Religion
Historically, a variety of religious creeds have been professed in Puerto Rico.
Religious belief has mostly centered around institutional churches that have played important roles in cultural affairs, in politics, and in all aspects of society.
The history of religion on the island of Puerto Rico has been intertwined from earliest days to historical ages and events, beginning in Pre-Columbian times. The discovery of America brought two cultures and their respective religious beliefs into contact.
At the time the Spanish arrived in Puerto Rico, the Taino people had a belief system based on principles of good and evil, represented in the deities Yocahú and Juracán.
In the Taino people’s religion, which was anchored in natural phenomena, there were also minor gods who took on the shape of “cemís” — small idols fashioned of clay, wood, or shells. The Tainos also believed in life after death.
The Tainos had a spiritual leader called a “bohíque” or healer-priest, who performed the ceremonial rites in a central square in the village – a space where their rites of passage, weddings, funerals, and ascension ceremonies were held.
Spanish conquerors brought with them a monotheistic religious concept, under the dogma of a Christian religious institution, the Roman Catholic Church.
The transplanting of Spanish social structures also included religion and the conversion of the indigenous people to the new Roman Catholic faith – a historic process called “evangelization.”
Puerto Ricans are guaranteed freedom of religion just as the states are, and Christianity is predominant. Of the Christians, the majority are Roman Catholic, with about 85 percent of Puerto Ricans claiming to be Catholic. Almost all of the major and minor protestant denominations are represented as well, particularly Pentacostals and Adventists. As for the non-Christians, there are small Muslim and Jewish populations (there are 3 major mosques on the island), and some Puerto Ricans also practice Santaria, a Caribbean religion that originated in Cuba.
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Historically, a variety of religious creeds have been professed in Puerto Rico.
Religious belief has mostly centered around institutional churches that have played important roles in cultural affairs, in politics, and in all aspects of society.
The history of religion on the island of Puerto Rico has been intertwined from earliest days to historical ages and events, beginning in Pre-Columbian times. The discovery of America brought two cultures and their respective religious beliefs into contact.
At the time the Spanish arrived in Puerto Rico, the Taino people had a belief system based on principles of good and evil, represented in the deities Yocahú and Juracán.
In the Taino people’s religion, which was anchored in natural phenomena, there were also minor gods who took on the shape of “cemís” — small idols fashioned of clay, wood, or shells. The Tainos also believed in life after death.
The Tainos had a spiritual leader called a “bohíque” or healer-priest, who performed the ceremonial rites in a central square in the village – a space where their rites of passage, weddings, funerals, and ascension ceremonies were held.
Spanish conquerors brought with them a monotheistic religious concept, under the dogma of a Christian religious institution, the Roman Catholic Church.
The transplanting of Spanish social structures also included religion and the conversion of the indigenous people to the new Roman Catholic faith – a historic process called “evangelization.”
Puerto Ricans are guaranteed freedom of religion just as the states are, and Christianity is predominant. Of the Christians, the majority are Roman Catholic, with about 85 percent of Puerto Ricans claiming to be Catholic. Almost all of the major and minor protestant denominations are represented as well, particularly Pentacostals and Adventists. As for the non-Christians, there are small Muslim and Jewish populations (there are 3 major mosques on the island), and some Puerto Ricans also practice Santaria, a Caribbean religion that originated in Cuba.
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