Top 20 Biggest Churches In The World [2024]

The Church is a building used for public Christian worship. It is also used to refer to the gathering of Christians. It is interesting to note that several churches have claimed to be the biggest church in the world, none of which has been confirmed by any reputable entity.

We however did our findings and while doing that we discovered that the biggest churches in the world can be measured based on different criteria, such as area, volume, and capacity. Which makes it practically impossible for any entity to decide what the biggest church in the world is.

To provide the public with accurate information and not contribute to the already existing confusion, we however compiled our list of the biggest churches in the world, based on their sitting capacity.

It is imperative to note that only enclosed church auditoriums are included on the list and the estimates are based on human seating capacity in a single service.

1. Hand of God Cathedral

Salvation Ministries’ Hand of God Cathedral is the biggest church in the world, based on seating capacity. The auditorium is a 120,000-seating capacity auditorium located in Port-Harcourt Nigeria.

The church which is still presently under construction will serve as the headquarters of Salvation Ministries a Pentecostal church headed by Pastor David Ibiyeomie.

Salvation Ministries was established in 1997 with just 34 members in attendance, the church has however grown to become one of the biggest churches in the world,  with over 1,000 satellite churches and over twenty thousand home cell centers in different parts of the world.

2. The Ark (Winners)

The Ark is a megachurch auditorium, constructed by  Living Faith Church. Its 100,000 seating capacity puts it the second place among the biggest churches in the world, based on seating capacity.

The church which is still presently under construction will serve as the headquarters of the Living Faith Church Worldwide headed by Bishop David Oyedepo.

According to reports, The Ark is situated on about 1,000 hectares of land at the old Faith Academy compound within the premises of the current church building and also comprises a 24-floor mission tower (International Headquarters Facility made up of two twin towers of 12 floors each.

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3. Glory Dome (Dunamis)

The Glory Dome is the headquarters of the Dunamis International Gospel Center and the second-biggest church in the world, with a 100,000 seating capacity. The auditorium headed by Pastor Paul Eneche was commissioned in 2018 and is located in Abuja, Nigeria.

The Dunamis International Gospel Center was established in May 1996 in Jos Nigeria. the church now has hundreds of thousands of worshippers across the world and a network of churches located in over twenty states in Nigeria and other countries of the world including the United Kingdom.

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4. Champions Royal Assembly

Champions Royal Assembly is a 80,000 seating capacity auditorium located in Abuja Nigeria. The church headed by Pastor Joshua Iginla is considered one of the biggest churches in the world, based on capacity after the Abuja auditorium was commissioned in 2015.

The Champions Royal Assembly is a Prophetic & Deliverance Ministry with thousands of members from all over the world. The founder pastor Joshua Iginla is a prophet who claimed his mandate is to teach  God’s word, heal the sick, deliver the oppressed, and break the bonds of wickedness.

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5. Temple of the Glory of God

The Temple of the Glory of God is the headquarters of the God is Love Pentecostal Church (IPDA)a Pentecostal Christian denomination in Brazil. The auditorium with a 60,000 capacity is considered one of the biggest churches in the world, based on capacity after it was commissioned in 2004.

The God is Love Pentecostal Church is a mega-church with thousands of members and 8,140  branches in over 30 countries across the world. The church operates a fundamentalist Christian ideology and separates itself from society. Its Members are forbidden from watching television or playing soccer. Men are not allowed to wear beards and women are also not allowed to wear make-up or Jewellery.

READ: Video of Pastors Flogging Church Members with Belts on Altar Causes Outrage In Nigeria.

6. Faith Tabernacle (Winners)

Faith Tabernacle is the present headquarters church of Living Faith Church Worldwide and one of the biggest churches in the world.

The 50,000 seating capacity church, located in Ota a suburb of Lagos, was commissioned in 1999 and is headed by Bishop David Oyedepo. According to reports, the mega building took twelve months to complete.

The Living Faith Church Worldwide popularly known as Winners Chapel is an Evangelical Charismatic Christian denomination established in 1981.

The church has grown to become a megachurch with thousands of branches in over 65 countries. According to a Guardian report, Winners Chapel has over six million members spread across 147 countries.

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7. Milan Cathedral

Milan Cathedral or Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary is the cathedral church of Milan, Lombardy, Italy. Dedicated to the Nativity of St. Mary (Santa Maria Nascente), it is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan, currently Archbishop Mario Delpini.

The cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete: construction began in 1386, and the final details were completed in 1965. It is the largest church in the Italian Republic and one the biggest churches in the world,  based on seating capacity as it has a seating capacity of 40,000.

8. International Gospel Centre

The International Gospel Centre is another Nigeria cathedral making the list, The church with a 35,000 seating space capacity was commissioned in 2000 and was considered one of the biggest churches in the world in 202.

The auditorium located in Delta State, Nigeria serves as the headquarters for the Word of Life Bible Church.

Word of Life Bible Church is a Pentecostal Christian megachurch headed by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, it was established in 1987 and now has congregations in over 70 locations worldwide.

9. Graha Bethany Nginden

Graha Bethany Nginden, also known as the Bethany Church of God is an evangelical megachurch in Indonesia and one of the biggest churches in the world.

The  35,000 seating capacity was commissioned in the year 2000 as a 20,000-seat temple. It was, however, renovated and enlarged to a 35,000 seating capacity in 2009.

The church was founded in 1977 by Pastor Abraham Alex Tanuseputra but is currently headed by Abraham Alex Tanuseputra who replaced his father in 2012.

As of 2020, the church has an average of 140,000 attendance per week.

10. United Family International Church Chitungwiza

The recently completed auditorium for the United Family International Church in Chitungwiza Zimbwawe takes ninth place among the biggest churches in the world, based on sitting capacity as it is reported to have a seating capacity of exactly 30,000. The church construction began in 2011 but was stopped in 2013,  resuming again in 2015, before eventually opening the auditorium in 2022

United Family International Church is a Nondenominational megachurch and a church network. The headquarters is located in Harare, Zimbabwe, with branches in Botswana, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia and Zambia. The church is led by Emmanuel Makandiwa who started the church started with a prayer service on the 17th of August 2008 at the Anglican Cathedral in Harare.

11. Deeper Life Bible Church, Lagos.

The Deeper Life Bible Church in Lagos takes tenth place among the biggest churches in the world. The building which cost the church a total sum of $16 Million has a 30,000 seating capacity and was commissioned in 2015 after 13 years of construction according to Legit.ng

The church also serves as the headquarters of  Deeper Christian Life Ministry, a Pentecostal Christian denomination headed by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi. He established the church in 1982 after he was expelled from The Apostolic Church for preaching without credentials.

12. Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady Aparecida

The Cathedral Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady Aparecida is a prominent Roman Catholic basilica in Aparecida, Brazil.  The Church dedicated to Our Lady Aparecida as the principal Patroness of Brazil is the second-largest Catholic church in the world in the interior area after the St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City.

Its 30,000 Seating capacity however placed on the 12th place among the biggest churches in the world based on seating capacity. The initial chapel was originally built in 1745.  It was however reconstructed throughout 1960  up until 1980 when Pope John Paul II consecrated the sanctuary under the name Our Lady Aparecida

13. Great Temple

The Great Temple Temple is the Headquarters of the Evangelical Assembly of God Church. The church with a 22,000 seating capacity is one of the biggest churches in the world. It is also one of the largest religious temples in Latin America. It is located in the city of Cuiab, Brazil, and was commissioned in 1996 after eleven years of construction.

The Evangelical Assembly of God Church is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination. The fellowship was founded in 1914 in the United States. The movement through foreign missionary work and establishing relationships with other Pentecostal churches, expanded into a worldwide movement.

14. LSD Conference Centre Center

The LSD Conference Center is the premier meeting hall for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in the United States. The 21,000 seating capacity was commissioned in the year 2000 and is considered one of the biggest churches in the world, and one of the largest theatre-style auditoriums ever built.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, popularly known as the Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The church is one of the biggest churches in the world, with over 16.8 million members and 54,539 full-time volunteer missionaries.

15. St. Peter’s Basilica

Saint Peter’s Basilica is an Italian Renaissance and Baroque church located in Vatican City, an independent microstate enclaved within the city of Rome, Italy. It was built in the fourth century by Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Construction of the present basilica began on 18 April 1506 and was completed on 18 November 1626.

Its 20,000 thousand seating capacity makes it the biggest catholic church in the world and also one of the biggest churches in the world based on Seating capacity  St. Peter’s is famous as a place of pilgrimage and for its liturgical functions, with attract large number of audiences to the church.

16. Rio de Janeiro Cathedral

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian better known as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro or as the Cathedral of St. Sebastian of Rio de Janeiro, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro. The cathedral is the See of the Metropolitan Archbishops of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The church is one of the biggest churches in the world, based on seating capacity as it has a capacity of 20,0000. The construction began in 1964 and was completed in 1979 It was dedicated to Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of Rio de Janeiro.

17. Cathedral of Córdoba

Cathedral of Córdoba officially known by its ecclesiastical name of Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Córdoba dedicated to the Assumption of Mary and located in the Spanish region of Andalusia. Due to its status as a former mosque, it is also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba.

The also 20,000 Seating capacity auditorium takes the fifteenth spot among the biggest churches in the world. The building continues to serve as the city’s cathedral and Mass is celebrated there daily. It is also one of Spain’s major historic monuments and tourist attractions, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.

18.  Basilica of Our Lady of Peace

The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is a Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, the administrative capital of Côte d’Ivoire. Guinness World Records lists it as the largest church in the world, having surpassed the previous record holder, Saint Peter’s Basilica, upon completion.

The basilica was constructed between 1985 and 1989 with an estimated cost of US$175 million. The church can accommodate 18,000 worshippers,  making it one of the biggest churches in the world based on seating capacity. The cornerstone was laid on 10 August 1985, and it was consecrated on 10 September 1990 by Pope John Paul II, who had just formally accepted the basilica as a gift from Félix Houphouët-Boigny on behalf of the Catholic Church.

19. Calvary Temple

The Calvary Temple in India, with an 18 thousand seating Capacity grabs the Sixteenth spot among the biggest Churches in the world. The auditorium serves as an auditorium of Calvary Temple Foundation Church, a nondenominational church with a weekly congregation of 300,000 members from Hyderabad, India.

The Calvary Temple Foundation Church is being run and operated by the Man of God Dr P Satish Kumar. According to the Church Website Dr P Satish Kumar had a divine visitation of Jesus Christ and was chosen for a divine purpose to serve humanity through divinity. In 1991 He Surrendered His entire life to serve Humanity.

20. Lakewood Church Central Campus

The Lakewood Church Central Campus is the main facility of Lakewood Church, a megachurch in Houston, Texas, USA. The 16,000 seating capacity grabs the 17th spot among the biggest churches in the world based on seating capacity.  The building served as a multi-purpose sports arena for professional teams, notably the NBA’s Houston Rockets until it was bought by Lakewood Church after it was initially leased.

Lakewood Church is a non-denominational evangelical Christian megachurch. It is among the largest congregations in the United States, averaging about 45,000 attendees per week.  This church hosts four English-language services and two Spanish-language services per week. Popular evangelical pastor Joel Osteen is the senior pastor of Lakewood Church with his wife, Victoria, who serves as co-pastor.

Conclusion

As stated in the article, Salvation Ministries’ Hand of God Cathedral is the biggest church in the World based on seating capacity. It is however interesting to note that  6 out of the top  20 biggest churches in the world are in Nigeria, while a few other churches are located in Brazil, another religious country in the Asian part of the World. However, here is a table of the 10 biggest churches in the world, based on their seating capacity.

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