Christianity in Mauritius

Christianity in Mauritius is a religion adhered to by 32.7% of the population of Mauritius.[1] Of these, 80.3% are Roman Catholics. The Mauritian Creole and Franco-Mauritian ethnic groups are mostly Christian and significant parts of the Sino-Mauritian ethnic group are also mainly Christian.[2]

History

Christianity first came to Mauritius with the first inhabitants, the Dutch. However, the Dutch abandoned the island in 1710.[2] The French brought Christianity again when they arrived in 1715. From 1723, there was a law whereby all slaves coming to the island must be baptised Catholic.[3] This law does not seem to have been strictly adhered to.[3] After they had taken Mauritius from the French during the Napoleonic Wars, the British tried to turn Mauritius Protestant during the 1840s and 1850s.[3]

Franco-Mauritians, usually having the same religion and denomination as the Creoles, have sometimes emphasised their differences from the Creoles by practising more traditionally, for instance celebrating Mass in Latin.[4] In contrast to the situation in other African countries, Christianity is not seen in Mauritius as being an African religion.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Resident population by religion and sex" (PDF). Statistics Mauritius. p. 68. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://213.207.98.211/nl/33/IIAS_NL33_20.pdf
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Watson, James L. (1980). Asian and African systems of slavery. University of California Press. p. 348. ISBN 978-0-520-04031-1. Retrieved 2010-01-28.
  4. ↑ Hylland Eriksen, Thomas (1998). Common denominators: ethnicity, nation-building and compromise in Mauritius. Berg Publishers. p. 82. ISBN 978-1-85973-959-4. Retrieved 2010-01-28.
  5. ↑ Eisenlohr, Patrick (2006). Little India: diaspora, time, and ethnolinguistic belonging in Hindu Mauritius. University of California Press. p. 328. ISBN 978-0-520-24880-9. Retrieved 2010-01-28.