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The Catholic Church in El Salvador is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome and the Episcopal Conference of El Salvador. There are almost 5 million Catholics in El Salvador. The country is divided into eight dioceses including one archdiocese, San Salvador. The Constitution explicitly recognizes the Catholic Church and it has legal status.
According to a February 2021 survey by the University of Central America’s Institute of Public Opinion, 43.3% of the population saw themselves as Catholic, 33.9% as evangelical Christian, and 18.6% had no religious affiliation.[1]
Despite its legal status, Catholicism in El Salvador has been in decline for the last 17 years with the most devout members above age 53. According to some sources, Catholicism is only adhered to by 39% of its populace.[2] Catholicism is most dominant in the San Vicente Department and weakest in Santa Ana. In the fall of 2018, El Salvador had its first saint, Blessed Oscar Romero.
- ^ US State Dept 2022 report
- ^ Latinobarometro, Opinion Publica Latinoamericana, Enero 2018.