Catholicism in Costa Rica

Catholics

If you are interested in the subject of religion during your trip to Costa Rica then you should know that a large majority of people are Catholic. According to the latest official statistics and census reports, 85% of the population of Costa Rica is Catholic. Even though nowadays the constitution guarantees total freedom of worship, Catholicism is the state religion.

During your stay you will quickly realise that they are practising Catholics. As well as the usual festivals on the calendar, like Christmas, Holy Week and Easter, there are lots of occasions that are celebrated with fabulous processions. This is particularly true every 2nd August which is La Romería. In every town, in every village, in every square you will find a church.

Every Sunday the inhabitants go to their local church for weekly mass. Men, women and children, they are all dressed in their best clothes to attend services that can last several hours. You don't need to go into the churches, you can hear the chants in the street.

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Flickr@JanThePea

Other religions

Although Catholics are predominant there are other religions in Costa Rican society. For example, 13% of the society is Anglican or other Protestant, which means that Christianity accounts for 98% of the population. They may even be more if you count the Seventh Day Adventists, Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostals.

Since Asians have started moving into the country there are also some Buddhists. Costa Rica has three temples now.

There are a few Jews, not many but some, and also about half as many Muslims, split equally between Sunnis and Shiites.

Far from the big towns, in the countryside, you may even meet some Jehovah's Witnesses.

The indigenous people of the forests are often Shamans or animists.