Figure 1.-- This 1962 press photo showing people leaving church after church services. All we know besides the date is that the church is in San Juan. It is probably a Catholic Church. Notice that there are almost no adult men.

The population of Puerto Rico has gradually become more diverse in religious composition. This religious diversity is protected by the national Constitution, which allows citizens and residents to choose and practice the religion of their preference. This was not the case until the island became an American territoiry (1898). Puerto Rico and Cuba were the last two Spanish colonies where the Catholic Church was the state religion. The Island is still momimally Catholic, in many cases more of a cultural statement than a religious one. Many Puerto Ricans who idntify as Catholics do not attend church, except perhpas on special occassuions. This is especially true of the men. Protestants have gradually become an impoerant part of the Island's religious mosacic. This is not a religion imposed on Puerto Ricans, but rather an important relhious movemrnt aided at first by missionaries and developed mistly ny Puerto Ricans themselves. The intensity of religious belief is much greater among the Protestants than the Catholics.

Catholcism

As a result of Spanish colonial ruke, the vast majority of Puerto Ricans today are Roman Catholic. This is, however, more of a cultural than a religious matter. Church attendance is not high and we commonly see mostly women, especially older women, and children in the churches. This is similar to the pattern both elsewhere in Latin America and in Europe with a few exceptions, namly Poland. Puerto Ricans do not follow Roman Catholic dogma and rituals as strictly as do the churches in Spain and Italy. The Roman Catholic Church until after World War II was a conservative institution, especially the Spanish Church which contolled church affairs in the country's colonies. The Church supported Spanish colonial rule and slavery. The clergy in Puerto Rico was all Spanish. Puero Ricans were denined accdcess to the priesthood. Spain was one of the last countries to outlaw the slave trade and abolish slavery. Thus the Church supported slavery. This created resentment among the slaves and exslaves after abolition which affected attitudes toward the Church. Puerto Ricans did not achiece control of the Church until liberation by the Americans in Spanish-American War (1898). The new Purto Rican church leaders followed most Roman Catholic guidelines, but modified or ignored others. From the beginning of the Spanish conquest, there were Catholic missionaries side by side with the Conquistadores. As part of the conversion process, the priests often incorporated native beliefs and practices to make Catholcim more amenable to the people. In Puerto Rico this included both native Taíno and African traditions which were blended with mainstream tenets of the Catholic faith. Here African beliefs may be he most important as so much of the indigenous Taino peoples perished soom after the arrival of the Spanish, because of both mistreatment and European diseases. Some authors believe that the Tainos laid the foundation.

Spititualism

Perhaps an even more powerful if less formal religious ethic in Puerto Rico than Catholocism is espiritsmo (spiritualism)--some even describe it as the Island's real religion. It is a quasi-magical belief in occult forces, similar in many ways to Haitian Voodoo. It is generally assiciated with the Afrivan slabe population. Some say that there was a foundation among the Taímos. but most of the Amer-Indian population perished earlu in the Sapmish colonial era. Spanish colonial offciala outlawed spiritualism and the Church tried to root it out, but with little success. With the arrival of the Americans, restrictions on the free exercise of religion ended. Islanders generally embraced the idea of separating church and state. As a result, spiritualism began to flourish more openly. There is a lingering belief in the 'evil eye' (mal de ojo), including many Catholics. This mean looking on a person or often a person's possessions covetously. Syposedly thic could lead to sickness or death. Parents give children bead charm bracelets to guard against the evil eye.

Potestantism

Protestantism also began to grow with the arrivl of the Aericans. There were Protestants on Puerto Rico before liberation, but not many. The first Protestant church was the Holy Trinity Anglican Church (1872). The Church, however, was not allowed to ring its bells until the arrival mof the Americans (1898). Of course ideas religious liberty developed in South and Central Amrrica with independence (early-20th century) and poriotestantism did not griw their either until the 20th century. With the arrival of the Americans, the numbers began to grow. This was an early beginning for a movement that since World War II has begun to sweep through Latin America. There are Protestant services for Baptists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Evangelicals, and others. But it is the Protestant Pentecostal fundamentalism has had a major impact. Protestant denominations, including Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and others. It is the evangelical churches that are the most active. There are now over 1,500 Evangelical on Puerto Rico. And unlike the Catholic Church you see devoted church attendance and family participation at the Evangelical services. About 25 percent of Puerto Ricans today are Protestants. This is not only a religious matter. There is also a difference in social orientation. The evangelical churches have not embraced the left wing ideas adopted by many Catholic church leaders, including now Pope Francis.

Judaism

There are a small number of Puerto Rican Jews. There is a Jewish Community Center in Miramar and a Jewish Reformed Congregation in Santurce.

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Crerated: 10:33 PM 7/5/2020
Last updated: 10:33 PM 7/5/2020