Top 20 largest churches in the world 2025

A church is a building used for worship service or other religious activities in Christianity. In traditional Christian cathedrals such as the famed Notre-Dame de Paris, the church building’s plan view often forms the shape of a cross when viewed from above. Modern church designs often have different layouts. Churches vary greatly in type and size. The earliest identified Christian church is a simple domestic home, located in the ancient Syrian city of Dura-Europos, which was converted to a church between 233 and 256.

This reflects the humble (and often illegal) beginnings of the Christian movement, which frequently met not in public locations but in private homes. Centuries later, the church had grown immensely in size and influence, enabling denominations such as the Catholics, Anglicans, and Eastern Orthodox churches to construct massive cathedrals with seating capacity rivaling that of athletic stadiums.

The term “largest” can be interpreted multiple ways. One church may be the largest in terms of indoor seating capacity, another may be the largest in terms of interior floor area, and others may be the largest when considering factors such as building height, exterior grounds, or weekly attendance. Moreover, not all data is available for all churches, and in some cases the data that is available is disputed.

Finally, terminology can cause confusion, as some sources differentiate between a church (Christian house of worship), a cathedral (a church that serves as the office for a bishop), and a basilica (a church which has additional ceremonial functions). Thus, it is possible to create multiple lists of the world’s largest churches, each different but also accurate, depending upon the variables being measured and compared.

Here are the top 20 biggest churches in the world.