Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Leo XIV in Spain (6 – 12 June 2026) - Statistics, 03.06.2026
Statistics of the Catholic Church in Spain as of 31 December 2024 (from the Central Office of Church Statistics)
The following are some statistical data regarding the situation of the Catholic Church in Spain as of 31 December 2024:
Table 1 – Population and ecclesiastical structure
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Spain
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Area (km2)
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505,992
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Population (in thousands)
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48,620
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Density (inhabitants/km2)
|
|
96
|
Catholics (in thousands)
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|
45,336
|
Catholics per 100 inhabitants
|
|
93.25
|
Ecclesiastical circumscriptions
|
|
71
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Parishes
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22,788
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Other pastoral centres
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|
4,137
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Catholics per pastoral centre
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1,684
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|
|
|
Table 2 – People engaged in activities of the apostolate
Bishops (Situation as of 30.04.2026)
|
|
130
|
|
Diocesan priests
|
|
12,461
|
|
Religious priests
|
|
5,652
|
|
Total priests
|
|
18,113
|
|
Permanent deacons
|
|
601
|
|
Men religious other than priests
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2,435
|
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Professed women religious
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32,996
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Members of secular institutes
|
|
1,588
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|
Lay missionaries
|
|
96
|
|
Catechists
|
|
80,637
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table 3 – Indicators of pastoral workload
Catholics per priest
|
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2,503
|
|
Catholics per pastoral worker
|
|
332
|
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Priests per pastoral centre
|
|
0.67
|
|
Priests per 100 people engaged in activities of apostolate
|
|
13.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table 4 – Priestly vocations
Minor seminarians
|
|
595
|
|
Major seminarians
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|
1,343
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Major seminarians per 100.000 inhabitants
|
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2.76
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Major seminarians per 100.000 Catholics
|
|
2.96
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Major seminarians per 100 priests
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7.41
|
|
|
|
|
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Table 5 - Educational centres owned / managed by ecclesiastics or religious
Schools:
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|
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- Pre-school and primary
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3,773
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- Middle and secondary
|
|
1,885
|
- Higher education and university
|
|
104
|
|
|
|
Students in:
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|
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- Pre-school and primary
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|
726,856
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- Middle and secondary
|
|
549,013
|
- Higher education and university
|
|
158,709
|
|
|
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Table 6 - Charitable and social centres owned / managed by ecclesiastics or religious
Hospitals
|
|
58
|
Clinics
|
|
51
|
Leper colonies
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|
-
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Homes for the elderly and disabled
|
|
848
|
Orphanages and nurseries
|
|
660
|
Family consultation centres
|
|
226
|
Special social education or rehabilitation centres
|
|
197
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Other institutions
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|
3,051
|
|
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