Rachel Evans
Germany has a rich Catholic history, with the religion introduced to the area by the 5th century. In 2022, 28.5% of the population identified as Roman Catholic, which is a decrease from previous years. This equates to 19,769,237 people, with only 6.6% regularly attending Mass. The number of Catholics in Germany is declining, with a record number of people leaving the Church in 2022. This is due to a variety of factors, including the sex-abuse scandal, the obligation to pay church tax, and the rise of secularism.
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What You'll Learn
Catholic Church membership
Catholicism is the largest Christian denomination in Germany, with around half of German Christians being Catholic. However, the number of Catholics in Germany has been declining in recent years. As of December 2022, there were 23.9 million Catholics in Germany, comprising 28.5% of the total population. This is a decrease from the previous year, when there were 20.3 million Catholics, constituting less than a quarter of the population. The German Catholic Church has also experienced a significant number of resignations, with over 321,000 people leaving the Church in 2024, compared to only about 6,600 new members and readmissions.
One of the major challenges facing the German Catholic Church is retaining registered, tax-paying members. By law, all Christian taxpayers in Germany must declare their religious affiliation, and the German state deducts an additional 8-9% of personal income tax from registered churchgoers, which is then redistributed to their diocese. While this provides the Catholic Church with a precise membership count and a substantial net income, contributing to it being one of the wealthiest Catholic churches in the world, it has also led to controversy and divisions among German Catholics. Many Catholics are opposed to the compulsory church tax, and some have chosen to leave the Church to avoid paying it.
The decline in Catholic Church membership in Germany is part of a broader trend of secularization in the country. A 2021 estimate found that 42% of Germans are irreligious, up from 30% in 2010. This rise in secularism, particularly in Eastern Germany, has likely contributed to the decrease in religious affiliation. Additionally, the Catholic Church in Germany has been impacted by other factors such as the sex-abuse crisis and disagreements over social issues, with polls indicating that a significant number of German Catholics support blessings for same-sex couples, unmarried couples living together, and the right for priests to marry.
While Catholicism is more prevalent in some regions of Germany than others, it is important to note that religious affiliation and participation vary within the country. Southern Germany has a Catholic majority, while Northern Germany is traditionally Protestant, especially Lutheran. However, it is worth mentioning that religious demographics in Germany are complex, and there is a significant overlap of Catholic and Protestant populations in many areas. Additionally, the percentage of practicing Catholics may be higher in rural areas compared to cities.
Overall, while Catholicism has a significant presence in Germany, the number of Catholics and their participation in the Church have been declining. The German Catholic Church faces various challenges, including the compulsory church tax, secularization, and social and cultural shifts. These factors have contributed to a decrease in Catholic Church membership and attendance in Germany.
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Catholic Mass attendance
Catholicism is stronger in the southern and western parts of Germany, with the southern region having a Catholic majority. The northern regions of Germany are dominated by Protestants, especially Lutherans. The two northernmost provinces of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony have the largest percentage of self-reported Lutherans in Germany. Eastern Germany is the least religious region in the country.
The Catholic Church in Germany has a rich religious and cultural heritage that dates back to Saint Boniface, the "Apostle of Germany", and the first Archbishop of Mainz, buried in Fulda. The Catholic Church in Germany also boasts one of the country's most recognisable landmarks, Cologne Cathedral.
In 2022, 28.5% of the total population of Germany identified as Roman Catholic, which is approximately 23.9 million people. This is a significant decrease from 1970, when Catholics constituted 42% of West Germany's population. The number of Catholics in Germany dropped below 20 million for the first time in 2025, with the total number of Catholics at 19,769,237.
The Catholic Church in Germany faces the challenge of retaining registered, tax-paying members to fund parishes and church agencies. German Catholics are divided over the issue of a compulsory church tax, which deducts an additional 8-9% of personal income tax from registered churchgoers. While the tax provides the Catholic and Lutheran churches with a net income of 5.6 billion euros (in 2008), it has also led to a growing rejection of the Church.
Mass attendance rates among German Catholics are relatively low compared to other countries. In 2025, only 6.6% of German Catholics, or just over 1.3 million people, regularly attended Mass on Sundays. This is a decrease from previous years, as a 2014 report stated that Sunday Mass attendance in Germany had fallen below 11%. Another source from 2024 states that only 15% of German Catholics attend Mass regularly, while yet another source from the same year places the figure at 10.4%. Less than 2% of Germany's overall population attends Mass.
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Catholic Church tax
Catholicism is the dominant religion in Western Germany, with Southern Germany having a Catholic majority. However, the number of Catholics in Germany has dropped below 20 million for the first time, with only 6.6% regularly attending Mass.
The Catholic Church Tax
In Germany, state-recognized churches collect taxes from their members to finance their activities and wages. This is known as the 'church tax'. The church tax is an additional 8% to 9% of personal income tax deducted at source by the German state from registered churchgoers. The rate is 8% in the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, and 9% in the rest of the country. This amounts to around €538 being taken from the average annual German salary of €43,722. In 2022, the German Catholic Church received an estimated €6.8 billion in church tax revenues from its 21 million members.
The church tax dates back to the pre-Christian Germanic custom where the chief of the tribe was responsible for the maintenance of priests and religious groups. During the Christianization of Western Europe, this custom was adopted by the Catholic and Arian churches in the concept of "Eigenkirchen" (churches owned by the landlord). In the 19th century, the finances of churches and states were regulated, and churches became financially independent.
In Germany, everyone who is a member of an officially recognized religious group automatically gets a percentage of their monthly wage taken from their paycheck. For native Germans, this is often done through baptism at a young age, which makes them members of a particular church. Foreigners moving to Germany can declare their affiliation to a church when they register at their local citizen's office.
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Catholic Church decline
Catholicism is the dominant religion in Western Germany, with 28.5% of the total population being Roman Catholic (approximately 23.9 million people as of December 2022). However, this number has been declining. For every 100 new Catholics, more than 800 people leave the Church. In 2024, the Church recorded more than 321,000 resignations, compared to only about 6,600 new members. Less than 2% of the population attends Mass.
Historically, Roman Catholicism was the sole established religion in the Holy Roman Empire until the advent of the Protestant Reformation in the early 16th century. The Reformation, started by Martin Luther, brought to light abuses within the Catholic Church, such as the selling of indulgences, and led to many people leaving the Catholic Church and becoming Protestant. The Peace of Augsburg in 1555 officially ended the religious wars between Catholics and Protestants, legalizing the partitioning of the Holy Roman Empire into Catholic and Protestant territories.
In more recent times, the Catholic Church in Germany has been facing challenges in retaining its members. One issue is the compulsory church tax, which deducts an additional 8-9% of personal income tax from registered churchgoers. While this provides the Catholic Church with a significant income, it has also led to divisions among German Catholics. Additionally, societal changes and the rise of secular thinking have contributed to the decline in religious affiliation, not just in Germany but also in other parts of the world, including the United States.
To address the decline, some have suggested that the Catholic Church needs to consider a complete overhaul of its current operations and be open to radical changes. However, others argue that there is no single "silver bullet" solution, and the path forward is complex and multifaceted.
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Catholic heritage sites
Catholicism is stronger in the southern and western parts of Germany, with the southern region having a Catholic majority. The religion was introduced to the area of modern Germany by 300 AD, when parts of the area belonged to the Roman Empire. The Catholic Church in Germany has an old religious and cultural heritage, which can be traced back to Saint Boniface, the "Apostle of Germany", and the first Archbishop of Mainz, buried in Fulda. Notable religious sites include structures from the Carolingian era to modern buildings. Some of these sites are:
- Quedlinburg
- Maria Laach
- Erfurt Cathedral: This is a Gothic monastery complex that houses an important library with rare books and a permanent exhibition about the life of Martin Luther, who lived there as a monk from 1505 to 1511.
- Eberbach
- Lorsch Abbey: This is one of the oldest structures in Germany and features a remnant 'Torhalle' (gate hall).
- Reichenau
- Maulbronn
- Weingarten
- Banz
- Vierzehnheiligen
- Wieskirche
- Ettal
- Fürstenfeld
- Sacred Heart in Munich: This church was completed in 2000.
- Altötting
- Cologne Cathedral: This is one of the country's most recognizable landmarks.
- Oberammergau: This site is famous for the Passion Play staged every ten years.
Other Catholic heritage sites in Germany include the tomb of St. Albertus Magnus in the Church of Saint Andrew in Cologne, the tomb of Saint Katharina Kasper in Dernbach (Westerwald), and Fulda Cathedral (tomb of St. Boniface) and St. Michael’s Church in Fulda. Vallendar is also home to the Schoenstatt Movement and the tomb of Fr. Joseph Ketenich.
As of December 2022, 28.5% of Germany's population, or 23.9 million people, are Roman Catholic.
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Frequently asked questions
As of December 2022, 28.5% of the total population of Germany is Roman Catholic. This amounts to 23.9 million people.
Only about 2% of Germany's population attends Mass. The smallest German diocese, Görlitz, has the highest percentage of Mass-goers, with 14.4% of Catholics attending Sunday Mass.
A variety of reasons have been given for the low attendance numbers. Some people are put off by the Catholic Church's handling of the sex-abuse scandal, while others disagree with the obligatory church tax. More broadly, the rising tide of secularism in Germany has likely contributed to the decline in religious attendance.
The church tax is an additional 8-9% income tax deducted from the salaries of registered churchgoers by the German state. This tax is then redistributed to the individual's diocese.
The Catholic Church in Germany is facing the challenge of retaining registered members to fund parishes and agencies. In 2024, the Church recorded more than 321,000 resignations, compared to only about 6,600 new members.
