A Record 12,000 people were baptized in France on Easter

According to a report by America Magazine, which was founded in 1909 by the Jesuit order and is directed today by Jesuits, France saw a record number of over 12,000 people, both adults and adolescents, being baptized on Easter despite many church leaders calling it an accelerated "de-Christianization" period in the country.

The report reveals that requests for adult baptisms have been increasing in France for the past decade. The French bishops' Conference pointed out in a report released just before Easter that the trend is present in almost all the Catholic dioceses in France.

The report further states that this years Easter Vigil saw 7,135 adults receiving the sacrament of baptism, which was 31% more than the previous year. It was also noted that in 2023, 23% of newly baptized were between the ages of 18 and 25, but that number has risen to 36% in 2024.

Moreover, over 5,000 teenagers aged 11 to 17 were baptized this Easter, which is 50% more than the number recorded last year.

Father Vincent Breynaert, director of the National Youth and Vocations Service, explained in the report presented on March 27 that in today's French society, 80% of young people have not received any religious education, and they have very few preconceived ideas about the Church. "What those asking for baptism have in common is that they had a spiritual experience and a personal encounter with Christ," he wrote.