Traditional religions
Christians and Muslims therefore represent the vast majority of believers in Benin. Catholicism (because there are also many Protestants in Benin) arrived in Benin at the end of the 17th century. Although at the time the evangelization missions of Dahomey led by Westerners failed, the first Catholic settlements were made by freed slaves who left Brazil and settled on the coast, notably in Ouidah and Porto-Novo. At the beginning of the 20th century, Father Steinmetz, following a new Catholic mission, was named vicar; he ensured until 1934 the evangelization of the country in the face of animist religions and Islam coming mainly from the North. In a final tribute to his considerable work, his name was given to a boulevard in Cotonou in 1941. Other important dates: in 1928, the first Dahomean priest was ordained in Ouidah and, in 1940, the last missionary penetration of the territory took place with a mission founded in Natitingou in Somba country.
For its part, Islam arrived in Benin both from the north, with the Dendi, the Peuls and the Haoussas; from the sea, with the Afro-Brazilians, former slaves who decided to break with the religion of their masters; and also from the east and present-day Nigeria, with the Yoruba.
The cult of Vodoun
Traditional religion par excellence, Vodoun is the religion of the Adja-Fon and Yoruba communities. Catholic or Muslim, all Beninese remain followers of voodoo, so attached are they to traditional cults. Born in West Africa, it was then exported by slaves to South and Central America (Caribbean, Brazil, Haiti). The voodoo cult has nearly 50 million followers worldwide. And it is in Benin that you can get closer to this mysterious cult, especially in the villages that border Lake Ahémé.
Heavenly Christians
Celestial Christianity is one of the many sects that compete in Benin with traditional religions and voodoo. Founded in 1947 by an African "prophet" by the name of Samuel Oshoffa, this church now has more than 10 million followers in Benin, Ghana, Togo and Nigeria. It considers that its mission is to fight evil, of which Vodoun is one of the forms in Benin. Recognizable by their all-white robes, its members cannot participate in ancestor worship or commit adultery... And they are "cured" by prayers and holy water because they only get sick because of the evil forces that are chased away during ceremonies, if necessary.
The cult of the ancestors
Ancestor worship is a common practice in many African societies and is often at the heart of the main traditional religions. The family and the ethnic group claim a common ancestor whom they venerate. The ancestor is often the one who took the group from being hunters to farmers and who was a hero for bringing metal. The maintenance of the ancestor, or worship, is intended to make his life beyond the grave sweeter and to show him that traditions are respected. The ancestor's role is not only to ensure the cohesion of the group, but also to be a privileged intercessor with the gods. If a man conciliates the gods and the ancestors, by the prayer and the worship that he dedicates to them, he will receive a share of their strength and will enjoy their benefits. To pay homage to the ancestors, altars are placed in small consecrated temples, inside the house or in front of the entrance, as in the somba dwellings. The Fon have portable altars, called assin, which are small metal sculptures.
