The government continued to permit a limited number of Sunni Muslims, mainly the elderly and those not fit for military service, to take part in the Hajj, travel abroad for religious study, and host clerics from abroad. U.S. Government Policy and Engagement. [38] Factors corresponding to emigration include the "lack of political, religious and social freedom", economic reasons and indefinite military service. Why do Ethiopians, Eritreans and others celebrate Christmas on January Only one Jew reportedly remains in the country. Only one Jew is known to remain in the country and resides in Eritrea only on a part-time basis. [41], Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2022. He converted hundreds of thousands of Christians to Islam by force. Are we going to have four Orthodox Tewahdo Churches in the Horn of Africa: 1) Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, 2)Tigray Orthodox Tewahdo Church, 3) Oromia Orthodox Tewahdo Church, and 4) Amhara-Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church? The Rashaida are one of Eritrea's nine recognized ethnic groups. It was then that Jews began to leave Eritrea. International nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and media continued to report members of all religious groups were, to varying degrees, subjected to government abuses and restrictions. Each application must include a description of the religious groups history in the country; an explanation of the uniqueness or benefit the group offers compared with other religious groups; names and personal information of the groups leaders; detailed information on assets; a description of the groups conformity to local culture; and a declaration of all foreign sources of funding. Protestant denominations include Christian Brethren, Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea. Moreover, the Proclamation is also clear on the fact that (due to the secular principles) the relation as between the government and religion and religious institutions, as well as policies that deal with religious institutions should be formulated in accordance with the law. Eritreans in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia While the governments lack of transparency and intimidation of civil society and religious communities created difficulties for individuals who wanted to obtain information on the status of societal respect for religious freedom, religious tolerance appeared to international observers to be widespread within society. Some religious prisoners reported they were allowed to worship together in prison as long as they did so quietly. However, the number of adherents of each faith is subject to debate. The current population of Eritrea is 3,753,470 based on projections of the latest United Nations data. New groups however, have been discouraged from establishing a base in Eritrea. Both had been in detention since 2008 without charge. A majority of the population in the southern and central regions is Christian, while the northern areas are majority Muslim. Eritrea's population comprises nine recognized ethnic groups, most of whom speak languages from the Ethiopian Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family. The law and unimplemented constitution prohibit religious discrimination and provide for freedom of thought, conscience, and belief and the freedom to practice any religion. The law limits foreign financing for religious groups, including registered groups. According to a 2019 report by the European Asylum Support Office, the issuance of exit visas was inconsistent and did not adhere to any consistent policy; members of unrecognized religious communities could be denied exit visas solely on the basis of their religious affiliation. Some members of religious groups that are unregistered or otherwise not in compliance with the law reportedly continue to be subject to the former provisional penal code, which sets penalties for failure to register and noncompliance. Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians (*) No Yes Eritrean Orthodox Church Yes Yes . The Orthodox Christian is the largest Christian group in Eritrea with a 51% hold on the total population. Religion in Eritrea - Wikipedia Orthodox Ethiopians are more likely than Orthodox Christians in Central and Eastern Europe to wear religious symbols (93% vs. median of 64%), to say they believe in God with absolute certainty (89% vs. 56%), to fast during holy times such as Lent (87% vs. 27%), and to tithe (57% vs. 14%). The government appoints the heads of the Eritrean Orthodox Church and the Sunni Islamic community. Only by surrender and conversion could people save their lives. Some sources estimate Eritrea's population to be divided evenly between Muslims and Christians, while Pew Research estimates almost 63 percent to be Christian and 37 percent Muslim, with less than 1 percent comprising other faith groups. Proclamation 73/1995 calls for separation of religion and state; outlines the parameters to which religious organizations must adhere, including concerning foreign relations and social activities; establishes an Office of Religious Affairs; and requires religious groups to register with the government or cease activities. The Eritrean Church was recognized by the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria following independence in 1993, and in 1994 the two neighbouring churches affirmed their respective status. Global AIDS Coordinator and Global Health Diplomacy, Office of the U.S. Special Presidential Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Special Representative for Syria Engagement, U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Office of the U.S. According to the CIA, the Kunama constitute around 4% of Eritrea's population. Individuals also reported restrictions on clergy meeting with foreign diplomats. They are predominantly Muslim, although a few Christians known as the Irob live in the Debub Region of Eritrea and the Tigray region of Ethiopia. It is believed that before Christianity became the official religion of Abyssinia (ancient Eritrea and northern Ethiopia) in the 4th century, Judaism had a heavy presence in Eritrea. [4] Most of the rest of the population belong to other Afro-Asiatic-speaking communities of the Cushitic branch. The application requests the applicants religious affiliation, but the law does not require that information. The sole political party, the Peoples Front for Democracy and Justice, led by President Isaias Afwerki, de facto appointed both the head of the Sunni Islamic community and the head of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, as well as some lower-level officials for both communities. Culture of Eritrea - history, people, clothing, women, beliefs, food Catholics, Protestants, and other Christian denominations, including Jehovah's Witnesses and Pentecostals, constitute less than 5 percent of the Christian population. Failure to participate in the militia or national service may result in detention. Some estimates suggest 2 percent of the population is traditionally animist. The land area of Eritrea is 101,000 km, and it is one of the smallest countries in Africa. [4] They mainly live in the country's Gash Barka Region, as well as in adjacent parts of Ethiopia's Tigray Region. The UK-based religious freedom advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and the Jehovahs Witnesses news service reported two elderly Jehovahs Witnesses died early in the year in Mai Serwa Prison outside Asmara. The law and unimplemented constitution prohibit religiously motivated discrimination and provide for freedom of thought, conscience, and belief, as well as the freedom to practice any religion. Representatives of each of the official religions attended the state dinners for several visiting foreign officials. The government continued to detain without due process persons associated with unregistered religious groups, occasionally for long periods, and sometimes on the grounds of threatening national security, according to minority religious group members and international NGOs. [16] Eritrea was also one of the first Islamic settlements in Africa, as a group of Muslims facing persecution in Mecca migrated to the Kingdom of Aksum. Authorities reportedly continued to detain 24 Jehovahs Witnesses, more than half of whom had been in prison for more than 20 years, for refusing to participate in military service or renounce their faith. An unknown number of Muslim protesters remained in detention following protests in Asmara in October 2017 and March 2018. Eritrea population (2023) live Countrymeters Religious leaders of all denominations and the faithful regularly attended celebrations or funerals organized by the recognized religious groups. The government permitted Catholic clergy to travel abroad for religious purposes and training, although not in numbers Church officials considered adequate; they were discouraged from attending certain religious events while overseas. The government continued to deny citizenship to Jehovahs Witnesses after stripping them of citizenship in 1994 for refusing to participate in the referendum that created the independent state of Eritrea. NGOs reported two elderly Jehovahs Witnesses died early in the year in Mai Serwa Prison outside of Asmara. There were no reports of sectarian violence, and most towns and ethnic groups included members from all the major religious groups. Due to external migration, the population declined . They are predominantly Muslim and are the only ethnic group in Eritrea to have Arabic as their communal language, specifically the Hejazi dialect. NGOs estimated authorities continued to detain from 130 to more than 1,000 people due to their faith. Religion in Eritrea Estimates of the religious makeup of the Eritrean population Religion in Eritrea consists of a number of faiths. Reports stated the government released 35 Christians after they renounced their religion four years earlier. Today the church is a distinctly Eritrean church, using the Ge'ez language in the liturgy, although masses continue to be celebrated also in Italian and Latin for the small Italian and Italo-Eritrean community, mainly in Asmara. Religion in Eritrea consists of a number of faiths. ):[18], The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) Population Division published its UN DESA 2019 Revision (World Population Prospects 2019) data release[19] based on several data samples, including the 1995 and 2002 Demographic and Health Surveys (1995 DHS, 2002 DHS) and the 2010 Population and Health Survey (2010 PHS), since a full census had not been carried out in Eritrea as of 2010[update]. Uthman had been driven out of Hejaz and found shelter at Axum in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia under the protection of the Axumite king, Aama ibn Abjar. Religious groups must renew their registration every year. [37] At the end of 2018, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that about 507,300 Eritreans were refugees who had fled Eritrea. Determining more precisely the number of persons imprisoned for their religious beliefs was difficult due to lack of government transparency and the reported intimidation of those who might come forward with such information. The Anglican Church building held services, but only under the auspices of the registered Evangelical Lutheran Church. [1][2][3], Most Eritrean Christians belong the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, although a minority is affiliated with the Eritrean Catholic Church and various Protestant denominations, respectively. Islam spread to Ethiopia and Eritrea around 615 AD with the arrival of Uthman ibn Affan, one of the Sahabah (companions) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Their doctrinal position is based on the teachings of the first three ecumenical councils (Nicea 325, Constantinople 381 and Ephesus 431). Since 2004, Eritrea has been designated as a CPC under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, section 402(b), for having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom. The government recognizes four officially registered religious groups: the Eritrean Orthodox Church, Sunni Islam, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea. On April 5, the Christian NGO Release International reported two new sets of arrests, one set of 23 persons in Asmara and the other of 12 persons in Assab. Arrests and releases often went unreported. The country is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The majority of the Tigrinya inhabit the highlands of Eritrea; however, migration to other parts of the country has occurred. Before the era of Italian Eritrea, Roman Catholicism was already introduced into the country by Saint Justin de Jacobis and the Vincentian Fathers. People in Eritrea practice various religions. Catholicism was first brought to Eritrea by the Jesuits in 1600. The majority of the Kunama are Catholic, with a small minority of Muslims and some who practice traditional indigenous religions. Al-Ghazi led Muslim forces consisting of Somali, Harari, Oromo, Afar, Saho, Argobba, Hadiya, Silte and Gurage soldiers from present-day Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia. The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church ( Tigrinya: [2]) is one of the Oriental Orthodox Churches with its headquarters in Asmara, Eritrea. Three ministers, the Asmara mayor, and at least one senior military leader were Muslims. They represent around 1% of the population of Eritrea. Eritrea - The World Factbook As of 2008, they were estimated at 900 people, down from around 38,000 residents at the end of World War II. [17][8][1] While elsewhere on the continent, Christianity in Africa was primarily introduced by European missionaries, this was not the case with the Tigray-Tigrinya people of Eritrea and Tigray Region in neighbouring Ethiopia (or with the Amhara people of Ethiopia). Eritreans - Wikipedia In the late 19th century, during the reign of Emperor Yohannes IV, who was a devoutly Christian Tigrayan, Muslim Tigrayans were forcibly expelled from their homes and found refuge in the nearby northern areas in what is now Eritrea, out of reach of royal Ethiopian authority. Additionally, the majority of the Nilo-Saharan-speaking Nara ethnic minorities also adhere to Islam, as do some of the Kunama Nilotes.[25]. [19] About 5% of the Tigrinya are also Muslims; they are known as the Jeberti, though they claim a different ethnic background from the Biher-Tigrinya; the Rashaida are an Arab tribe who migrated from the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia in the 19th century. Pope Shenouda III presided at the ceremony in Asmara, together with the Holy Synod of the Eritrean Orthodox Church and a Coptic Orthodox Church delegation. Authorities prevented prisoners held for national security reasons from having visitors, and families often did not know where the government held such prisoners. The law prohibits any involvement in politics by religious groups. Arrests and releases often went unreported. The main churches in Eritrea are the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Eritrean . The deliberate destruction of religious and cultural heritage sites by Eritrean and Ethiopian troops, many of which hold broader cultural and spiritual significance to people across both nations and multiple ethnicities, regions, and religions, is especially potent. They are generally Muslim, with a few Christians and some practising their indigenous beliefs. P'ent'ay (from Ge'ez: ), also known as Ethiopian-Eritrean Evangelicalism, is a term for Evangelical Christians and other Eastern/Oriental-oriented Protestants within Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the Ethiopian and Eritrean diaspora abroad. A compulsory citizen militia requires persons not in the military, including many who had been demobilized, elderly, or otherwise exempted from military service in the past, to carry firearms and attend militia training. Young people choosing to flee Eritrea often keep their plans secret from their families in order to decrease their families' stress and risk of being fined or imprisoned. While national service in Eritrea does include a civil component, all Eritreans are required to undertake military training and Eritreans cannot generally choose which type of service they will perform. The government continued to hold Jehovahs Witnesses and other religious prisoners for failure to follow the law or for national security reasons. On November 28, 2018, the Secretary of State redesignated Eritrea as a CPC and identified the following sanction that accompanied the designation: the existing arms embargo referenced in 22 CFR 126.1(a) pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of the Act. Official attitudes toward members of unregistered religious groups worshipping in homes or rented facilities differed. Local authorities sometimes denied government ration coupons to Jehovahs Witnesses and members of Pentecostal groups. According to the Pew Research Center (2010), 62.9% of the population are Christian, mostly followers of Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo, and to a lesser extent, Roman Catholicism, with the second-largest religion being Muslims. We, the undersigned clergy of the Eritrean Orthodox Church, are writing this letter requesting the kind help . However, the number of adherents is subject to debate. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom, Section IV. Most places of worship unaffiliated with the four officially registered religious groups remained closed to worship, but many of those buildings remained physically intact and undamaged. These organizations have been allowed to continue to practice. The Bilen in Eritrea represent around 3% of the country's population. White is a symbol of peace. Some unregistered groups are allowed to operate, and the government tolerates their worship activities. Catholics in Eritrea mainly follow the Ge'ez variant of the Alexandrian Rite, but the Roman Rite is also used. The Eritrean Orthodox Church | CNEWA Information from outside the capital was extremely limited. Eritrea - United States Department of State [10] The Jeberti in Eritrea speak Arabic and Tigrinya. 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Eritrea, An official website of the United States Government. Restrictions on U.S. assistance resulting from the CPC designation remained in place. Sources disagree as to the current population of Eritrea, with UN DESA proposing a low estimate of 3.6 million for 2021[1] and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa proposing a high estimate of 6.7 million for 2019. Unregistered groups lack the privileges of registered groups; their members have been arrested and mistreated and their eventual release from detention has sometimes been conditioned on a formal renunciation of their faith. The various estimates shown above place Christianity (all denominations) as the religion of between 47% and 63% of the population of Eritrea. 03 / Select Countries You can add more than one country or area. The Office of Religious Affairs has registered four religious groups: the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Sunni Islam, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea (affiliated with the Lutheran World Federation). In June, it announced the scheduled closure of the remaining early childhood and intermediate primary schools, prompting the Eritrean Catholic Bishops collective to issue a letter denouncing the action, as explicitly detrimental to the most elementary principles of justice. As of years end, the schools remained open, according to Catholic sources. Soon, Muslims settled in the coasts of Eritrea and built mosques and other structures. 95% of the Tigre people adhere to the Islamic religion Sunni Islam, but there are a small number of Christians among them as well (often referred to as the Mensa in Eritrea). Other Afro-Asiatic languages belonging to the Cushitic branch are also widely spoken in the country. Religious observers continued to report the government denied many exit visa applications for individuals seeking to travel to international religious conferences. The government recognizes four officially registered religious groups: the Eritrean Orthodox Church, Sunni Islam, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea. [21], The history of Islam in Eritrea can be traced back to the beginnings of the religion in the 7th century. Among ecclesiastical buildings, most notable date from the 4th to the 14th centuries; for example Libanos, Bizen and Sina. For the national origin group of Eritrea, see. Group members are predominantly Muslim and communicate in Hedareb as a first or second language. Unregistered religious groups also faced restrictions in gathering for worship, constructing places of worship, and teaching religious beliefs to others. Eritrean troops fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray state systematically killed hundreds of unarmed civilians in the northern city of Axum on 28-29 November 2020, opening fire in the streets and conducting house-to-house raids in a massacre that may amount to a crime against humanity, Amnesty International said today in a new report. The population of Eritrea is nearly evenly divided between Sunni Muslims and Orthodox Christians. A majority of the Tigrinya, the largest ethnic group, are Christian. They are a nomadic and pastoralist people, related to the Tigrinya and to the Beja people. The government recognizes four officially registered religious groups: the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Sunni Islam, the Catholic Church, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea. Notable people. However, there was tension between the Catholic Church as the Roman Catholic Italians resisted and discouraged the spread of Protestantism in their colony and even lay prohibitions and numerous constraints on the activities of the Swedish missionaries. A majority of the Tigrinya who constitute almost 60% of the population are Christian. Officials in Washington shared similar concerns with officials at the Eritrean embassy. The government granted entry to prominent Ethiopian television evangelist Suraphel Demissie in June as part of the first set of flights between Addis Ababa and Asmara after the airways reopened; onlookers filmed him preaching on the streets of Asmara. Some embassy requests via the government to meet with religious leaders went unanswered, however. Most places of worship unaffiliated with the four officially registered religious groups remained closed to worship, but many of those buildings remained physically intact and undamaged. Senior Muslim, Roman Catholic, and Lutheran religious leaders sat as honored guests alongside the ranking Eritrean Orthodox officials during the high-profile public celebration of Meskel on September 27. An unknown number of Muslim detainees remained in detention following protests in Asmara in October 2017 and in March. Other structures belonging to unregistered groups, such as the Church of Christ, remained shuttered. Authorities treatment of religious prisoners appeared to have been inconsistent. [43], Tigrinya 55%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Kunama 2%, Rashaida 2%, Bilen 2%, other (Afar, Beni-Amer, Nera) 5% (2010 est. CSW reported in October that authorities continued to imprison without charge or trial 345 church leaders, including three men who had been imprisoned without charge for 22 years, while estimates of detained laity ranged from 800 to more than 1,000. [22], In 2010, the NSO, supported by the Fafo Institute for Applied International Studies, published a Population and Health Survey (EPHS2010), based on a survey covering 34,423 households by choosing 900 areas around Eritrea, 525 rural and 375 urban, and randomly selecting 40 households in each cluster. Eritrea Growth Rate Eritrea Flag How Old is Eritrea? The Oriental Orthodox churches are ancient churches which were founded in apostolic times, by apostles or by the apostles' earliest disciples. The government continued to require all citizens to obtain an exit visa prior to airport departure. Religious groups must obtain government approval to build facilities for worship. Global AIDS Coordinator and Global Health Diplomacy, Office of the U.S. Special Presidential Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Special Representative for Syria Engagement, U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Office of the U.S. Sources disagree as to the current population of Eritrea, with some proposing numbers as low as 3.6 million[1] and others as high as 6.7 million. Their language is called Tigre. Some church leaders continued to state the governments restriction on foreign financing reduced church income and religious participation by preventing churches from training clergy or building or maintaining facilities. The government continued to detain Jehovahs Witnesses and other religious prisoners for failure to follow the law or for national security reasons and continued to deny them citizenship. )[45], definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.
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