Decline of the Faith in France, Eldest Daughter of the Church
According to an Ifop report for the Observatoire Français du Catholicisme published on Monday 2 June, 41% of French people say they believe in God, while 59% do not. In 1947, 66% of French people believed in God: in 2004, the figure was 55%, and in 2023 44%. The fall continues.
Although 76% of those questioned had been baptised into the Catholic faith (compared with 92% in 1961), 66% of those baptised never went to Mass, and only 2% of those baptised attended Mass every Sunday. Of those questioned, only 17% considered themselves to be believing and practising Christians, while 83% did not.
Nevertheless, 53% of those questioned have a good opinion of the Church. 49% of French people say they know a practising Catholic, and 53% know more than one.
81% of French people say they are on a "spiritual quest". Nearly one French person in two has visited a church in the course of the year, often to pray, reflect, light a candle... or simply to find peace and quiet.
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