(ZENIT News / Paris, 04.14.2025).- In a remarkable shift few predicted, France is witnessing an unprecedented wave of adult baptisms this Easter season, with the country’s Catholic Church recording its highest number of catechumens in more than two decades. Over 17,800 individuals—10,384 adults and more than 7,400 adolescents—will be baptized during the Easter Vigil on April 19, according to a nationwide survey by the French Bishops’ Conference.
This spiritual phenomenon isn’t just about numbers; it’s about who is leading the way. For the first time, young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 now form the largest demographic among new adult converts, surpassing those aged 26 to 40 who traditionally dominated the statistics. Nearly 42 percent of adult catechumens are students or young professionals, marking a generational shift that suggests a deepening spiritual hunger among youth in an increasingly secular society.
“This is not a passing wave,” said Archbishop Olivier de Germay of Lyon, the national bishop responsible for catechumenal ministry. “It’s a sign—one that calls for discernment and mission.” In his commentary accompanying the report, he challenged local parishes not to treat baptism as a finish line, but rather as the beginning of a communal and personal journey of discipleship. “The entire Church must recognize its collective responsibility in welcoming, nurturing, and walking with these new Christians,” he added.
While secularism continues to define much of France’s public discourse, the Church is observing a spiritual countercurrent, especially among the young. Urban parishes in particular report a surge in attendance and engagement. The Diocese of Lille, for example, described its Ash Wednesday celebrations earlier this year as record-breaking. “We had nearly a thousand people at St. Maurice in the evening—many were youth attending for the first time,” reported Fr. Benoist de Sinety.
The surge among adolescent catechumens is equally striking, with a 33% increase over the previous year. More than 7,400 young people between the ages of 11 and 17 are preparing to be baptized this Easter, reflecting a parallel momentum among French teens and their families. The Bishops’ Conference has linked this movement to global Church events, pointing toward the Jubilee of Young People in Rome as an upcoming opportunity for these new believers to connect with their peers from around the world.
But the revival isn’t confined to youth alone. Over the past decade, France has seen a staggering 160% growth in adult baptisms, rising from just under 4,000 in 2015 to more than 10,000 in 2025. Cécile Eon, the national delegate for adult catechumenate, called the trend “impressive and sustained,” noting that the increase has placed new demands on diocesan teams: “The requests keep coming in. We’re having to reorganize and expand our formation structures.”
The movement is as diverse as it is dynamic. While many catechumens come from Christian backgrounds, a growing proportion report no prior religious affiliation or spiritual formation. Others describe journeys through other belief systems—Buddhism, esotericism, or animistic traditions—before finding their way to the Church. A 2021 study found that roughly 17% of French catechumens had prior spiritual experience outside Christianity.
Women continue to outnumber men among adult converts, representing 63% of this year’s catechumens. Meanwhile, the urban-rural divide has shifted again, with city parishes seeing the most rapid growth after two years of rural expansion.
Globally, the French experience reflects broader signs of renewal. In the United States, long-term declines in Christian self-identification appear to be slowing. Recent data from the Pew Research Center indicates that 62% of U.S. adults still identify as Christian, a number that has remained relatively steady since 2019. While secularization remains a dominant trend in the West, new movements—often grassroots, youth-driven, and sacramentally centered—are quietly redefining the spiritual landscape.
As Archbishop de Germay reflected, the diversity of spiritual paths leading people to baptism reveals something profound: “Let’s not imagine this all happened without us,” he wrote. “The letters we receive from catechumens show clearly the many ways the Lord has been at work—sometimes quietly, sometimes dramatically—but always personally.”
If the Church is listening, this Easter may not just be a celebration of the risen Christ—it may also mark a resurrection of hope in places where faith had long seemed dormant.
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