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NEW: Archdiocese Of New York Celebrates Hundreds Of Baptisms
The Archdiocese of New York welcomed hundreds of new members into the Catholic Church during Easter Vigil services on Saturday evening.
Archbishop Ronald Hicks, who has served in the position since February, served as the main celebrant and homilist for the Holy Week liturgies at the iconic Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. During the Holy Saturday vigil,
Across the parishes of the Archdiocese of New York, more than 3,600 people received the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and first holy communion during Easter Vigil Masses. These individuals included both catechumens — or those receiving baptism for the first time — and candidates already baptized in other Christian traditions who were entering full communion.
The archdiocese described the total as part of a broader nationwide pattern of increased participation in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) programs leading to Easter reception. All major liturgies at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, including the Easter Vigil, were livestreamed for wider access.
Thousands of people became Catholic across the United States at the Easter vigil
Mobile archdiocese – 603
Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau -200
Diocese of Phoenix – 1600
Diocese Tucson -530
Los angeles=- 8598
Youngstown 300
San Francisco – 700
Duluth 186
Atlanta – 3442… pic.twitter.com/meTpe4pkRs— Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) April 5, 2026
The events in New York align with reports of rising numbers of adults entering the Catholic Church across multiple U.S. dioceses for Easter 2026. For example, the Archdiocese of Detroit anticipated 1,428 new Catholics, its highest total in 21 years.
The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston reported its highest figure in 15 years, while the Diocese of Des Moines saw a 51 percent increase, from 265 to 400.
The Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, expected 1,701 converts, a 30 percent rise from 2025 and 60 percent higher than 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Similar growth appeared in other locations, including a 57 percent increase in unbaptized adults entering the Church in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. “Something’s happening,” John Helsey, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, told The Catholic Thing.
At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV presided over the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday evening. During the liturgy, he baptized, confirmed, and administered first holy communion to ten adult catechumens from several countries. This marked the Pope’s first Easter Vigil as pontiff following his election in 2025 as the first U.S.-born pope.
The ceremony formed part of the universal Church’s annual Easter initiations, which saw elevated totals in various regions. France, for instance, reported a record 21,386 catechumens and adolescents receiving baptism at Easter Vigils nationwide, an increase of 28 percent from 2025 and more than triple the 2016 figure.
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