Church
The Catholic Church, also called the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with an estimated 1.28 to 1.41 billion baptized members worldwide as of 2026.
It consists of 24 autonomous churches. The largest one of these churches is the Latin Church. Besides it, there are 23 smaller Eastern Catholic Churches. Together, the Latin Church and Eastern Catholic churches are organized into nearly 3,500 dioceses and eparchies governed by bishops. Throughout history, the church has had a large role in the development of Western civilization. Catholic communities are present worldwide through missions, immigration, and conversions. The majority of Catholics live in the Global South, reflecting rapid demographic growth in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, as well as secularization in parts of Europe and North America.
Getting around Church the local way
- Get inFerries ply to Liverpool from: Dublin twice a day (P & O, 8 hours), though there are faster sailings from Dublin to Holyhead in North Wales.
- Get inBelfast twice a day (Stena Line, 8 hours) Douglas Isle of Man three per day (Isle of Man Steam Packet, 2 hour 45 min); Douglas also has ferries to Heysham near Morecambe.
- Get aroundLancashire is increasingly a cycle friendly place for on- and off-road cyclists.
- Go nextOr hop on a ferry to Ireland or the Isle of Man.
From Wikivoyage: Lancashire, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-07.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.