In short
Only 12% of Argentines attend religious services weekly, one of the lowest rates in Latin America, according to the Pew Research Center. Argentina remains nominally Catholic, but 62.9% of the population identified as Catholic in 2019, down about 14 points from 2008, according to CONICET. Practice is thin even among Catholics: nearly 54% attend Mass or worship only on special occasions. Meanwhile the share with no religion rose from 11% in 2008 to 18.9% in 2019.
- Only 12% of Argentines attend religious services weekly, one of the lowest rates in Latin America (Pew Research Center, 2024).
- 62.9% of Argentines identified as Catholic in 2019, down about 14 points from 2008 (CONICET).
- Those with no religion rose from 11% in 2008 to 18.9% in 2019 (CONICET).
- Nearly 54% of Argentine Catholics attend Mass or worship only on special occasions (CONICET).
Argentina is often described as a Catholic country, and on paper most of its people still are. But regular practice tells a very different story. Only 12% of Argentines attend religious services weekly, one of the lowest rates anywhere in Latin America, according to the Pew Research Center. At the same time Catholic identity is eroding: 62.9% of the population identified as Catholic in 2019, down about 14 points from 2008, according to the CONICET Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs and Attitudes. Even among those who remain Catholic, attendance is largely reserved for special occasions, and the share of Argentines with no religion is climbing. The figures below draw on Pew and CONICET, the most authoritative sources on religious practice in Argentina.
of Argentines identified as Catholic (2019)
of Argentines have no religion (2019)
of Catholics attend worship only on special occasions
Key findings at a glance
| Metric | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly attendance at religious services | 12% | 2024 | Pew Research Center |
| Catholic identity | 62.9% | 2019 | CONICET (Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs) |
| No religion | 18.9% | 2019 | CONICET (Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs) |
| Catholics attending worship only on special occasions | nearly 54% | 2019 | CONICET (Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs) |
| No religion (2008 baseline) | 11% | 2008 | CONICET (Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs) |
One of the lowest attendance rates in the region
For a country with such deep Catholic roots, weekly religious practice in Argentina is strikingly low. The Pew Research Center found that Argentina sits near the bottom of Latin America for weekly attendance at religious services, well below more devout countries in the region.
Only 12% of Argentines attend religious services weekly, one of the lowest rates in Latin America.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentines attending services weekly | 12% | 2024 | Pew Research Center |
| Regional standing | among the lowest in Latin America | 2024 | Pew Research Center |
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A Catholic country that rarely goes to Mass
Most Argentines still identify as Catholic, but that identity is more cultural than practiced. The CONICET Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs and Attitudes shows that a majority of self-identified Catholics reserve Mass and worship for special occasions rather than attending regularly.
In 2019, 62.9% of Argentines identified as Catholic, down about 14 points from 2008.
Nearly 54% of Argentine Catholics attend Mass or worship only on special occasions.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic identity | 62.9% | 2019 | CONICET (Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs) |
| Catholics attending worship only on special occasions | nearly 54% | 2019 | CONICET (Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs) |
The rise of the unaffiliated
As Catholic identity slips, the share of Argentines with no religion is climbing. The CONICET survey documents a clear rise between its 2008 and 2019 waves, part of a broader secularizing trend across parts of Latin America.
The share of Argentines with no religion rose from 11% in 2008 to 18.9% in 2019.
In 2008, 11% of Argentines reported having no religion, before the figure climbed to 18.9% by 2019.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion (2008) | 11% | 2008 | CONICET (Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs) |
| No religion (2019) | 18.9% | 2019 | CONICET (Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs) |
| Catholic identity (2019) | 62.9% | 2019 | CONICET (Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs) |
How we compiled these statistics
Every number on this page is traceable to a primary source and dated to the year the data were collected. The figure on weekly attendance and the regional comparison come from the Pew Research Center survey of religious and spiritual practices in Latin America. The figures on Catholic identity, the share with no religion, and the frequency of Mass attendance among Catholics come from the CONICET Second National Survey of Religious Beliefs and Attitudes in Argentina. Where data years differ, we use the most recent published year and label it.
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