Religion in Paraguay

Article 24 of the Paraguayan Constitution protects religious, worship and ideological freedom. People may choose, change, profess or practice a religion without harassment, official inquiry or forced declaration. Article 37 recognizes conscientious objection for ethical or religious reasons. The Constitution also protects the religious self-organization of Indigenous communities under Article 63. Active clergy are generally barred from elective office under the constitutional rules. The Roman Catholic Church has the largest historical and social presence. Evangelical Protestant communities, other Christian churches, Mennonite communities, the Iglesia Cristiana Casa de Adoración Nacional (ICCAN), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslim and Jewish communities, and smaller Buddhist, Baha'i and other groups also operate in Paraguay. Mennonite communities are especially associated with the Chaco and eastern regions, Muslim communities with Ciudad del Este, and Jewish communities mainly with Asunción. Community or institutional estimates published for 2023 include more than 100,000 ICCAN members, about 70,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, about 46,000 Mennonites, about 11,000 Jehovah's Witnesses, around 10,000 Muslims and about 1,000 Jewish people. These estimates are not equivalent to a national census. The last located official religion figures come from the National Statistics Institute's 2012 household survey for people aged 15 and over. The Catholic, evangelical, other-religion and no-religion shares were 86.9%, 10.5%, 1.3% and 1.2% in urban areas, and 90.2%, 7.2%, 1.4% and 1.3% in rural areas. Final 2022 census publications were reviewed, but no religion table was located, so the 2012 figures should not be presented as current national prevalence. Indigenous religious systems receive specific constitutional protection. In the 2012 Indigenous census, 711 communities were recorded, and 321 reported religious assistance. Evangelical missionaries assisted 189 of those communities and Catholic personnel assisted 85. Religious assistance was often provided outside the community itself, which shows why access and religious practice can differ significantly between Indigenous localities, the Chaco and urban areas. Religious entities can seek formal recognition and registration through the Ministry of Education and Sciences, known locally as the MEC, and its Directorate General of Worship. The Vice-Ministry of Worship maintains the official register, while recognition is granted by decree of the Executive Branch. The process can require organizational documents, information about leadership and functions, annual reporting and a fourteen-item form. A fee of G 125,000 was reported for 2023, but the current 2026 fee and processing time were not verified. Registration can affect an entity's legal and administrative access, but it does not determine whether an individual may hold or practice a belief. The Constitution protects religious education and ideological pluralism. Registered churches and confessions may operate private schools subject to recognition and supervision by the Ministry of Education and Sciences, whether subsidized or unsubsidized. Parents may choose an institution that matches their philosophical, ethical or religious convictions. Law 7431/2025 bars compulsory religious instruction that conflicts with a person's convictions. Formation of religious ministers is generally governed by the relevant religious authorities together with applicable law. Public religious observance is especially visible around Catholic celebrations. National public holidays include Maundy Thursday and Good Friday during Holy Week, December 8 as the Day of the Virgin of Caacupé, and December 25 as Christmas under Law 7544/2025. Other religious observances remain community-specific and do not have a located national public-holiday equivalent. Worship, baptisms, funerals, conversions and religious marriages are governed by the relevant community, and no nationwide tariff was located; contributions, tithes and donations are usually set by the community. Religious ceremonies do not replace civil registration. Under Law 1266/1987, a civil marriage must take place before a religious marriage ceremony. Births, marriages and deaths receive their civil record through the Civil Status Registry. A civil marriage application generally involves a form, identity documents, four witnesses and supporting certificates, with requirements depending on the case. Prison law also protects declared-creed assistance, religious objects, ceremonies and access to ministers. The Vice-Ministry of Worship supports interreligious dialogue and has brought together Catholic, evangelical, Mennonite, Muslim, Jewish, ICCAN, Latter-day Saint and Jehovah's Witness representatives. This public dialogue does not create a single national religious practice; it provides a channel for contact between the state and communities with different beliefs and institutions.