Huge increase in searches for ‘how to become a Catholic’ following death of Pope Francis

Searches for “how to become Catholic” have increased by 373 per cent across the world between 20 to 26 April, according to analysis of data from Google Trends.

Pope Francis appeared in public in Rome on the 20 April to bless the Easter crowds, and then passed away on the 21st April 2025. 

The data, by Vatican Tickets & Tours, reveals that searches for how to become Catholic increased by more than three times, which they say is “unprecedented”.

Magdalena Petrusic, travel expert at Vatican Tickets & Tours, said: “Pope Francis was loved and respected throughout the world, and his influence is shown clearly in the increasing number of people researching the Catholic faith at the time of his final public appearance and death. Among many things, Pope Francis was known for his commitment to peace, harmony between nations, calling for an end to war and working to care for the earth that is our home.”

Interest in the Catholic faith and the Church worldwide is expected to grow still further as the College of Cardinals prepares to meet in the Sistine Chapel next Wednesday to begin the process to elect a successor to Pope Francis.

The new data follows research published last month by Bible Society which shows a rise in Gen Z Catholic attendance, with young adults aged 18-34 are among those newly drawn to Christian beliefs after years of declining congregations

The survey, The Quiet Revival, revealed that young adults aged 18-34 are among those newly drawn to Christian beliefs after years of declining congregations, with renewed interest not only in being part of a church but also in prayer, reading the Bible and social activism based on faith.

In 2018, similar research conducted by YouGov for Bible Society showed that Anglicans made up 41 per cent of churchgoers, but this dropped to 34 per cent in 2024, with Roman Catholics now close behind with 31 per cent, up from 23 per cent in 2018, and Pentecostalists up from four per cent to 10 per cent. The figures showed far more notable changes among the 18-34 age group, where Anglican churchgoers had declined from 30 to 20 per cent while 41 per cent were Catholic and 18 per cent Pentecostal. 

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