Christianity in Benin
Encyclopedia
According to the 2002 census, 27.1 percent of the population of Benin is Roman Catholic, 5 percent Celestial Christian, 3.2 percent Methodist, 7.5 percent other Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
groups (Baptists, Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
, Rosicrucians, the Unification Church
Unification Church
The Unification Church is a new religious movement founded by Korean religious leader Sun Myung Moon. In 1954, the Unification Church was formally and legally established in Seoul, South Korea, as The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity . In 1994, Moon gave the church...
).
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
first reached Benin in 1680, gaining more permanent footing in the nineteenth century. English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Methodists arrived in 1843, operating amongst the coastal Gun people.
Roman Catholicism
The Catholic hierarchy in Benin consists of the Archdiocese of Cotonou (including the Dioceses of AbomeyRoman Catholic Diocese of Abomey
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Abomey is a diocese located in the city of Abomey in the Ecclesiastical province of Cotonou in Benin.-History:* April 5, 1963: Established as Diocese of Abomey from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cotonou and Diocese of Porto Novo-Leadership:* Bishops of Abomey **...
, Dassa-Zoumé
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dassa-Zoumé
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dassa–Zoumé is a diocese located in the city of Dassa-Zoumé in the Ecclesiastical province of Cotonou in Benin. The diocese is currently a vacant see .-Leadership:* Bishops of Dassa-Zoumé...
, Lokossa
Roman Catholic Diocese of Lokossa
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lokossa is a diocese located in the city of Lokossa in the Ecclesiastical province of Cotonou in Benin.-History:* March 11, 1968: Established as Diocese of Lokossa from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cotonou-Leadership:...
, Porto Novo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Porto Novo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Porto Novo is a diocese located in the city of Porto Novo in the Ecclesiastical province of Cotonou in Benin.-History:* April 5, 1954: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Porto Novo from Apostolic Vicariate of Ouidah...
) and the Parakou (including the Dioceses of Djougou
Roman Catholic Diocese of Djougou
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Djougou is a diocese located in the city of Djougou in the Ecclesiastical province of Cotonou in Benin.-Leadership:* Bishops of Djougou ** Bishop Paul Kouassivi Vieira -References:*...
, Kandi
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kandi
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kandi is a diocese located in the city of Kandi in the Ecclesiastical province of Parakou in Benin.-Leadership:* Bishops of Kandi ** Bishop Clet Feliho...
, Natitingou
Roman Catholic Diocese of Natitingou
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Natitingou is a diocese located in the city of Natitingou in the Ecclesiastical province of Cotonou in Benin.-History:* February 10, 1964: Established as Diocese of Natitingou from the Apostolic Prefecture of Parakou...
, and N'Dali).
There are 440 priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s and 900 men and women in religious orders.
Many nominal Christians also practice traditional local religious beliefs.