Baptisms in France are set to break records again this Easter - here’s why

Last year, a record 17,000 adults were received into the French Catholic Church on Holy Saturday. This record is set to be broken again in 2026, with 21,386 set to be baptised. Tony Wilson takes a look at the reasons behind the highest number seen in decades - and what the Church needs to do next

When the Conference of Bishops in France announced last Easter that the number of adults baptisms had increased to over 17,000, many thought this rise would be short-lived.  

Now, they have announced that 21,386 adults will be baptised this Holy Saturday. The Catholic Church is celebrating another huge increase over the average annual number – which has sat at around 5,000 for the last few decades. 

This very precise number is known because those being prepared for baptism take part in three ‘scrutinies’ on the Sundays approaching Easter. On each occasion, they stand before their congregation and declare their intention to become followers of Jesus, after which the priest lays hands on them and prays. Parishes submit their numbers to the diocese and the Catholic Church in France collates them.