Swiss churches keep losing members as departures fall

Switzerland’s two major churches continued to shrink in 2025, although the number of people leaving fell to its lowest level in years, SRF reports, citing the latest church statistics from the Pastoral Sociology Institute of St Gallen.

A total of 27,878 people left the Catholic Church, nearly 9,000 fewer than in 2024. The Reformed Church recorded 26,243 departures, a decrease of more than 6,300.

The figures are far below the departure wave of 2023, when the publication of a report on abuse led to numbers that were twice as high. The institute said the sharp decline in Catholic departures was linked to reduced public criticism of the Church’s handling of sexual abuse. Departures from the Reformed Church were less dependent on specific events and were more closely linked to the Church’s generally declining relevance in members’ lives.

Despite the stabilisation, both churches continued to lose members. The number of departures and deaths far exceeded the number of baptisms, the institute said. The Catholic Church had 2.68 million members in 2025, down from 2.73 million in 2024. The Reformed Church had 1.77 million, compared with 1.78 million a year earlier.

Together, the two churches have nearly one million fewer members than they did 10 years ago. Immigration had long provided new members for the Catholic Church and cushioned the decline. Both churches are now moving away from their role as broad-based institutions and face the challenge of finding a new place in society, according to the report.

Church weddings also declined. A total of 1,651 marriages were held in the Catholic Church and 1,318 in the Reformed Church. The institute said this suggested that the decline in baptisms would continue because fewer families with a strong church connection were being formed.

More baptisms at an older age

Reports of a supposed boom in adult baptisms do not indicate a reversal of the trend, according to the statistics. The number of adult baptisms in the Catholic Church reached a record 339, but the figure has little statistical significance.

Instead, the data show a general shift towards baptisms at an older age. The proportion of baptisms during the first year of life is falling, while baptisms among older children, teenagers and adults are increasing.

The growing media attention given to adult baptisms points to a cultural change, the institute said. Religion is being practised more openly and confidently, including through social media. Parents are also having their children baptised later.

The report identified two parallel trends: a stronger move towards not having children baptised, and a smaller shift among those who do choose baptism from the first year of life to a later age.