After the Spanish conquest of 1511, Cuba became part of the large Spanish Empire. The only legal religious practice for the Spanish was Catholicism, and their faith was brought to the island. Catholicism was used as much to spread authority as it was about spreading faith.
Franciscan, Dominican and Jesuit missionaries arrived shortly after the conquest and established monasteries, churches, schools, and hospitals. The spread of Catholicism was often met with rebellion from the Taino people and turned violent. By the 1700s, almost every aspect of Cuban life was surrounded by the Catholic faith.
In the 1800s, religion changed as politics changed. The Jesuits were expelled in 1767, which weakened the Catholic faith. Settlers from Europe brought new Protestant beliefs and traditions. When Cuba gained its independence in 1902, the Catholic Church regained its dominance, but the past link between church and colonialism became more and more criticized.
Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and other denominations arrived from America after the Spanish-American War. By the 1940s, Cuba had large parishes, Catholic schools, and religious organizations.
The Cuban Revolution in 1959 changed religious life. The island was declared “atheist” and later changed to “secular.” Some priests and other clergy left Cuba, religious schools closed, and participation in organizations and festivals waned.
Religious change came once again when in 1992, the Cuban constitution was amended to allow Cubans who were religious to be a part of the Communist Party. Today, Catholicism remains the largest Christian denomination.
I knew little about the religious landscape in Cuba before I arrived. I wondered if there were strict guidelines about church services. When I walked into the first church, I noticed the service was like any other. People stood up and worshiped much like congregations do around the world. The first church was more liturgical, and the second church was more modern.
The delivery of religious messages looks different from church to church, but the core of the message should remain the same. It was nice to receive that message once again while in Cuba.
*While in Cuba, I visited 3 churches. Two of which were on a Sunday. The third church was mid-week.
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Jason, what was your purpose of being in Cuba?
I was participating in a photography workshop.