The Roman Catholic Church in Panama is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Panama Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pope in Rome.
There are around 2.7 million Catholics in Panama and the country is divided into six dioceses, including one archdiocese. In addition, there is a Territorial Prelature and an Apostolic Vicariate.
The Diocese of Panama is thought to be the oldest in the Americas. It was set up in 1514, with the arrival of Franciscan missionaries.
The Catholic Church in Panama has favoured status, though all religions are free.[citation needed]
