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Christianity
Autor desconhecido · Domínio público, Wikimedia CommonsChristianity (Catholic)
1.4 billionFollowers worldwide
17.8%Of world population
BrazilWhere most live
345Unreached
Sacred bookThe Bible (73 books, including the 7 deuterocanonical books, Old Testament books not found in Protestant Bibles: Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach/Ecclesiasticus and Baruch, plus additional passages in Esther and Daniel)
OriginThe undivided church of the first centuries, with a distinct identity consolidated over the Middle Ages and reaffirmed at the Council of Trent (1545 to 1563), in response to the Protestant Reformation
FounderNo single founder: the Catholic tradition sees itself as the direct continuation of the apostolic church, with the papacy tracing back to the apostle Peter in Rome
What it is
Catholic Christianity is the largest single branch of Christianity, tied to the tradition of the church of Rome and to the leadership of the pope, regarded as the successor of the apostle Peter. Its hallmarks include the seven sacraments, devotion to Mary and the saints, and a hierarchical structure organized into dioceses and parishes found in practically every part of the world.
Today there are about 1.4 billion baptized Catholics, roughly 17.8% of the world’s population, according to the Vatican’s statistical yearbook (Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae), making it the largest Christian tradition by number of adherents. Brazil has the most Catholics, followed by Mexico and the Philippines, a Catholic-majority country in Asia. The United States, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Italy, which surrounds the Vatican, Colombia and France also have large Catholic populations, a sign of the historical strength of this tradition in Latin America and Europe.
Catholicism shares with other Christian traditions the central belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who died and rose again, despite differences in practice, church authority and theological emphasis. Dialogue between Catholics and other Christian traditions has grown in recent decades, seeking unity around the essentials of the faith.
It is the largest Christian community on the planet, present in almost every nation, with two thousand years of institutional continuity.
Pillars and practices
1
The Mass
The central liturgical celebration, held daily in many parishes and required on Sundays and holy days of obligation, with Bible readings, a homily and the Eucharist as its high point.
2
The seven sacraments
Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Reconciliation (Confession), the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony, rites regarded as concrete channels of God's grace for the life of the believer.
3
Marian devotion
Mary, the mother of Jesus, is venerated as an intercessor and a model of faith, with dogmas of her own (the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption) and feasts dedicated to her throughout the year.
4
The Rosary
A repetitive prayer prayed on beads while meditating on events in the lives of Jesus and Mary (the mysteries), widely prayed alone and in groups, including as a family.
5
Confession to a priest
Confessing one's sins to a priest in confidence, followed by absolution and penance, practiced regularly by more observant Catholics, especially before Easter.
6
Devotion to the saints
Men and women recognized by the Church as extraordinary examples of faith are venerated and asked to intercede, each with their own feast day in the calendar.
What is believed
The authority of the Pope and of Tradition
The pope, the bishop of Rome, is recognized as Peter's successor and holds the highest teaching authority (the magisterium). The Tradition of the Church is seen as a source of revelation alongside Scripture, not subordinate to it.
Transubstantiation
The belief that during the Mass the consecrated bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Christ, keeping only the appearance of bread and wine.
Purgatory
An intermediate state of purification after death for souls that are saved but not yet fully sanctified, before they enter the fullness of heaven.
The sacraments as means of grace
God's grace is understood to be ordinarily given through the sacraments administered by the Church, not only through direct personal faith.
Justification by grace, with the believer's cooperation
Justification (being declared righteous before God) begins with grace, which no one earns; the believer freely cooperates with it through faith, works of charity and the sacramental life, and so grows in righteousness. Evangelicals disagree with the role this gives to works.
Apostolic succession
Bishops and priests receive their authority through an unbroken chain of ordination going back to the apostles, regarded as essential for the validity of the sacraments.
Dates and practices
Christmas · December 25
The celebration of the birth of Jesus, preceded by Advent, a four-week season of preparation.
Ash Wednesday and Lent
The start of the 40 days of preparation for Easter, marked by ashes placed on the forehead as a sign of penance.
Holy Week and Easter
Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday (the institution of the Eucharist), Good Friday (the death of Jesus) and Easter, celebrating the resurrection, the high point of the liturgical year.
Pentecost
50 days after Easter, it celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles.
All Souls' Day · November 2
A day devoted to praying for the dead, linked to the belief in purgatory and in the communion of the living and the dead in the faith.
How they live
Going to Mass
Attending Sunday Mass is considered a binding obligation. Many of the more devout faithful also attend on weekdays or take part in novenas.
Infant baptism and godparents
Children are usually baptized as babies, with a godfather and godmother who commit to supporting the child's Christian upbringing for life.
Fasting and abstinence
Lent, the 40 days before Easter, includes fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and abstaining from meat (any meat, not just red meat) on the Fridays of this season; as a general rule, every Friday of the year is a day of penance.
Everyday symbols
The crucifix, the rosary beads, medals of saints and holy water are common objects in homes and used in everyday prayer.
A calendar of feasts
The year is structured by the liturgical calendar: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost, along with the feasts of local patron saints.
First Communion and Confirmation
Important milestones in childhood and adolescence, when children receive the Eucharist for the first time and are later confirmed in the faith, usually after a period of catechesis.
Brief history
- 313 Edict of Milan: the emperors Constantine and Licinius grant religious freedom to Christians in the Roman Empire; in the East, persecution does not end for good until 324.
- 325 The Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council (a gathering of bishops from the whole Church), defines central points of doctrine on the divinity of Christ, still recognized by Catholics, Orthodox and most Protestants.
- 1054 The Great Schism: the formal break between the Church of Rome (Catholic) and the churches of the East (which would become Orthodox), over disputes about papal authority and theological and liturgical questions.
- 1545-1563 The Council of Trent, the Catholic response to the Protestant Reformation, reaffirms dogmas such as the seven sacraments, the authority of Tradition and justification by grace with the believer's free cooperation.
- 1854 Pope Pius IX proclaims the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
- 1870 The First Vatican Council defines the dogma of papal infallibility in matters of faith and morals, when the pope speaks ex cathedra, that is, when he teaches officially as pastor of the whole Church.
- 1962-1965 The Second Vatican Council modernizes the liturgy (Mass begins to be celebrated in local languages as well, not only in Latin) and opens dialogue with other Christian traditions and religions.
- 1978 Election of John Paul II, the Polish pope whose pontificate (1978 to 2005) was one of the longest and most influential in history, marked by intense pastoral travel around the world.
How to engage in dialogue
Point of contact
Catholics share with evangelicals the faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, died on the cross and rose again. The Nicene Creed, recited at Mass, affirms central truths that both accept.
Many Catholics have a deep love for the Bible and a serious devotional life. Assuming that every Catholic is indifferent to Scripture is a stereotype, not the rule.
What to avoid
Avoid saying that Catholics 'worship Mary or the saints'. The Catholic explanation is one of veneration and asking for intercession, an important theological distinction even if evangelicals disagree with it.
Avoid the blanket statement that 'Catholics are not Christians'. It is more accurate and respectful to set out the specific doctrinal differences (the papacy, the sacraments, purgatory) than to deny the person's Christian identity.
What to ask
Ask how the person lives out their faith day to day, what the Mass means to them and what they learned in catechism class. This opens a genuine conversation about their experience of faith.
Ask what they understand about the role of Mary and the saints in their prayer, listening before offering counterarguments, so you understand the inner logic of the belief before discussing it.
Where most live
Estimate: the religion's percentage in each country multiplied by the country's population.
Unreached peoples of this religion 345 in total
+50
+79
+30
+39
+32
+17
+11
+16
+38
What to pray for
- For the Catholics of Brazil and Mexico, the largest communities of this tradition, for a living, personal faith in Jesus Christ.
- For the Philippines, the largest Catholic nation in Asia, for spiritual renewal amid an inherited tradition.
- For the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the Catholic Church sustains communities in the midst of great social challenges.
- For the Vatican, the seat of the Catholic Church, and for Italy, for leaders who always point to Christ as the center of the faith.
- For Colombia and France, for Catholic churches that are alive and committed to the gospel.
- For unity between Catholics and other Christian traditions, around the shared faith in the risen Jesus.
- Pray that Catholic devotion may deepen into a personal, transforming relationship with God.
