The number of adult baptisms in Belgium is expected to rise by almost 30pc this year after dioceses reported a significant increase in candidates compared to 2025.
In the US and parts of Europe there has been anecdotal evidence of a faith revival among young people.
The Catholic Church in Belgium said that the number of adults seeking baptism has risen to 689 in 2026, from 534 in 2025.
Ten years ago, the figure was just 229. Belgium is one of the most secular countries in Europe so any reversal of the trend, no matter how small, is still notable.
In line with the general secularising trends, infant baptisms have plunged from 51,000 in 2017 to 30,000 in 2024.
