Michael Brooks
The Catholic population in Zimbabwe is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the Pope in Rome. While the country is majority Christian, with around 84% of the population following one of the denominations of Christianity, only a small percentage are Catholic. The Catholic population in Zimbabwe is estimated to be between 7% and 8% of the total population, which equates to around one million people. The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe is particularly active in promoting civil rights and political participation, and Catholic groups are exempt from paying taxes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic Population in Zimbabwe | 8% (2017), 7.3% (2015 est.), 7% (n.d.) |
| Total Catholic Population | 1.2 million (2017), 2 million (2020) |
| Catholic Population as % of Christians in Zimbabwe | 8.0% (2017), 7.3% (2015 est.), 8.4% (2017) |
| Total Christian Population in Zimbabwe | 84% (2017), 84.1% (2017), 94.3% (2015 est.) |
| Total Population of Zimbabwe | 16.8 million (2023) |
| Catholic Population as % of Total Population | 7% (2015 est.), 8% (2017) |
| Number of Parishes | 267 (2020) |
| Number of Priests | 600 (2020) |
| Number of Nuns | 1,000 (2020) |
| Number of Dioceses | 8 |
| Number of Archdioceses | 2 |
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What You'll Learn
Catholic population percentage in Zimbabwe
The Catholic population in Zimbabwe has been estimated to be around 8% of the total population, according to the 2017 Inter Censal Demography Survey by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency. This is equivalent to about one million people. However, other sources state that the percentage could be as low as 7.3%. In 2005, the percentage of Catholics was higher, at around 9% of the population, or 1,145,000 people. By 2017, this number had increased to 1.2 million, and in 2020, Catholic numbers were up to 2 million people, with 600 priests and 1,000 nuns serving across 267 parishes.
The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. The country contains two archdioceses: Harare and Bulawayo, each containing three dioceses. The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe is particularly active in promoting civil rights and political participation, with legislative issues being addressed by the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office. The Zimbabwean Bishops form the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC), which was constituted in 1969 and currently has nine active bishops leading eight dioceses. The ZCBC directs national Catholic agencies, including the Catholic Education Commission, Caritas Zimbabwe, the Bishops' Health Commission, and the HIV and AIDS Desk.
The first Christian mission arrived in Zimbabwe in 1859, with the London Missionary Society working among the Zulu people. In 1890, Jesuit Catholic missionaries entered Lobengula's territory, and the first Methodist mission arrived, with members from the United Kingdom and the United States. The Catholic Church first attempted to evangelize in Zimbabwe when the Jesuit priest Goncalo de Silveria reached the Munhumutapa's capital in 1560. However, the first Catholic churches disappeared by 1667 when Portugal's power was waning. It wasn't until the movement of Protestant missions in the nineteenth century that Catholic influence returned to the region.
While Christianity is the most widely professed religion in Zimbabwe, with 84.1% of the population following one of its denominations, Protestantism is the largest denomination within the country, with 69.2% of the population belonging to Protestant Christianity. Traditional religions are followed by about 4% of the population, while unspecified and none account for 8%. Islam is the religion of less than 1% of the population, with the Muslim community consisting primarily of South Asian immigrants and a small number of indigenous Zimbabweans.
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Catholic population growth in Zimbabwe
The Catholic population in Zimbabwe has been growing steadily over the years. The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. While the majority of Zimbabweans are Christians, most are Protestants. According to the 2017 Inter Censal Demography Survey by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, 8.0% of the population of Zimbabwe were Catholic, with 84% of the country having a Christian background. There were about 1 million Catholics in the country in 2013 (about 7-8% of the total population). By 2017, the censal survey had the number of Catholics at 1.2 million. In 2020, Catholic numbers were up to 2 million people, with 600 priests and 1,000 nuns serving across 267 parishes.
The first Christian mission arrived in Zimbabwe in 1859 due to the efforts of the London Missionary Society. Their work began among the Zulu people. The first Methodist mission arrived in 1896, with members from the United Kingdom and the United States. The first attempt to introduce Christianity to the Shona tribe of Zimbabwe was made by a Portuguese Jesuit missionary, Gonçalo da Silveira, in the 16th century. Although at least a dozen Catholic churches were planted, they all disappeared by 1667 when Portugal's power was waning. The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe is particularly active in promoting civil rights and political participation, especially through the Catholic Commission of Justice and Peace. The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC) directs national Catholic agencies, including the Catholic Education Commission, Caritas Zimbabwe, the Bishops' Health Commission, and the HIV and AIDS Desk.
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Catholic dioceses in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has a Christian majority, with approximately 84% of the population following some denomination of the faith. The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. According to the 2017 Inter Censal Demography Survey by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, 8% of the population of Zimbabwe were Catholic, amounting to 1.2 million people. By 2020, Catholic numbers were up to 2 million people, with 600 priests and 1,000 nuns serving across 267 parishes.
The country contains two archdioceses, Harare and Bulawayo, which each contain three dioceses: Chinhoyi, Gokwe, and Mutare; and Gweru, Hwange, and Masvingo, respectively. The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe has a number of organisations, including the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC), which is recognised by the government as a church umbrella organisation with the power to approve tax-exempt status for religious groups. The ZCBC is also part of the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD), an interfaith organisation that promotes peace and respect for human rights.
The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe has played a role in the country's politics. Pius Ncube, the former archbishop of Bulawayo, was an outspoken critic of the government of Robert Mugabe, who was also a Catholic. Religious leaders in Zimbabwe have also criticised government efforts to divide the religious community by creating parallel organisations to promote its agenda.
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Catholic civil rights activism in Zimbabwe
According to the 2017 Inter Censal Demography Survey by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, 8.0% of Zimbabwe's population, or around 1 million people, are Catholic. Overall, 84% of the country has a Christian background, with most being Protestant.
Catholicism has played a role in Zimbabwean civil rights activism, with Catholic bishops raising their voices in 2020 to criticize President Emmerson Mnangagwa for corruption and abuse of power. This was in support of the #ZimbabweanLivesMatter campaign, which drew attention to human rights abuses in the country, including the arrests, abductions, and torture of political activists and journalists.
The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe has a history of speaking out against the government. For example, Pius Ncube, the former archbishop of Bulawayo, was an outspoken critic of the government of Robert Mugabe, who was also Catholic. During the civil war in the 1970s, the Catholic Church expressed concerns about social justice through the work of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace. The commission's episcopal chairman, Bishop Donal Lamont, was expelled from the country in 1977 for criticizing government policies.
The constitution of Zimbabwe prohibits religious discrimination and provides for freedom of religion, including the freedom to practice, propagate, and express one's religion. However, human rights organizations have reported that the government violates various rights, including freedom of assembly and protection of the law. Law enforcement agencies are a major source of human rights abuses, with police assaulting and torturing opposition supporters and civil society activists. Religious leaders have also been targeted by security services for criticizing the government.
To promote interfaith collaboration and peace, the Zimbabwe Interreligious Council (ZIRC) convenes Christians and Muslims. Religious groups can also apply for tax-exempt status and duty-free privileges, which are generally granted.
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Catholic education in Zimbabwe
Catholicism is the religion of about 7% to 8% of Zimbabwe's population, with most Christians in the country being Protestant. The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. There are two archdioceses in the country: Harare and Bulawayo, each containing three dioceses.
The government of Zimbabwe does not require religious groups to register, but religious groups operating schools must register those institutions. Religious groups and schools run by religious groups may receive tax-exempt status. To obtain this status, a group needs a letter of approval from a church umbrella organization, such as the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC). The ZCBC is also involved in developing a child safeguarding intervention in Catholic primary schools in Zimbabwe, in collaboration with the Catholic Church, to prevent and respond to violence against children. The intervention involves actors within the Catholic Church, school administration, teachers, pupils, and community members. It aims to raise awareness about violence against children, offer training and capacity building in alternative discipline methods, and identify and respond to violence in schools.
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Frequently asked questions
According to the 2017 Inter Censal Demography Survey, 8.0% of the population of Zimbabwe are Catholic. However, other sources state that the percentage could be 7.3% or 9%.
There are approximately 1 million Catholics in Zimbabwe. In 2017, the censal survey had the number of Catholics at 1.2 million. In 2020, Catholic numbers were up to 2 million people.
Christianity is the most widely professed religion in Zimbabwe, with 84.1% of the population following one of the denominations of Christianity. The largest denomination is Protestantism, with 69.2% of the population belonging to Protestant Christianity.
The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. The Zimbabwean Bishops form the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC) as their coordinating body.
The Catholic Church first attempted to evangelize in Zimbabwe when the Jesuit priest Goncalo de Silveria reached the Munhumutapa's capital in 1560. Silveria was murdered in 1561, and the Catholic presence disappeared by 1667. Catholic religious orders have been continuously present in Zimbabwe since 1879.
