Catholic Church | |
---|---|
Latin: Ecclesia Catholica | |
Classification | Catholic |
Scripture | Bible |
Theology | Catholic theology |
Polity | Episcopal |
Structure | Communion |
Pope | Francis |
Administration | Roman Curia |
Particular churches sui iuris | 24: Latin Church, and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches |
Dioceses | |
Parishes | 221,700 |
Language | Ecclesiastical Latin and native languages |
Liturgy | Western and Eastern |
Headquarters | Vatican City |
Founder | Jesus, according to sacred tradition |
Origin | 1st century Holy Land, Roman Empire |
Members | 1.313 billion (2017) |
Clergy | |
Official website | Holy See |
The Catholic Church is the largest Christian church in the world. It has over one billion members, and is the world's largest religious group. Its members believe that Jesus Christ started the Catholic Church 2,000 years ago. The Church’s headquarters are in the Vatican City.