Catholicism remains the largest religion in Latin America, but its dominance has continued to weaken over the past decade as increasing numbers of adults describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated, according to new research.
An analysis by the Pew Research Center shows that the proportion of people identifying as Catholic has fallen across six of the region’s most densely populated countries - Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile - even as belief in God and personal religious practice remain widespread.
The findings form part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project, which tracks religious change and its social effect worldwide, with funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John Templeton Foundation.
Based on surveys conducted in 2024 with more than 6,200 adults, the study discovered that increasing numbers of Latin Americans now identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular.”
Despite this shift, levels of religious belief across the region remain higher than in many other parts of the world, particularly Europe.
Across all six countries surveyed, close to nine in 10 adults profess belief in God.
In Peru, Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico, at least half of respondents described religion as highly significant in their lives, while daily prayer remains prevalent, especially in Brazil, Colombia and Peru.
Each of the six countries are Catholic dominated but those majorities have narrowed significantly in the last decade.
In Brazil and Chile, fewer than half (46%) of adults say they are Catholic, while Mexico (67%), Argentina (58%), Peru (67%), and Colombia (60%), and retain Catholic majorities that are markedly smaller than in 2013-14.
In Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Mexico, people with no religious affiliation now outnumber Protestants.
Protestant Christianity, by contrast, has seen little overall change.
Brazil continues to have the largest Protestant population among the countries surveyed, with just under three in 10 (29%) adults identifying as Protestant — a modest increase of 3% over the past decade.
Pentecostal churches remain influential across the region, though they now make up a smaller share of the Protestant population than in previous years, as other denominations expand.
The research also highlights significant religious switching.
In each country surveyed, at least one in five adults said they were brought up Catholic but no longer identify with the Church.
Most former Catholics now describe themselves as having no religious identity, while smaller proportions have joined Protestant churches.
Even so, the rise of religious “nones” does not necessarily signal a collapse in belief.
Many religiously unaffiliated adults still affirm belief in God, with Mexico standing out at roughly 75%.
The study found notable differences in religious engagement between Catholics, Protestants and the unaffiliated.
Protestants are generally more likely to report frequent prayer and strong religious commitment, though Catholics exceed Protestants on some measures in certain countries.
The religiously unaffiliated tend to be less active overall, but many still hold core beliefs traditionally associated with Christianity.
Researchers also compared Latin America’s unaffiliated population with Christians in Europe, concluding that “nones” in Latin America are, on average, similar in terms of religious commitment to European Christians - particularly when it comes to belief in God.
