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448:
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introduce another denomination or religion into the community. Observers stated that, in many villages throughout the country, leaders forbade individuals to belong to churches outside of the village or to exercise their right not to worship. Villagers in violation of such rules faced fines or banishment from the village.
395:, "What Samoa has done is shift references to Christianity into the body of the constitution, giving the text far more potential to be used in legal processes." The preamble to the constitution already described the country as "an independent State based on Christian principles and Samoan custom and traditions."
125:
Assembly of Muslim Youth began operating in the
Pacific, and consequently some Samoans began converting to Islam. According to the 2001 census, the number of Samoan Muslims was 48, or 0.03% of the total population. This number has increased to 61 Muslims, or 0.04% of the population, according to the 2006 census.
680:
Although many people (such as the
Samoans in 1830-2) adopted Christianity very quickly - for reasons the missionaries understood to be pragmatically and politically motivated, or at least not 'spiritual' in any strictly Chistian sense - these 'conversions' gave both white missionaries and Polynesian
124:
community and one mosque. The history of Islam in Samoa dates back to before 1985, when Samoa had a number of Muslim workers who were working either for the government or for a United
Nations program, but their number was small and hardly affected the local population. In the mid-1980s, the World
420:
In 2023, the country was scored 3 out of 4 for religious freedom; it was noted that provisions in three government-backed bills (the
Constitution Amendment Bill 2020, the Lands and Titles Court Bill 2020, and the Judicature Amendment Bill 2020) could limit religious freedom by changing how legal
411:
In the past there have been minor tensions between Fa'a Samoa (the Samoan way) and individual religious rights. One of the elements of Fa'a Samoa was the traditional, tightly-knit village community. Often, village elders and the community at large were not receptive toward those who attempted to
407:
There can be strong societal pressure at village and local levels to participate in church services and other activities, and to support church leaders and projects financially. In some denominations, financial contributions often totaled more than 30% of family income.
403:
Traditionally, villages tended to have one primary
Christian church. Village chiefs often chose the religious denomination of their extended families. Many larger villages had multiple churches serving different denominations and coexisting peacefully.
681:
mission teachers considerable leverage in encouraging programmes of reform in manners and customs. In some cases, non-mission visitors found what they saw as new missionary government patently theocratic and repulsive.
943:
447:
94:. A comparison of the 2006 and 2011 censuses shows a slight decline in the membership of major denominations and an increase in participation in nontraditional and evangelical groups.
471:
938:
357:
The constitution and other laws and policies protect religious freedom. The constitution provides for the right to choose, practice, and change the religion of one's choice.
948:
525:
200:
55:
589:
385:
In June 2017, the Samoan
Parliament passed a bill to increase support for Christianity in the country's constitution, including a reference to the
827:
432:
1155:
699:. Moon travel handbooks: South Pacific handbook, ISSN 1085-2700 (6 ed.). Chico, California: Moon Publications Inc. p. 436.
978:
156:
799:
628:
1026:
22:
734:, "Samoa", page 215: "Good Friday, Easter Monday, White Monday, and Christmas are considered national religiouis holidays."
1079:
1289:
556:
1175:
1119:
1114:
704:
666:
1185:
983:
842:
114:
438:
1299:
1269:
629:"International Religious Freedom Report 2012: Samoa; United States Department of State, Human Rights and Labor"
745:
579:
1284:
993:
500:
363:
Public-school syllabuses do not include religious education, but prayers may be used during the school day.
1165:
953:
933:
905:
862:
1343:
872:
792:
631:(Retrieved 19 June 2017). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
39:, with its various denominations accounting for around 98% of the total population. The article 1 of the
330:
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1104:
1094:
1019:
973:
928:
505:
1369:
968:
510:
482:
1458:
515:
46:
The following is a distribution of
Christian groups as of 2011 (the most recent census available):
43:
states that "Samoa is a
Christian nation founded of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit".
1294:
1190:
1170:
1074:
852:
1406:
785:
375:
83:
75:
1411:
1396:
1386:
1381:
1234:
1150:
1084:
1012:
822:
266:
79:
67:
47:
40:
769:
1443:
1333:
1259:
1052:
837:
610:
71:
8:
988:
887:
808:
640:
366:
In 2012, the government observed the following religious holidays as national holidays:
70:(4 percent). Groups together constituting less than 5 percent of the population include
1355:
1239:
1160:
1138:
963:
882:
1438:
1274:
1264:
1217:
1067:
877:
857:
847:
700:
662:
349:
Christianity, introduced into Samoa in the 1830s, eventually established deep roots.
244:
63:
1492:
1325:
1313:
1229:
1099:
1057:
1044:
958:
910:
832:
611:"The World Factbook; U.S. Central Intelligence Agency; last updated 27 March 2014."
520:
1473:
1453:
1433:
1422:
1391:
729:
694:
656:
1501:
1468:
1448:
1401:
1195:
178:
51:
32:
97:
Although there is no official estimate, there are reportedly small numbers of
1516:
1428:
1180:
1129:
1062:
371:
110:
1109:
1089:
652:
584:
391:
28:
1244:
367:
318:
18:
777:
478:
379:
352:
222:
59:
1200:
458:
398:
102:
98:
91:
90:, Worship Centre, Peace Chapel, Samoa Evangelism, Elim Church, and
1416:
1004:
386:
106:
87:
121:
360:
The government does not require religious groups to register.
113:, primarily in Apia. The country has one of the world's eight
1035:
718:
White Monday (the Monday after the second Sunday in
October)
658:
Nineteenth-Century
Travels, Explorations and Empires, Part II
486:
462:
465:. The earthquake-damaged Cathedral has now been demolished.
454:
1348:
526:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Samoa
557:"2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Samoa"
731:
Annual Reort on International Religious Freedom 2007
415:
353:Status of government respect for religious freedom
1514:
399:Status of societal respect for religious freedom
201:The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
56:The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1020:
793:
746:"Samoa Officially Becomes a Christian State"
580:"Samoa Officially Becomes a Christian State"
551:
549:
547:
545:
543:
541:
421:decisions on Land and Titles are reviewed.
770:Freedom House website, retrieved 2023-08-08
655:; Baker, William, eds. (16 December 2021).
651:
1027:
1013:
800:
786:
538:
693:Stanley, David (1996). "Western Samoa".
624:
622:
620:
618:
157:Congregational Christian Church of Samoa
17:
807:
692:
571:
1515:
1008:
781:
743:
661:. Vol. 6. Taylor & Francis.
615:
577:
313:
13:
1034:
14:
1534:
592:from the original on 16 June 2017
374:, White Monday (Children's Day),
1128:
470:
446:
431:
416:Freedom of religion in the 2020s
317:
86:, nondenominational Protestant,
763:
128:
828:Federated States of Micronesia
737:
723:
686:
645:
634:
604:
80:Congregational Church of Jesus
1:
744:Wyeth, Grant (16 June 2017).
578:Wyeth, Grant (16 June 2017).
531:
641:Final 2016 Census Brief No 1
7:
494:
439:The Bahá’í House of Worship
132:
10:
1539:
1156:Cities, towns and villages
1120:2021 constitutional crisis
506:Roman Catholicism in Samoa
424:
309:
1486:
1377:
1368:
1321:
1312:
1225:
1216:
1146:
1137:
1126:
1043:
919:
896:
815:
511:Piula Theological College
483:Piula Theological College
979:Northern Mariana Islands
559:. US Department of State
516:Samoan Assemblies of God
115:Baháʼí Houses of Worship
48:Congregational Christian
944:Cocos (Keeling) Islands
1095:New Zealand occupation
696:South Pacific Handbook
376:Feast of the Ascension
25:
1300:Deputy Prime Minister
1085:Tripartite Convention
922:and other territories
501:Baháʼí Faith in Samoa
267:Seventh-day Adventist
111:traditional believers
68:Seventh-day Adventist
41:Constitution of Samoa
21:
1334:Western Samoan pound
809:Religion in Oceania
453:Mulivai Cathedral,
76:Jehovah's Witnesses
1344:Telecommunications
1176:Samoan plant names
1080:Colonial governors
329:. You can help by
26:
1523:Religion in Samoa
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1509:
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1308:
1307:
1290:Political parties
1276:O le Ao o le Malo
1255:Foreign relations
1212:
1211:
1068:1889 Apia cyclone
1002:
1001:
994:Wallis and Futuna
939:Clipperton Island
897:Associated states
347:
346:
307:
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245:Assemblies of God
120:There is a small
64:Assemblies of God
37:religion in Samoa
1530:
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1318:
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1249:(chiefly system)
1223:
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1204:
1144:
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1132:
1075:Second Civil War
1029:
1022:
1015:
1006:
1005:
984:Pitcairn Islands
954:French Polynesia
934:Christmas Island
863:Papua New Guinea
843:Marshall Islands
816:Sovereign states
802:
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653:Kitson, Peter J.
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521:Samoan mythology
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441:near Apia, Samoa
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133:
66:(8 percent) and
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1459:Public holidays
1360:
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1279:(head of state)
1278:
1260:Law enforcement
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1186:Protected areas
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1115:2009 earthquake
1105:Trust Territory
1058:First Civil War
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873:Solomon Islands
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389:. According to
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327:needs expansion
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974:Norfolk Island
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929:American Samoa
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62:(14 percent),
58:(15 percent),
54:(19 percent),
52:Roman Catholic
50:(32 percent),
23:Apia Cathedral
9:
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3:
2:
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949:Easter Island
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372:Easter Monday
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325:This section
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24:
20:
16:
1463:
1421:
1412:Demographics
1397:Coat of arms
1387:Architecture
1275:
1245:
1235:Constitution
1110:Independence
1100:World War II
1090:German Samoa
920:Dependencies
906:Cook Islands
867:
765:
753:. Retrieved
750:The Diplomat
749:
739:
730:
725:
717:
710:. Retrieved
695:
688:
679:
672:. Retrieved
657:
647:
636:
606:
594:. Retrieved
585:The Diplomat
583:
573:
561:. Retrieved
419:
410:
406:
402:
392:The Diplomat
390:
384:
365:
362:
359:
356:
348:
335:
331:adding to it
326:
129:Demographics
119:
96:
45:
36:
35:and largest
29:Christianity
27:
15:
1444:LGBT rights
1166:Earthquakes
1053:Archaeology
853:New Zealand
368:Good Friday
148:2016 census
145:2011 census
142:2006 census
139:2001 census
136:Affiliation
1439:Literature
1423:Faʻa Sāmoa
1337:(historic)
1328:(currency)
1285:Parliament
1270:Ministries
1203:(mountain)
532:References
481:Chapel at
338:March 2024
1417:Ethnicity
1356:Transport
1246:Faʻamatai
1240:Elections
1201:Silisili
1161:Districts
1139:Geography
823:Australia
479:Methodist
477:Historic
380:Christmas
223:Methodist
103:Buddhists
60:Methodist
1517:Category
1502:Category
1464:Religion
1454:Proverbs
1434:Language
1265:Military
1218:Politics
838:Kiribati
712:18 March
674:18 March
590:Archived
495:See also
459:Catholic
92:Anglican
84:Nazarene
33:official
1493:Outline
1402:Culture
1370:Society
1314:Economy
1230:Cabinet
1181:Hotspot
1045:History
989:Tokelau
888:Vanuatu
755:19 June
596:16 June
563:24 July
425:Gallery
387:Trinity
310:History
88:Baptist
31:is the
1469:Sports
1392:Cinema
1382:Anthem
1191:Rivers
1063:Crisis
964:Hawaii
883:Tuvalu
703:
665:
489:island
303:10.6%
288:Others
261:10.1%
239:11.8%
217:17.6%
195:18.0%
173:27.0%
122:Muslim
99:Hindus
72:Baháʼí
1449:Music
1407:Dance
1326:Tālā
1171:Fauna
1036:Samoa
878:Tonga
868:Samoa
858:Palau
848:Nauru
487:Upolu
463:Samoa
300:11.7%
283:4.9%
236:12.4%
233:13.7%
230:14.3%
227:15.0%
214:16.9%
211:15.1%
208:13.3%
205:12.5%
192:18.8%
189:19.4%
186:19.6%
183:19.7%
170:29.0%
167:31.8%
164:33.8%
161:35.0%
151:2021
1429:Flag
1151:Bays
959:Guam
911:Niue
833:Fiji
757:2017
714:2024
701:ISBN
676:2024
663:ISBN
598:2017
565:2023
455:Apia
378:and
297:8.1%
294:8.6%
291:7.7%
280:4.4%
277:3.9%
274:3.5%
271:3.5%
258:6.8%
255:8.0%
252:6.9%
249:6.6%
109:and
107:Jews
1349:.ws
485:on
461:),
333:.
117:.
1519::
748:.
716:.
678:.
617:^
588:.
582:.
540:^
382:.
370:,
105:,
101:,
82:,
78:,
74:,
1028:e
1021:t
1014:v
801:e
794:t
787:v
759:.
600:.
567:.
457:(
340:)
336:(
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