Christianity is the predominantreligion inCosta Rica, with Catholicism being its largest denomination. Catholicism is also thestate religion, but the government generally upholds people'sreligious freedom in practice.
Catholicism is the officialstate religion and is entitled to state support according to the1949 Constitution, which at the same time guaranteesfreedom of religion.[1] It is the only state in theAmericas with a state religion and one of the few Western countries which established Catholicism as its state religion; other such countries are microstates in Europe:Liechtenstein,Monaco,Vatican City andMalta.
The Constitution also forbids in its 28 article the use of religious feelings for electoral purposes, prohibition also contemplated in the Electoral Code.[2] In theory, religious-based parties are banned since1889 (precisely as a way to ban the then Church-endorsedCatholic Union party), however in practiceEvangelical parties do exists, with its base mostly extracted from and directed toward theneo-Pentecostal community. TheSupreme Electoral Tribunal has ruled that their existence is allowed as long as they do not use religion directly in their propaganda (which is what the Constitution forbids), however this provision has not always been fulfilled and the TSE has sanctioned certain campaigns for the use of religion in them.[3]
The Constitution also limits the possibility for members of the clergy to be elected, as some of the requirements to bePresident,Vice-President, Minister orJustice is to be a layperson. Recent rulings from the Constitutional Court established that, as only the Catholic Church is official and the other religions are not regulated by it or the law, this prohibition applies only to Catholic priests, thus the clergy from other religions like Protestant pastors,Orthodox priests,rabbis,Buddhist monks, etc., in theory, can be candidates to these offices.
There is no law regulating religious bodies in Costa Rica.[4] The Electoral code reinforces the constitutional prohibition of using religious propaganda and the Labor Code establishes the right from non-Catholics to have their respective religious holidays exchange from one of thenational holidays and/or their vacations, which the employer has to comply.[4] However, there is no specific legislation that regulates religions. The Associations’ Law establishes the existence of "religious association" and some religions register as such, but this status has no notable difference from any other form of Association, and many religions also prefer the “cultural association” registry.[4]
Being registered as a religion does not provide any special responsibility nor any legal advantage and is not mandatory for private or public practice as far as other laws are not broken. Only the Catholic Church can betax exempt, only the Catholic Church can receive state funds and property transferrals and only its marriages are legal without the need of a lawyer. Most religions register as association (whether cultural or religious) to be legally capable of hiring personal and own properties, however this is not mandatory and small religious groups like smallneo-Pagan covens ornew religious movements do not register at all and are allowed to practice as far as they do not disrupt public order or general legislation.[4]
Currently a bill endorsed by the Evangelical parties in theLegislative Assembly of Costa Rica named "Freedom of Religion and Cult Act" is under discussion in one of the committees.[5] The bill expects to regulate religions and give non-Catholic churches (but excluding non-Christian religions) certain rights and privileges that the Catholic Church enjoys including performing legal marriages and receive state funds. However the bill has opposition both from the Catholic Church and the more secular and non-religious population although for different reasons, the Episcopal Conference fear it will affect the Catholic Church,[6] whilst secularists advocate for an absolute secular state with no official religion at all. The bill has also been criticized for excluding the non-Christian religions and being tailor-made for the Evangelical Churches.[7][8]
According to CID-Gallup surveys, in 2003 around 68% was Catholic, 17% was Protestants, 12% irreligious and 3% other religions. In November 2012, there weren't any significant changes in religious affiliation, with the new demographics being 63% Catholic, 24% Protestant, 10% irreligious and other remain at 3% of population. Christian population growth from 85 to 87% in 2000´s decade. Other surveys found gradual changes on religious affiliation after 2012.
TheLatinobarómetro survey of 2017 found that 57% of the population identify themselves asCatholics, 25% areProtestants, 15% report that theydo not have a religion, and 3% declare that they belong to another religion.[9][10] A March 2018 survey by the Center for Investigations and Political Studies of theUniversity of Costa Rica estimated that 52% of ticos were Catholic (72.8% in 2013), 22% Protestant (14.8% in 2013), 3.0% other religion (3.6% in 2013) and 17% had no religious affiliation (8.4% in 2013).[11]
The 2021 poll by the University of Costa Rica noted a reduction in both Catholic and Evangelical practice reducing both to 47 and 19% respectively, with non-religious increasing from 17 to 27%.[12] Traditional Protestants, Mormons, Jehovah's Witness and Muslims appear for the first time in polls with 1, 0.3, 0.2 and 0.1% respectively.[12]
According to statistical studies done by theUniversity of Costa Rica, among those over 55 Catholicism is more prominent, with 65% of this population considering themselves Catholic, followed by 19% evangelical and only 7% is without religion, among adults of 34 to 54 years Catholicism falls to 53%, whileProtestantism rises to 24% andirreligion to 14%, and finally among young people aged 18 to 34 is where the number of irreligious is more prominent, being 27% and even surpassing the evangelicals that pass to 22% and the Catholics are reduced to 42%.[12]
By sex, the Catholic population is equal between men and women in 52%, 26% of women are evangelical compared to 19% of men and conversely 19% of men left religion in front of 14% of women.[12]
In terms of studies, 54% of the population with only completeprimary education is Catholic, 26% Protestant and 11% without creed, 44% of those with completesecondary education are Catholic, followed by 23% evangelicals and 21% atheists/agnostics. Of those who have university studies 59% are Catholic, 22% agnostic/atheist and only 12% evangelical, so although Catholics are the majority in all academic degrees, evangelicals are more among those who have basic education and the irreligious among those who have higher education.[12]
A 2013-2014 study using focus groups divided in six stages; Practicing Catholics,non-Practicing Catholics,Irreligious,Historical Protestants,Neo-Pentecostal and "Others" (which included representatives fromIslam,Baháʼí Faith, three branches ofBuddhism –Tibetan,Zen andNichiren-,Taoism,Brahma Kumaris andNew Age) showed different position regarding moral, political and social issues.[13]
Practicing Catholics, historical Protestants and neo-Pentecostals opposedabortion in almost all circumstances, even incases of mother's life danger[13] (although Protestants accepted it in such extremes circumstances with medical diagnosis and after praying),[13] whilst non-practicing Catholics and Others were more open to different forms of abortion including for therapeutic reasons, pregnancy by rape (particularly in cases involving minors) and no extra uterine life possibility.[13] Only non-religious were mostly in favor of free abortion on women's request.[13]
Practicing Catholics and the two types of Protestants were much more morally and sexually conservative,[13] frowning uponsex outside marriage anddivorce. Protestants accepted divorcees but did not allow them to have high ranks in their churches[13] whilst Catholics considered divorced couples as "couples under special circumstances".[13] Non-practicing Catholics, non-religious and Others express full acceptance of divorcees.[13] Practicing Catholics were the only group that opposed any kind of non-naturalbirth control.[13] Practicing Catholics, Protestants and Evangelicals questioned the Ministry of Education'ssex education programs fearing it lacked spiritual content and express support forabstinence-only education, all other groups supported the Ministry's sex education programs.[13]
Both practicing Catholics and Protestants (both historic and neo-Pentecostal) consider homosexuality a sin and the product of a mental health problem that can be cured, whilst Irreligious, non-Practicing Catholics and Others were more supportive of LGBTI-rights, oppose discrimination and mostly consider it a natural condition.[13]
All groups except irreligious expressed that the moral values of the candidate are important for their support during elections.[13]
And finally, practicing Catholics, historical Protestants and neo-Pentecostals opposedlaicism and reforming the Constitution to be asecular state supporting the Catholic Church asstate religion.[13] Despite the fact that neo-Pentecostals are not part of the state religion, they sawconfessionalism as a protection against secularism which they consider a previous step beforestate atheism.[13] Historical Protestants were less wary of laicism but prefer an official religion, however they express that Christianity should be the state religion and not Catholicism.[13] Non-practicing Catholics, non-religious people and all the religious minorities express they support of the secular state.[13]
Pre-Columbian religions in what is today Costa Rica were mostlyanimistic,polytheistic andshamanistic.[14]Shamans had an important cultural, societal and political role as well as a religious one. The main deity of theBribri andChorotega people isSibö (creator god andculture hero) and as animistic religions they believe innature spirits andelementals alongside a wide pantheon of gods. Shamans and healers are chosen according to the Bribri caste system and came from the same families.[15]
TheNicoyans worshiped a trinity encompassed by the creator godTipotani, the solar godNembithía and the lunar goddessNinguitamalí, however later northern influence mostly from theMexicas made popular theAztec deities and the practice ofcannibalistichuman sacrifices.[16][17]
Several animals like the bat, the macaw, the jaguar, the crocodile and the serpent were consider sacred.[18]
During colonial times the Catholic Church in Costa Rica did not have as much power and influence as in other parts of theSpanish Empire as Costa Rica was one of the poorer and more rural provinces, far from its local capital, thus theCatholic hierarchy had little interest in it. This may have shaped the political and cultural aspects of Costa Rica which may explain phenomenons such as theliberal hegemony and lack ofconservative-liberal wars uncommon inLatin America.[19]
After theindependence of Central America, Costa Rica temporarily kept theSpanish Empire'sCadiz Constitution in place, with their articles about religion intact. Costa Rica's first constitution, thePact of Concord established the Catholic religion as the one that "is and always would be" of the land and banned any other religion, except in the case of foreigners who were there for transit or commerce and who could practice their religion freely as far as they do notproselytize.[19]
The 1825Fundamental Law of the State of Costa Rica as part of theFederal Republic of Central America also established the state religion status of Catholicism but did not explicitly banned the rest.[19] This was also established as such by the Federal Constitution, however this was reformed in 1835 at federal level granting freedom of religion and making the Central American Federation asecular state.[19]
After leaving the Federal Republic and creating his own dictatorshipBraulio Carrillo signs theDecree of Basis and Guarantees which works as a de facto constitution, and makes no mention of religion.[19] In the next Constitution of 1844 after Honduran GeneralFrancisco Morazán took over the country and deposes Carrillo the Catholic church is declaredstate religion while granting religious freedom,[19] status kept in all following constitutions.
However, Costa Rica's religious landscape was very uniform. Many Costa Rican settlers were newly converted orcrypto-JewishSephardi Jews escaping Spain'sInquisition andexpulsions, and some kept their practices secret. However, aside from secret Sephardim, some freethinkers of the liberal elite, and the indigenous religions kept in some isolated mountain and jungle areas like Talamanca, most Costa Ricans were Catholics.[19]
The foundation ofFreemasonry in Costa Rica in 1865 and the development of the liberal ideas that developed into the so-calledLiberal State ruled by liberal groups likeThe Olympus,[20] started to cause clashes with the Catholic Church. Secularizing measures such as the expulsion of theJesuits and BishopBernard Thiel, the secularization of education and cemeteries, the closure of the Church-run Santo Tomas University, abolition ofreligious orders, legalization ofdivorce andcivil marriage,[19] etc., almost caused a civil war with the Catholic Church, however this was avoided thanks to the election ofJosé Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón and is celebrated as Costa Rica's Democracy Day. Costa Rica's firstTheosophical Society is founded in 1902 by painterTomás Povedano,[21] turning popular among the intellectual elites and earning some important prestige. PresidentJulio Acosta was a theosophist.
During late 19th and early 20th century, the religious diversity was increased by successive migratory waves ofPolish Jews,MaroniteLebanese,ChineseBuddhists andAnglicanJamaicans.[22] The migration ofAmerican, German, Swiss and British settlers brought large Lutheran communities.[22]
During the early 20th century, the country was officially closed to non-White immigration as a presidential decree from presidentAscensión Esquivel Ibarra of 1903 banned any immigration fromAsians,Blacks,Gypsies,Arabs andTurks.[22] This prohibition was lifted and successive migrations from Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist populations increased Costa Rica's religious diversity.[22] ThePolish Jews, almost allAshkenazi, joint the already existent Sepharadim community but both communities kept themselves separate and, save some exception, did not mixed.[22] Polish Jews suffered fromanti-Semitic andxenophobic campaigns, especially in the press during their first migratory waves, especially at the hands of well known anti-Semitic presidents likeOtilio Ulate Blanco (who slandered Jews on his newspaper) andLeón Cortés Castro who was sympathetic towardNazism andFascism and even named Max Effinger as migration director, who was the leader of the localNazi Party/Foreign Organization chapter.[22]
The breaking of the status quo of the to that point monolithicLiberal State started with the resurgence of the first left-wing workers’ organization, many of them inspired by theCatholic social teaching.[23] Costa Rica's first left-wing party, theReformist Party was founded by priestJorge Volio. Costa Rica's firstlabor union theCosta Rican Confederation of Workers "Rerum Novarum" was also Catholic andChristian socialist ideas influenced future presidentRafael Ángel Calderón Guardia while he studied medicine in Belgium. Calderón in alliance with the Catholic Church (which included the taking back of many secularist laws including the authorization to form private religious schools)[23] and theCommunist Party of Costa Rica lead the social reformation known as theSocial Guarantees and the newReform State.[23]
The Calderón Guardia administration in 1940 was more friendly toward Jews, especially after the war declaration on theAxis powers, nevertheless this also included the persecution of Germans,Italians and Japanese in Costa Rica who turn massively into the anti-Calderonista opposition. Calderon's successorTeodoro Picado Michalski (1944–1948) took back most of the anti-Semitic legislation and was also friendly toward the Jewish community, particularly because he was the son of a Polish immigrant.[24] After the1948 civil war with the victory of Ulate Blanco's supporters, the San José synagogue was attacked, as Jews were seen as pro-Calderón, however war caudilloJosé Figueres Ferrer (himself an agnostic) promised not to tolerate any anti-Jewish actions.[25] During Figueres’ government theracial segregation that affected Blacks and Asians who could not vote, hold certain jobs, or get out of certain areas, was abolished thanks, among other things, to the "Curling Law" named after its author and also firstBlack Costa Rican deputyAlex Curling Delisser [es].[26]
The Costa Rican religious diversity also expanded during late 20th and early 21st century with the arrival of alternative andnew religious movements which included theHare Krishna,Tibetan Buddhism,Baháʼí,Wicca,Neo-Druidism andÁsatrú faiths.[27][28][29][30] In the early 21st century, the first groups ofLuciferian set in the country with public activities and conferences including the Greater Church of Lucifer.[31]
The2018 Costa Rican general election put the subject of religion in a presidential campaign for the first time since 1889. After the ruling of theInter-American Human Rights Court mandating the legalization ofsame-sex marriage in Costa Rica, neo-Pentecostal candidateFabricio Alvarado (who called for disobeying the ruling) became a frontrunner in polls for the first time for a non-Catholic candidate, as a backlash from conservative voters against the ruling, causing at the same time that progressive and liberal voters supported young moderate CatholicCarlos Alvarado Quesada who supportedsame-sex marriage,Church-state separation and other secularizing measures. Among other controversial subjects like "gender ideology",abortion, and evenanti-Catholic statements made by Fabricio Alvarado's pastor and mentor, the election was won in the second round by Carlos Alvarado. The election was often described as a "religious shock".[32]
While the Catholic church is still the largest church body, theProtestants are growing,[33] in 2017 representing 15% of the population. Most Protestants arePentecostal with smaller numbers ofLutherans andBaptists.[1]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) claims 50,000 members.[1] and has atemple in San Jose that serves as a regional worship center for Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, and Honduras.[34]
Quakers escaping compulsory draft from theKorean War founded a colony inMonteverde in 1950,[22] theAmish founded a community inSan Carlos in 1968[35] and the firstLutheran Church was founded in 1965.[36]Anglicanism was brought by both British and Black Jamaicans and it has some 12,000 followers mostly inLimón Province, however, its see is the Good Shepherd Church in San José.[22] There is also aRussian Orthodox Church led by Orthodox priest Georgy Kaplanov located in theVazquez de Coronado Canton for the small Orthodox community working not only for theRussian community but also for other Orthodox includingGreeks andRomanians.[37][38][39]
Although they represent less than 1 percent of the population,Jehovah's Witnesses have a strong presence on the Caribbean coast.[1] In the past, theSeventh-day Adventists have operated a university that attracts students from throughout the Caribbean Basin and theUnification Church has maintained its continental headquarters for Latin America in San Jose.[40]
People without religious affiliation have also grown substantially in Costa Rican society; in 2011 people who declared themselvesatheists,agnostics or "without religion" represented about 13% of the total population, 2% and 11% respectively.[41] In 2017 the number rose to 18% approximately plus 2% that are "undeclared". The study of the School of Mathematics of theUniversity of Costa Rica estimated that in 1988 only 3.5% of Costa Ricans had no affiliation (including atheists and agnostics), however, that figure has grown slowly but steadily since then. One of its organizations is the Costa Rican Association of Secular Humanists who filed a lawsuit in 2009 within the Supreme Electoral Tribunal for the political belligerence of then ArchbishopJosé Francisco Ulloa for his homily of September 2009, which urged not to vote for candidates who "deny to God and defend principles that go against life, against marriage and against the family", to which the Court in May 2010 ruled in favor of the plaintiffs finding that the bishop contravened Article 28 of the Constitution ordering him to abstain on electoral issues.[4] There are also organized groups ofpastafarians in Costa Rica.[42][43]
Buddhism is the largest non-Christian religion with around 100,000 members, mostly amongst the Asian community, but with some converts.[44][45][46]
Buddhism entered the country for the first time thanks to theTheosophical Society spreading Buddhist ideas among the intellectual elite.[47]Chinese Buddhism was brought into the country by Chinese migrants alongsideChinese folk religion.[47] Many of them converted to Catholicism but reports of Buddhist practices among the Chinese community in early 20th century exists.[47]
The first main Buddhist organization was the Zen House of Costa Rica, based inZen Buddhism and funded by theJapanese government in 1974.[47] Located inSanto Domingo de Heredia.[47]Tibetan Buddhism was first introduced by the Tibetan-Costa Rican Cultural Center founded soon after the first visit of theDalai Lama in 1989.[47] This center belongs to theGelug lineage ofTibetan Buddhism. In 2010 aDiamond Way Buddhism center (of theKagyu tradition ofTibetan Buddhism) was founded in San Jose,[48] followed by another one inSan Mateo, Orotina in 2022.[49] Currently all fourtraditional Tibetan schools andBon have centers in the country.[47] There are alsoTheravada,Shao Lin andSoka Gakkai[50] centers.[47]
It is estimated that were between 2300 and 3500Jews in the country in 2022.[1][51] Jewish people have an important cultural and social input, and many ministers, deputies, and three Vice Presidents have been Jewish.[52]
Most Costa Rican Jews areOrthodox, with the Zionist Israelite Center located inSan José city as their main synagogue, presided over byChief Rabbi of Costa Rica Gershon Miletzki, the B'nei Israel synagogue ofReform Judaism located nearLa Sabana, San José led by rabbis Rami Pavolotzky and Daniela Szuster (married couple) officiates for the Reform community,[53][54] there is also a Keshet Holistic Studies Institute affiliated to the Walking Stick Foundation led by rabbis Gershon Winkler and Miriam Maron, and anultra-OrthodoxChabad Lubavitch synagogue led by rabbi Hersch Spaltzer. The community also has a museum, aB'nai B'rith lodge and a private school, the Jaim Weizman Institute.[24]
The number of Costa Rican Muslims is of around 1500 people, mostlySunni Muslims and some 100 are converts.[55][56] There are three mosques in Costa Rica; the Mosque of Omar located in theGoicoechea Canton which also acts as the Muslim Cultural Center founded in 2002,[57] the Light and Faith Mosque located in downtown San José near the Central Market (also Sunni), and the Sahar Islamic Center in La Sabana which acts as the Shiite Mosque (previouslyShiites gathered in a private home or assisted the Sunni mosque).[58]Ahmadiya Muslims also have a center in Costa Rica.[59] The Muslim Cultural Center is presided byPalestinian-born medic Abdul Sasa and itssheikh is theEgyptian-born Omar Abdel Aziz.[56]
Although there areOrthodox Hindus among theIndian andSouth East Asian migrant community,[60] including a Hindu Temple inMonteverde,[61] most Costa Ricans (particularly those converts) belong to theHare Krishna movement.[62] There are three Hare Krishna centers in Costa Rica: the Nueva Goloka Vrindavan located in aCartago farm founded in 1986 which split fromISKCON, theISKCON center in San José, and theGaudiya Math center also in San José.
The first community made by ISKCON devotees was found in Cartago in 1986; however, internal fighting that even brought media coverage caused the group to split with the ISKCON-related faction founding a new temple in San José.[63] The Gaudiya Math group never had relations with ISCKON and rents the first floor of the Theosophical Society's building. There is also aBrahma Kumaris temple[64] andSathya Sai Baba movement centers.[65]
According toARDA, there were approximately 440 (0.01%)Hindus in Costa Rica in 2020.[66]
The number ofNeo-Pagans is calculated at around 2000 individuals. Neo-Pagan groups organized several annual festival and cultural activities.[67] The most popular traditions areWicca andÁsatrú.[67]
Other religious communities in the country include:Baháʼís,[29]Jains,[68]Luciferians,[31]Rastafarians,[69]Sikhs,[70][71]Taoists,[72] andTenrikyo. TheChurch of Scientology also has a presence in Costa Rica.[1]
While there is no general correlation between religion and ethnicity, indigenous people are more likely to practiceanimism than other religions.[1]
Article 75 of the Costa Rican Constitution states that the "Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman Religion is the official religion of the Republic."[73] That same article provides forfreedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right in practice.[74]
Religious groups with at least ten members may register with the government in order to be able to raise funds and own property. There is no penalty for not being registered, other than a lack of access to these privileges.[1]
Religious marriage ceremonies other than those conducted by the Catholic Church are not recognized by the government. Couples married through such ceremonies must also obtain acivil union from a public notary in order to have their marriage legally recognized.[1]
The government provides funding to private religious schools regardless of religion.[1]
In 2023, the country was scored 4 out of 4 for religious freedom.[75]
