Traditional religions
Christians and Muslims make up the vast majority of believers in Benin. Catholicism (as there are also many Protestants in Benin) arrived in Benin at the end of the 17th century. Although Western missions to evangelize Dahomey 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 was appointed vicar of a new Catholic mission, and until 1934 he was responsible for the evangelization of the country in the face of animist religions and Islam, mainly from the north. In a final tribute to his considerable work, a boulevard in Cotonou was named after him in 1941. Other milestones include the ordination of the first Dahomean priest in Ouidah in 1928, and the final penetration of the territory by missionaries in 1940, with a mission founded in Natitingou in Somba country.
For its part, Islam arrived in Benin both from the north, with the Dendi, Peuls and Haoussas; from the sea, with Afro-Brazilians, former slaves determined to break with their master's religion; and from the east and present-day Nigeria, with the Yoruba.
The cult of Vodoun
A traditional religion par excellence, Vodoun is the religion of the Adja-Fon and Yoruba communities. Whether Catholic or Muslim, all Beninese remain followers of voodoo, so attached are they to their traditional cults. Born in West Africa, it was later exported by slaves to South and Central America (Caribbean, Brazil, Haiti). The voodoo cult has almost 50 million followers worldwide. Benin is a particularly good place to get up close and personal with this mysterious cult, especially in the villages around Lake Ahémé.
Heavenly Christians
Celestial Christianity is one of the many sects that compete in Benin with traditional religions and Vodoun. Founded in 1947 by an African "prophet" by the name of Samuel Oshoffa, this church now has over 10 million followers in Benin, Ghana, Togo and Nigeria. It sees its mission as fighting evil, of which Vodoun is one form in Benin. Recognizable by their all-white garb, its members are forbidden to participate in ancestor worship or commit adultery... And they are "cured" by prayers and holy water, as they only fall ill as a result of the evil forces expelled 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. Families and ethnic groups claim and venerate a common ancestor. This is often the ancestor who led the group from hunter to farmer, and who was a hero for bringing metal to the land. The ancestor's care, or worship, is designed to make his or her life in the afterlife sweeter, and to show that traditions are respected. Ensuring the cohesion of the group is not the ancestor's only vocation; he is also a privileged intercessor with the gods. If a man conciliates the gods and ancestors through prayer and worship, he will receive a share of their strength and 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 somba dwellings. The Fon have portable altars, called assin, which are small metal sculptures.
