Top 10 Most Religious Catholic Countries With Highest Church Attendance In The World

3. Philippines

Catholic Population: 76,000,000 people

Ranking 3rd in our list of the most religious Catholic countries with the highest church attendance in the world is a country from South East Asia, dubbed as the “Pearl of the Orient”, the Philippines. The country also bears the distinction of being the most Catholic country in Asia. Catholicism has served as a foundational aspect of Filipino identity for millions of Filipinos since the colonial era. It quickly gained prominence during the early years of Spanish colonial rule, in part because there were few centralized religious institutions to challenge it, except for Islam in the southern regions. Its strong ties to Filipino identity have positioned the Catholic Church at the center of nationalistic, social justice, and other movements. However, it has also been linked to power, elitism, and instances of exploitation at various stages in its history.

Modern Filipino Catholicism is characterized by distinctive traditions, such as Simbang Gabi, a nine-day series of Christmas Masses, Pabása, the communal singing of the “Pasyon” during Holy Week, and the early morning Salubong, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter. The Philippines takes pride in being the sole Christian nation in Asia, with over 86% of its population adhering to Roman Catholicism.