Christianity in Mauritius

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Christianity in Mauritius is a religion adhered to by 32.2% of the population of Mauritius.^[1] Of these, 23.6% are Roman Catholics. The Mauritian Creole and Franco-Mauritian ethnic groups are mostly Christian and significant parts of the Sino-Mauritian ethnic group are too.^[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

• Roman Catholicism in Mauritius

References

1. ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mp.html
2. ^ ^{a b} http://213.207.98.211/nl/33/IIAS_NL33_20.pdf
3. ^ ^{a b c} Watson, James L. (1980). Asian and African systems of slavery. University of California Press. pp. 348. ISBN 0520040317, 9780520040311. http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=f4DMk9-mIJ8C&oi=fnd&pg=PA135&dq=christianity+mauritius&ots=dVtYkGFA2u&sig=w6AR5HGNPcLIoc8OGbcIKjrld6A#v=onepage&q=christianity%20mauritius&f=false. Retrieved 2010-01-28. 
4. ^ Hylland Eriksen, Thomas (1998). Common denominators: ethnicity, nation-building and compromise in Mauritius. Berg Publishers. p. 82. ISBN 1859739598, 9781859739594. http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=w4GA-2nkBb4C&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=christianity+mauritius&ots=2GsPfvxvn9&sig=6hRyCkn7pOYs3V-CzC5F5zAIE5A#v=onepage&q=christianity%20mauritius&f=false. Retrieved 2010-01-28. 
5. ^ Eisenlohr, Patrick (2006). Little India: diaspora, time, and ethnolinguistic belonging in Hindu Mauritius. University of California Press. pp. 328. ISBN 0520248805, 9780520248809. http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=q9wxEXLGzhQC&oi=fnd&pg=PT11&dq=mauritius+christianity+%22political+status%22+religion&ots=DF4d10oZXw&sig=Ng46wOeajvg6BC4vTTnYk4B_sz8#v=onepage&q=christianity&f=false. Retrieved 2010-01-28.