Religion in Saint Lucia: Churches, Faiths and Festivals

A religious island with a Catholic core

Saint Lucia takes its name from Saint Lucy of Syracuse, a Christian martyr whose feast day falls on 13 December. The date is now celebrated as Saint Lucia Day, one of the island's national holidays, and it is a reminder of how deeply Catholic heritage runs through the country. French settlers brought the Roman Catholic Church in the colonial period, and it remained the dominant faith even after Britain took control of the island in the early 19th century. You can read about those years in our guide to French and British rule.

The constitution guarantees freedom of religion and there is no state religion, so people of different faiths live side by side in a tolerant atmosphere. The result is a landscape of cheerful, well attended churches, with services that are lively, musical and often long. Many schools were historically run by the churches, which is one reason religion and education are still closely entwined, as our education and health guide explains.

The 2022 census in numbers

The 2022 Population and Housing Census gives the most recent breakdown. Roman Catholics numbered 86,967 people, or 50.6 per cent of the population, which is down sharply from more than nine in ten in 1960. Seventh-day Adventists were the second largest group at 10.8 per cent, followed by Pentecostals at 9.0 per cent. A further 14.1 per cent said they had no religion but believed in God, and 4.1 per cent did not state a religion.

Smaller communities include Mennonites, Baptists, Rastafari, Anglicans, Jehovah's Witnesses and Methodists, and the census also recorded small numbers of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and members of the Baháʼí Faith. The shift towards evangelical and Pentecostal churches, and towards personal belief outside any church, mirrors a trend across the Caribbean.

• Roman Catholic: 50.6 per cent.
• Seventh-day Adventist: 10.8 per cent.
• Pentecostal: 9.0 per cent.
• Mennonite: 2.2 per cent.
• Baptist: 1.7 per cent.
• Rastafari: 1.4 per cent.
• Anglican: 1.3 per cent.
• Jehovah's Witnesses: 0.8 per cent.
• Methodist: 0.4 per cent.
• No religion but believe in God: 14.1 per cent.

Catholic, Anglican and Protestant churches

The Roman Catholic Church is organised as the Archdiocese of Castries, created as a diocese in 1956 and raised to an archdiocese in 1974. Its archbishop since 2022 has been Gabriel Malzaire. Parish churches stand in almost every village, from Anse La Raye and Soufrière to Dennery and Vieux Fort, and their bells and Sunday congregations set the rhythm of rural life.

Anglicans and Methodists are now small communities, though they have a long history on the island and their churches are part of the colonial streetscape of Castries. The Seventh-day Adventists observe the Sabbath on Saturday, which is why you may find some businesses owned by Adventists closed on that day. Pentecostal and evangelical churches have grown quickly and are known for energetic worship, gospel music and strong youth ministries. Together these congregations help to run schools, charities and community events.

Rastafari and other faiths

Rastafari is a small but visible presence, with about 2,500 adherents recorded in 2022, or 1.4 per cent of the population. Rastafari spirituality, with its reverence for Haile Selassie, its Ital dietary habits and its music, has influenced Saint Lucian culture well beyond its numbers, from reggae to the vegetarian cooking you will find at some local restaurants. Our yoga and mindfulness guide and wellness retreats guide cover a broader range of spiritual and wellbeing experiences.

There are also small Muslim, Hindu and Baháʼí communities, and the island has a few places of worship for them. The Indo-Saint Lucian community, whose ancestors arrived as indentured workers from 1859, has kept some Hindu traditions alive in family life and festivals, and you can learn more about those arrivals in our guide to the people of the island.

La Rose, La Marguerite and the church

Two of the island's great folk festivals are linked to religion in a surprising way. La Rose (La Woz) and La Marguerite (La Magwit) are rival folk societies, each with its own royal court, songs and costumes, and they hold their big feast days on 30 August and 17 October respectively. Both began as mutual support groups in the time of slavery. The societies are not churches, and historically some church leaders disapproved of them, but today they usually begin their celebration with a church service and a procession, and the members dress in their finery to march to mass.

Preparations take months, with all night singing sessions led by a chantwèl, or lead singer, who is often a woman. In 2025 the Marguerite celebrations drew attention for a revival of interest in the flower festival tradition. If you are visiting in August or October, ask your hotel host where the local society will be holding its events. Our guides to festivals and events and culture and traditions explain the wider celebrations.

The Cathedral Basilica and places to visit

The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Castries is the island's best known church. It stands opposite Derek Walcott Square in the centre of the capital, and a church has stood on the site since 1767. The present building was begun in 1894 and finished in 1897, and in 1999 it was given the honorary status of a minor basilica. Its interior is decorated with murals by the Saint Lucian painter Dunstan St. Omer, and Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral in July 1986. It is one of the largest churches in the Caribbean, and its cool, high nave is a welcome retreat on a hot day.

You will find the cathedral on any walking route through Castries, and it pairs well with the nearby market and the squares. Dunstan St. Omer is one of the island's best loved artists, so art lovers should see our art and heritage tours guide. For churches in the south, the town of Soufrière and the villages of the south of the island have attractive parish churches that fit naturally into a day of sightseeing.

Religious holidays and visiting respectfully

Several public holidays have religious roots, including Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Corpus Christi, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, along with Saint Lucia Day on 13 December. Shops and banks close on these days, restaurants may serve a limited menu, and public transport is thin, so plan ahead. Our national symbols and holidays guide lists the calendar in full, and the best time to visit guide shows how the seasons line up.

Visitors are welcome at most services, provided they dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and arrive on time. Turn off your phone, keep your voice low, and ask before taking photographs inside. Do not walk around during prayers, and if a collection plate is passed, a small donation is appreciated but not obligatory. On Sundays, expect some villages to be quiet in the morning, and do not be surprised if the music from a nearby church is loud. Treat it as part of the local colour.

• Cover shoulders and knees inside churches.
• Switch off your phone and keep your voice low.
• Ask before taking photographs, especially during services.
• Check opening times on public holidays and Sundays.

Questions travellers ask