In short
In the 2021 census, 80.2% of Portuguese identified as Catholic, making Portugal one of the most Catholic countries in Western Europe on paper. But identity and practice have drifted apart: CARA estimates that only about 20% of Portuguese Catholics attend Mass weekly. Secularization is visible in the trend line too. The share of people with no religion more than doubled in a decade, from 6.8% in 2011 to 14.1% in 2021. Over 7 million of the countrys 8.8 million residents aged 15 and over are still counted as Catholic.
- In the 2021 census, 80.2% of Portuguese identified as Catholic (Statistics Portugal).
- About 20% of Portuguese Catholics attend Mass weekly, so declared identity far outruns weekly practice (CARA).
- The share of people with no religion more than doubled, from 6.8% in 2011 to 14.1% in 2021 (Statistics Portugal).
- Over 7 million of Portugals 8.8 million residents aged 15 and over are Catholic (Statistics Portugal).
Portugal remains one of the most Catholic countries in Western Europe, at least by self-declared identity. In the 2021 census, 80.2% of the population identified as Catholic, according to Statistics Portugal. Yet declared identity and lived practice have pulled apart. CARA at Georgetown University estimates that only about 20% of Portuguese Catholics attend Mass weekly. At the same time secularization is accelerating: the share of people reporting no religion more than doubled between the 2011 and 2021 censuses. The figures below draw on the 2021 Census of Statistics Portugal and on CARA, the most authoritative sources on Catholic identity and practice in Portugal.
residents aged 15 and over are Catholic
Key findings at a glance
| Metric | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic identity in the census | 80.2% | 2021 | Statistics Portugal (2021 Census) |
| Weekly Mass attendance among Catholics | about 20% | 2021 | CARA, Georgetown University |
| No religion (up from 6.8% in 2011) | 14.1% | 2021 | Statistics Portugal (2021 Census) |
| Catholic residents aged 15 and over | over 7 million | 2021 | Statistics Portugal (2021 Census) |
High Catholic identity, lower practice
On paper, Portugal is still overwhelmingly Catholic. The 2021 census counted Catholics as by far the largest group, a legacy of centuries in which the Catholic Church shaped Portuguese national life. But census identity records how people label themselves, not how often they attend Mass, so the headline share sits well above the level of regular practice.
In the 2021 census, 80.2% of the Portuguese population identified as Catholic, according to Statistics Portugal.
Over 7 million of Portugals 8.8 million residents aged 15 and over were counted as Catholic in the 2021 census, according to Statistics Portugal.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic identity | 80.2% | 2021 | Statistics Portugal (2021 Census) |
| Catholic residents aged 15 and over | over 7 million | 2021 | Statistics Portugal (2021 Census) |
| Residents aged 15 and over (census base) | 8.8 million | 2021 | Statistics Portugal (2021 Census) |
Build a daily prayer habit
Pray Focus helps you pray every day by gently locking distracting apps during your prayer time.
How many actually attend Mass
Formal identity says little about weekly practice. CARA at Georgetown University estimates that only about a fifth of Portuguese Catholics attend Mass every week, a gap between the roughly 80% who identify as Catholic and the far smaller share who take part in weekly worship.
CARA at Georgetown University estimates that about 20% of Portuguese Catholics attend Mass weekly.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify as Catholic (census) | 80.2% | 2021 | Statistics Portugal (2021 Census) |
| Attend Mass weekly (of Catholics) | about 20% | 2021 | CARA, Georgetown University |
The rise of the non-religious
The clearest sign of change is the growth of people who report no religion at all. Between the 2011 and 2021 censuses this group more than doubled, a fast shift for a country with such deep Catholic roots.
In the 2021 census, 14.1% of the Portuguese population reported no religion, up from 6.8% in 2011, according to Statistics Portugal.
In the 2011 census, 6.8% of the Portuguese population reported no religion, according to Statistics Portugal.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 6.8% | 2011 | Statistics Portugal (2021 Census) |
| No religion | 14.1% | 2021 | Statistics Portugal (2021 Census) |
| Catholic identity | 80.2% | 2021 | Statistics Portugal (2021 Census) |
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 identity figures come from the 2021 Census of Statistics Portugal (INE), the official national count of the resident population, including the 80.2% Catholic share, the 14.1% with no religion, and the over 7 million Catholic residents aged 15 and over. The 6.8% no-religion figure is the comparable share from the 2011 census. The weekly Mass-attendance estimate of about 20% comes from CARA at Georgetown University. Where identity and practice differ, we label each figure with its source so the gap between declared identity and weekly attendance is clear.
Want to slow down and pray instead of scrolling through social media? Pray Focus pairs distraction-free prayer time with a free library of Scripture-based and traditional prayers by theme, Catholic and beyond.
Learn to pray.Make it a daily habit.
One email at a time, at your pace
Join our free email course and learn simple, time-tested ways to pray, with one small thing to try each time, so prayer slowly becomes part of your day.
- 8 short lessons: the Daily Examen, Lectio Divina, ACTS and more
- One tiny exercise each time, so praying becomes a habit
- Gentle and practical, never preachy. Free, forever.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
Related articles
Church Statistics
Church Attendance Statistics: Weekly Attendance Now vs Two Decades Ago (2025)
Weekly church attendance in the US has fallen from about 42% two decades ago to roughly 30% today. Here is what Gallup, Pew, PRRI, and the Hartford Institute actually found, including a first rise in congregation attendance in 25 years.
Church Statistics
Christianity in America: Statistics and Trends (2025)
About 62% of US adults identify as Christian, down from 78% in 2007 but broadly stable since 2019. Here is what Pew, PRRI, and Gallup actually found on belief, prayer, attendance, and the decline that appears to have leveled off.
Church Statistics
Global Christianity Statistics: How Many Christians (2025)
About 2.65 billion Christians worldwide in 2025, still the largest faith, with 68.9% now in the Global South. Here is what Gordon-Conwell, Pew, and the Vatican actually found on the size and shape of world Christianity.