Religion in Palau
Encyclopedia
Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion
in Palau
; approximately 65 percent of the population are members. Estimates of other religious groups with a sizable membership include the Evangelical Church
, 2,000; Seventh-day Adventists, 1,000; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), 300; and Jehovah's Witnesses
, 90. Modekngei
, which embraces both animist and Christian beliefs and is unique to the country, has approximately 1,800 adherents. There also is a primarily Catholic Filipino expatriate community of 6,800 persons.
Since the arrival of Jesuit priest
s in the early nineteenth century, foreign missionaries have been active; some have been in the country for many years. During the Japanese mandate, Japanese Christian missions were heavily subsidized; Japan's native Buddhists were given a comparative pittance. The Seventh-day Adventist and Evangelical churches have missionaries teaching in their respective elementary and high schools. There is also approximately 400 Bengali
Muslims in Palau, and recently a few Uyghurs detained in Guantanamo Bay were allowed to settle in the island nation. The Constitution provides for freedom of religion
, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The US government found no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice.
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
in Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
; approximately 65 percent of the population are members. Estimates of other religious groups with a sizable membership include the Evangelical Church
Evangelical Church
The term Evangelical Church may refer specifically to:* Slovak Evangelical Church* Armenian Evangelical Church* Assyrian Evangelical Church* Christian Evangelical Church of Romania* Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus...
, 2,000; Seventh-day Adventists, 1,000; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), 300; and 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...
, 90. Modekngei
Modekngei
Modekngei, or Ngara Modekngei is a monotheistic religious movement founded around 1915 by Temedad, a native of the island of Babeldaob, that spread throughout Palau...
, which embraces both animist and Christian beliefs and is unique to the country, has approximately 1,800 adherents. There also is a primarily Catholic Filipino expatriate community of 6,800 persons.
Since the arrival of Jesuit priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
s in the early nineteenth century, foreign missionaries have been active; some have been in the country for many years. During the Japanese mandate, Japanese Christian missions were heavily subsidized; Japan's native Buddhists were given a comparative pittance. The Seventh-day Adventist and Evangelical churches have missionaries teaching in their respective elementary and high schools. There is also approximately 400 Bengali
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
Muslims in Palau, and recently a few Uyghurs detained in Guantanamo Bay were allowed to settle in the island nation. The Constitution provides for freedom of religion
Freedom of religion
Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any...
, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The US government found no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice.