Uptick but no ‘boom’ for adult baptisms in Switzerland

Adult baptisms in Switzerland rose for the third straight year in 2025, reaching 339, according to an analysis by the Swiss Institute of Pastoral Sociology in St. Gallen. While this figure represents a 30% increase from the 261 adult baptisms recorded in 2024 and the 223 recorded in 2023, the institute noted that the country is not experiencing a sudden surge or boom in adult conversions.

Arnd Bünker, the head of the institute, stated that the data through 2025 does not show a trend of secularized adults or young people returning to the Church. However, adult baptisms now make up a larger share of all baptisms in the country, rising from 1% in 2015 to 2.6% in 2025.

Bünker attributed the increased visibility of these baptisms to media interest and the tendency of newly baptized Catholics to share their experiences on social media. He noted that both Church officials and the individuals themselves are communicating these events more confidently online than in the past.