Roman Catholicism In France
The Roman Catholic Church of France, sometimes called the "eldest daughter of the Church" owing to its early and unbroken communion (2nd century) with the bishop of Rome, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The French church is under the spiritual leadership of the Pope, curia in Rome, and the Conference of French bishops.
It is estimated that between 51% and 88% of France's population is Catholic. The church is organised into 98 dioceses, served by 20,523 priests. It takes pride in some of the most beautiful churches in all of Christianity, including Notre Dame de Paris, Chartres Cathedral, Reims Cathedral, and Basilique du Sacre-Coeur, Eglise de la Madeleine, and Amiens Cathedral. Its shrine, Lourdes, is visited by 5 million pilgrims yearly. Some of its most famous saints include St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Irenaeus, St. John Vianney the Cure of Ars, St. Joan of Arc, St. Bernadette, Louis IX of France, and St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
Read more about Roman Catholicism In France: History, Politics, Legal Status, Statistics, Divisions
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