics)
Table 1 – Population and ecclesiastical structure
Table 2 – People engaged in activities of the apostolate
Table 3 – Indicators of pastoral workload
Table 4 – Priestly Vocations
Table 5 – Educational centers owned/managed by ecclesiastics or religious
Table 6 – Charitable and social centers owned/managed by ecclesiastics or religious
The following are some statistical data relating to the situation of the Catholic Church in Bulgaria and North Macedonia as of 31 December 2017:
Table 1 – Population and ecclesiastical structure
Bulgaria | North Macedonia | |
Area (km2) | 110,912 | 25,713 |
Population (in thousands) | 7076 | 2075 |
Density (inhabitants/km2) | 64 | 81 |
Catholics (in thousands) | 68 | 15 |
Catholics per 100 inhabitants | 0.96 | 0.72 |
Ecclesiastical circumscriptions | 3 | 2 |
Parishes | 55 | 10 |
Other pastoral centers | – | 9 |
Catholics per pastoral center | 1236 | 789 |
Table 2 – People engaged in activities of the apostolate
Bulgaria | North Macedonia | |
Bishops (situation on 31.03.2019) | 4 | 1 |
Diocesan priests | 21 | 21 |
Religious priests | 36 | 1 |
Total priests | 57 | 22 |
Permanent deacons | 1 | – |
Men religious (other than priests) | 5 | – |
Professed women religious | 63 | 30 |
Members of Secular Institutes | 2 | – |
Lay missionaries | 3 | 6 |
Catechists | 74 | 13 |
Table 3 – Indicators of pastoral workload
Bulgaria | North Macedonia | |
Catholics per priest | 1193 | 682 |
Catholics per pastoral worker | 325 | 208 |
Priests per pastoral center | 1.04 | 1.16 |
Priests per 100 people engaged in activities of the apostolate | 29.19 | 31.1 |
Table 4 – Priestly vocations
Bulgaria | North Macedonia | |
Minor seminarians | – | 2 |
Major seminarians | 1 | 5 |
Major seminarians per 100,000 inhabitants |
0.001 | 0.24 |
Major seminarians per 100,000 Catholics | 1.47 | 33.3 |
Major seminarians per 100 priests | 1.75 | 22.7 |
Table 5 – Educational centres owned / managed by ecclesiastics or religious
Bulgaria | North Macedonia | |
Schools: | ||
Pre-school and primary | 2 | – |
Lower middle and secondary | – | – |
Higher and university | – | – |
Students in: | ||
Pre-school and primary schools | 63 | – |
Lower middle and secondary schools | – | – |
Higher and university institutes | – | – |
Table 6 – Charitable and social centres owned / managed by ecclesiastics or religious
Bulgaria | North Macedonia | |
Hospitals | – | – |
Clinics | 2 | – |
Leper colonies | – | – |
Homes for the elderly and disabled | 2 | 1 |
Orphanages and nurseries | 4 | 1 |
Family consultation centres | 2 | – |
Special centres of social education or rehabilitation | – | – |
Other institutions | – | – |