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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Tiago Rogero in Rio de Janeiro

Catholics now make up little more than half Brazil’s population

a group of people dressed in white sheets next to a cross
Catholic faithful dressed in white sheets gather beside a cross as they take part in a procession in the small town of Igatu in Bahia state in April. Photograph: Antonello Veneri/AFP/Getty Images

Home to the world’s largest Catholic population, Brazil has once again witnessed a decline in the faith’s following, according to new figures released by the country’s national statistics institute (IBGE).

Thirty years ago, Catholics made up 82.9% of Brazil’s population but now account for just over half, 56.7%, according to the 2022 census – whose results on religion were only released on Friday.

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