(ZENIT News – OMPress / Rome, 02.17. 2026).- According to data from the Dutch Episcopal Conference, the number of people who joined the Catholic Church in 2024 increased by 40% compared to the previous year. These figures mark a change in trend in a country known for its secularism.
The number of new members of the Catholic Church in the Netherlands increased significantly in 2024. Compared to 2023, the total number of adults joining, with or without Baptism, increased by almost 40%. The data shows that in 2024, more than 500 adults were baptized as Catholics, while more than 100 adults joined without Baptism, recognizing the effects of Baptism received in a previous Christian denomination. While these figures are small compared to the total number of infant baptisms, the increase in adult baptisms and adult incorporations is significant.
At the same time, the total number of baptisms is decreasing. In 2024, approximately 6,100 infant baptisms were administered, 92% of which were for children under seven years old. This represents a decrease of approximately 7% compared to 2023. The number of baptisms for older children remained stable at approximately 500.
A slight decrease was also observed in the other Sacraments. Approximately 7,100 children received First Communion (-7%) and about 4,200 young people received Confirmation (-5%). These percentages are in line with the downward trend of previous years.
However, in 2024 there was a slight increase in church weddings: almost 800 couples celebrated their marriage in a church, a 5.5% increase compared to 2023. As in previous years, this figure still represents approximately 1% of all weddings in the Netherlands.
The number of church funerals decreased in 2024. Almost 11,900 funerals were held (-8%), of which 57% were burials and 43% cremations. Therefore, the Church provided funeral services for approximately 7% of all deaths in the Netherlands.
In 2024, the Roman Catholic Church in Holland had 3,448,000 registered Catholics, representing 19.1% of the population. This represents a decrease of 0.5 percentage points compared to the previous year. According to the Kaski Research Agency, which compiles annual figures on the Catholic Church, the declines are part of a long-term trend, but the marked increase in adult baptisms appears to contradict this trend.
