{
  "title": "Catholic Church Statistics 2026: selected figures",
  "publisher": "Agenzia Fides",
  "source_url": "https://www.fides.org/en/stats/78290-Catholic_Church_Statistics_2026",
  "published": "2026-10-16",
  "comparison_year": 2023,
  "coverage": "Selected world totals and Catholic population by continent; not the complete statistical yearbook.",
  "figures": [
    {
      "id": "catholics",
      "label": "Catholics",
      "value": 1422144000,
      "change": 16690000,
      "observed_at": "2024-06-30",
      "unit": "persons"
    },
    {
      "id": "priests",
      "label": "Priests",
      "value": 407421,
      "change": 425,
      "observed_at": "2024-12-31",
      "unit": "persons"
    },
    {
      "id": "bishops",
      "label": "Bishops",
      "value": 5525,
      "change": 95,
      "observed_at": "2024-12-31",
      "unit": "persons"
    },
    {
      "id": "permanent_deacons",
      "label": "Permanent deacons",
      "value": 52102,
      "change": 669,
      "observed_at": "2024-12-31",
      "unit": "persons"
    },
    {
      "id": "women_religious",
      "label": "Women religious",
      "value": 580131,
      "change": -9292,
      "observed_at": "2024-12-31",
      "unit": "persons"
    },
    {
      "id": "major_seminarians",
      "label": "Major seminarians",
      "value": 103604,
      "change": -2891,
      "observed_at": "2024-12-31",
      "unit": "persons"
    },
    {
      "id": "catechists",
      "label": "Catechists",
      "value": 2889336,
      "change": 22370,
      "observed_at": "2024-12-31",
      "unit": "persons"
    }
  ],
  "catholics_by_continent": [
    {
      "continent": "Africa",
      "value": 288312000,
      "change": 7580000,
      "observed_at": "2024-06-30",
      "unit": "persons"
    },
    {
      "continent": "Americas",
      "value": 678869000,
      "change": 6992000,
      "observed_at": "2024-06-30",
      "unit": "persons"
    },
    {
      "continent": "Asia",
      "value": 156166000,
      "change": 968000,
      "observed_at": "2024-06-30",
      "unit": "persons"
    },
    {
      "continent": "Europe",
      "value": 287240000,
      "change": 911000,
      "observed_at": "2024-06-30",
      "unit": "persons"
    },
    {
      "continent": "Oceania",
      "value": 11557000,
      "change": 239000,
      "observed_at": "2024-06-30",
      "unit": "persons"
    }
  ]
}