Christianity in Algeria

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Basilica of Notre Dame d'Afrique in Algiers

The Christianity spread to the territory of modern Algeria as early as the ancient times during the Roman period from the 3rd century. From the 7th century onwards, it was largely supplanted by Islam in the course of Islamic expansion . In the 21st century, Christians in Algeria are a small minority. Islam is the state religion in all Maghreb countries . According to the Algerian constitution, freedom of religion prevails, but open Christian proselytizing is prohibited. Anyone who publicly converts from Islam to Christianity must expect persecution.

Number, distribution

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The diocese of Algeria was established in 1838 with the conquest of Algeria by French colonial troops. At the beginning of the 20th century, the number of Catholics in Algeria was estimated at around one million. In 2002 the UN numbered 10,000 Catholics and 5,000 to 20,000 Protestants in the country.

In 2002 still below 0.1%, the percentage of Christians is around 1.5% of the total Algerian population. According to the UN and Christian organizations, there were around 365,000 Christians in Algeria. About 90% of Christians are Protestants . However, only in Kabylia ( Tizi-Ouzou , Béjaia , Bouira , Sétif and Boumerdes ) is the number of Christians significant with almost 250,000 believers (between 1 and 5% of the population). The remaining Christians live mainly in the west and in Algiers .

location

Two Christian sisters from Kabylie

Relations between religions have calmed down since the end of the civil war at the turn of the millennium. Since the 1990s, most conversions to Christianity have taken place in Kabylia , particularly in Tizi-Ouzou Province . In addition to the vast majority of Muslims and a considerable number of irreligious people, 10% were Christians.

In 1996, Pierre Claverie , Bishop of Oran , was murdered by Islamists . This murder was preceded by that of seven Trappist monks from Tibhirine in March of the same year and that of six nuns of different orders. Due to a new religious law by President Abd al-Asis Bouteflika in 2006, almost thirty Christian churches had to be closed and dozens of Christians were arrested on charges of unauthorized proselytizing.

List of Christian denominations in Algeria

literature

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Sadek Lekdja, Le christianisme en Kabylie (French), Radio France Internationale , May 7, 2001; Retrieved June 27, 2012
  2. ^ Church in Need - "Country Report Algeria" , June 22, 2009; Retrieved June 27, 2012
  3. ^ The World Christian Encyclopedia, Second edition, Volume 1, p. 57 (English)