Christianity in Algeria

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Christianity was introduced into the Maghreb countries (North Africa) in the 3rd century. It was replaced with Islam in the sixth century however.

In our times North Africa is considered a country of Islam: Islam is the state religion in Morocco, in Algeria, in Tunisia as well as in Libya. The free exertion of other faiths is guaranteed by specific legislation.

Although the share of Christians in Northern Africa is low, one finds churches there. And apart from that, it seems to be there an increasing number of conversions to christianity for several years. This figure remains very low relative to the populations of those countries.

The percentage of christians in Algeria is the lowest of the three countries of North Africa: less than 0,1% (figure of 2002).

The diocese of Algeria was established in 1838 with the conquest of Algeria by French colonial troops. All proselytism among muslims is prohibited since a long time and the role of the catholic church is limited to acts of charity.

In the beginning of the 20th century, one estimates at about a million the number of Catholics in Algeria.

In 1996, Mgr Pierre Claverie, bishop of Oran, is assassinated by islamists. This murder was followed that of 7 monks of the Trappistes of Tibérine in March of the same year and of those of 6 nuns of several orders. However, the relations of the relisions seem to have quiteden down apaisés at the moment.

In 2002, the UNO counts 10 000 catholics and between 5 000 and 20 000 protestants in the country.

The conversions to christianity seem to touch more particularly Kabylie, especially in the wilaya of Tizi-Ouzou^[1]. Despite the high number of muslims and of non-religious, one counts between 1% and 5% christians.

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[1]: Introduction and Christianisme en Algérie sections