The Catholic Church in France expects 13,200 adults and 8,200 adolescents aged 11‑17 to be baptized in 2026, representing increases of 28 % and 10 % over the previous year.

This rise occurs against a sharp secular shift: a 2025 La Croix survey shows the share of people identifying as Catholic fell from 85 % in the 1960s to 46 % today, and infant baptisms dropped to 150,000 in 2024, down from more than double that figure in 2000.

Historians say the trend is not random. Charles Mercier, a historian and director at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, says many youths are drawn by spiritual experiences, bereavement, break‑ups, worries about a bleak future, and a search for meaning.

Personal stories echo this analysis. Business‑school student Bounlay told AFP that his new faith gives him hope and helps him cope with anxiety, while 24‑year‑old marketing student Lucie De Almeida said she first noticed Catholic videos on TikTok and Instagram, and that such social‑media content sparked her interest.

The Vatican has taken note. Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to meet these young converts during his official visit to France, signalling the Church’s recognition of the growing adult‑baptism movement.

The surge shows that, despite overall decline, many French young people are seeking a conscious, personal conviction and community, turning to adult baptism as a way to find meaning in an uncertain world.