The predominantreligion in Panama isChristianity, withCatholic Church being its largest denomination. Before the arrival ofSpanishmissionaries, the various ethnic groups residing in the territory of modern-dayPanama practiced a multitude of faiths.[2]
ThePanamanian constitution provides forfreedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right in practice.[2] The US government reported that there were no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice in 2007.[2]
An official survey carried out by the government estimated in 2020 that 80.6% of the population, or 3,549,150 people, identifies itself asRoman Catholic, and 10.4 percent asevangelical Protestant, or 1,009,740.[1] TheJehovah's Witnesses were the third largest congregation comprising the 1.4% of the population, followed by theAdventist Church andthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with the 0.6%. There is a Buddhist (0.4% or 18,560) and a Jewish community (0.1% or 5,240) in the country. TheBaháʼí Faith community of Panama is estimated at 2.00% of the national population, or about 60,000[3] including about 10% of theGuaymí population;[4] the Baháʼís maintain one of the world's eightBaháʼí Houses of Worship in Panama.[2]
Catholics are found throughout the country and at all levels of society.[2] Evangelical Christians also are dispersed geographically and are becoming more prominent in society.[2] The mainstream Protestant denominations, which includeSouthern Baptist Convention and otherBaptist congregations,United Methodist, Methodist Church of the Caribbean and the Americas, andLutheran, derive their membership from theAntillean black and the expatriate communities, both of which are concentrated inPanamá andColón Provinces.[2] The Jewish community is centered largely inPanama City.[2] Muslims live primarily in Panama City and Colon, with smaller concentrations inDavid and other provincial cities.[2] The vast majority of Muslims are ofLebanese,Palestinian, or Indian descent.[2]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) claim more than 40,000 members.[6] Smaller religious groups includeBuddhists with between 15,000 and 20,000 members,Seventh-day Adventists,Jehovah's Witnesses,Episcopalians with between 7,000 and 10,000 members,Muslim communities with approximately 10,000 members each,Hindus, and other Christians.[2] Indigenous religions include Ibeorgun (amongGuna) andMamatata (amongNgobe).[2] There is also a small number ofRastafarians.[2]
The presence ofanusim or crypto-Jews in the Isthmus of Panama has been documented since the earliest migrations of Spaniards and Portuguese to the region. However, due to the legal restrictions imposed by the Crown and the Inquisition, there was no Jewish community that openly practiced its faith.
Researcher and writerElyjah Byrzdett,[7] author of numerous works on the subject, points out that the phenomenon ofconversos in Panama can be divided into two major periods: theCastilian period and thePortuguese period.
TheCastilian period (1501–1580) was marked by the arrival of crypto-Jews of Castilian origin, who played an active role in the colonization of the territory. In his bookThe Pisa Family: A Converso Lineage,[8] Byrzdett documents the detailed genealogy of the Pisa family, whose descendants arrived in Panama and later settled in other regions. Although not all crypto-Jews bore the surname "de Pisa," the author uses it as a reference due to its relevance as a common ancestral line among many converso families in the region.[9]
ThePortuguese period began in 1580, following the dynastic union of Portugal with the Castilian monarchy. During this stage, Portuguese crypto-Jews, who were more organized and had greater resources, managed to establish a house of prayer onCalle Calafates, located behind the oldCathedral of Panama la Vieja. However, theInquisition intensified its persecution of Judaizers, culminating in 1640 in an event known as the"Great Conspiracy," which dismantled much of the crypto-Jewish network in the isthmus. From that point onward, their presence in historical records became increasingly faint, as fear of persecution drove many to conceal their identity even further.[10]
One of the most well-documented episodes of this persecution was thearrest of the Portuguese Sebastián Rodríguez, accused of practicing Judaism. Rodríguez led a group of crypto-Jews that includedAntonio de Ávila, González de Silva, Domingo de Almeyda, and aMercedarian friar, all of whom secretly practiced Judaism. During the judicial proceedings, four doctors certified the presence of themark of circumcision on Rodríguez, which was used as evidence against him.[11] A room has been dedicated to them in the Museum of the Archaeological Center of Panama City.[12]
When the Isthmus joined Simón Bolívar's Federation project, a new Hebrew migration took place, revitalizing the Mosaic faith on isthmian soil. These early Jewish immigrants arrived under a new initial policy that promoted religious freedom in the newly independent territories. They played a crucial role as intermediaries and translators, bridging the gap between the local population and foreigners arriving or passing through the region, thanks to their proficiency in languages such as German, Spanish, French, English, Dutch, and Papiamento.
Jews, both Sephardic (Judeo-Spanish) and Ashkenazi (Judeo-German), began to arrive in significant numbers in Panama in the mid-19th century, drawn by economic opportunities such as the construction of the transoceanic railroad and the California Gold Rush. This migration marked an important chapter in the history of the Jewish community in Panama.
The Republic of Panama, in its current form, would have experienced a very different reality without the notable contributions of the Panamanian Jewish community. Their role in the country's independence movement in 1903 was of crucial importance and prevented the failure of the separatist movement. Distinguished members of the Kol Shearith Israel Congregation, such as Isaac Brandon, M.D. Cardoze, M.A. De León, Joshua Lindo, Morris Lindo, Joshua Piza, and Isaac L. Toledano, provided essential financial support to the Revolutionary Junta when Philippe Jean Bunau-Varilla's promises of funds did not materialize. Without their contribution, the lives of the leaders of Panama's separation from Colombia could have been in jeopardy.[10]
Following this period, there were other waves of Jewish immigration to Panama. During World War I, individuals from the disintegrating Ottoman Empire arrived in the country. After World War II, there was immigration from Europe, and Jews from Arab countries arrived due to the 1948 exodus. More recently, Jewish immigrants from South American nations facing economic crises have joined the Panamanian Jewish community. These groups have contributed to the diversity of the Jewish population in present-day Panama.
The epicenter of Jewish life is in Panama City, although historically, small Jewish communities were established in other cities such as Colon, David, Chitre, Las Tablas (since the late 17th century), La Chorrera, Santiago de Veraguas, and Bocas del Toro. As families moved to the capital in search of education for their children and for economic reasons, these communities gradually dissolved.
Despite their relatively small demographic size compared to the total population of the country (approximately four million inhabitants), the Jewish community numbers between 15,000 and 17,000 people. Currently, the vibrant Jewish community is concentrated in Panama City and is fully integrated into Panamanian society. Unlike in other countries, Panamanian Jews actively participate in trade, government, civic functions, and diplomacy. With the exception of Israel, Panama is the only country in the world to have had two Jewish presidents in the 20th century:
In the 1960s, Max Delvalle first served as vice president and then as president of the Republic. Delvalle is known for his inaugural speech in which he stated, "Today there are two Jewish presidents in the world, the president of the State of Israel and myself." Later, his nephew, Eric Arturo Delvalle, assumed the presidency of the Republic between 1985 and 1988. Both were members of the Kol Shearit Israel synagogue and were involved in Jewish life in Panama.
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In 2023, the country was scored 4 out of 4 for religious freedom.[15]
