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Mozambique Church Records

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For information about records for non-Christian religions in Mozambique, go to the Religious Records page.

Online Resources

Historical Background

According to the most recent census conducted by the National Institute of Statistics in 2007, 56.1% of the population of Mozambique were Christian. Religious communities are dispersed throughout the country. The northern provinces are predominantly Muslim, particularly along the coastal strip, but some areas of the northern interior have a stronger concentration of Protestant or Catholic communities. Protestants and Catholics are generally more numerous in the southern and central regions. Major Christian religious groups include Anglican, Baptist, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), Congregational, Christadelphians, Methodist, Nazarene, Presbyterian, Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholic, Seventh-day Adventist, and Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, as well as evangelical, apostolic, and Pentecostal churches.[1]

Information Recorded in the Records

Different denominations, different time periods, and practices of different record keepers will effect how much information can be found in the records. This outline will show the types of details which might be found (best case scenario):

Baptisms

In Catholic and Anglican records, children were usually baptized a few days after birth, and therefore, the baptism record proves date of birth. Other religions, such as Baptists, baptized at other points in the member's life. Baptism registers might give:

  • baptism date
  • the infant's name
  • parents' names
  • father's occupation
  • status of legitimacy
  • occasionally, names of grandparents
  • names of witnesses or godparents, who may be relatives
  • birth date and place
  • the family's place of residence
  • death information, as an added note or signified by a cross

Marriages

Marriage registers can give:

  • the marriage date
  • the names of the bride and groom
  • indicate whether the bride and groom were single or widowed
  • their ages
  • birth dates and places for the bride and groom
  • their residences
  • their occupations
  • birthplaces of the bride and groom
  • parents' names (after 1800)
  • the names of previous spouses and their death dates
  • names of witnesses, who might be relatives.

Burials

Burial registers may give:

  • the name of the deceased
  • the date and place of death or burial
  • the deceased's age
  • place of residence
  • cause of death
  • the names of survivors, especially a widow or widower
  • deceased's birth date and place
  • parents' names, or at least the father's name



How to Find Records

Digital Copies of Church Records in the FamilySearch Catalog

Watch for digitized copies of church records to be added to the collection of the FamilySearch Library. Some records might have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a FamilySearch Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:

a. Click on the records of Mozambique.
b. Click on Places within Mozambique and a list of towns will appear.
c. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
e. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the listing for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the record is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the records.

Writing for Records

You will probably need to write to or email the national archives, the diocese, or local parish priests to find records. See Portuguese Letter-writing Guide for help with composing letters.

Catholic Church Records

Writing to a Local Parish

Earlier records can be held at the diocese, with more recent records still kept in the local parish. To locate the mailing address or e-mail address for a diocese or local parish, consult:

Historical Background

The Catholic Church in Mozambique is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. There are over 8,784 million Catholics (30,5%) in Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony. The country is divided into twelve dioceses including three archdioceses.[2]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Records

Online Records

Online information is available to current members, for deceased members and immediate family members who are still living. Sign in to FamilySearch and then select Family Tree in the drop-down menu.

Historical Background

The Church was legally recognized in Mozambique in 1996. The first branch (a small congregation) was organized in Maputo, the capital city. In January 1999 a second branch, in Beira, was organized. In June of 1999, the first missionaries came to Mozambique. The first Mozambican missionary was called in December 1999. By 2002 more than 20 Mozambican missionaries had been called, some serving in their homeland, some in other countries. On April 13, 2003, the Beira Mozambique District was organized, the first district in the country. Total Church Membership: 12,274. Congregations: 34. [3]

Anglican (Episcopal) Church Records

Writing for Records

Historical Background

See A brief history of the Anglican Church in Mozambique.

Baptist Church Records

Writing for Records

Christadelphians Church Records

Writing for Records

Historical Background

Preaching is done by local brothers. Our CBM (SA) brothers look after the Maputo area. We have a mission complex in Milange, Zambezia province, where there is an English-speaking secretary. Estimates for the main centres of Christadelphian population in Mozambique (5,300).[4][5]

Congregational Church Records

Writing for Records

Historical Background

The Congregational Church was established in Southern Africa by the London Missionary Society (LMS) which started work in Cape Town in 1799. Within a few years mission stations had been established throughout the Cape Province, in present-day Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. At the invitation of the LMS, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) came to South Africa in 1835 and commenced work in Natal and Mozambique. After the withdrawal of the LMS from the Cape, the churches it had established, together with the English-speaking congregations, formed the Congregational Union of South Africa in 1859. This church united in 1967 with the Bantu Congregational Church (ABCFM) to form the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, incorporating the work of the two bodies in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe. [6]

Eastern Orthodox Church Records

Dioceses and Archdiocese of the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria and of All Africa

Mozambique is included in the Diocese of Mozambique.

















Jehovah's Witnesses Church Records

Writing for Records

Methodist Church Records

Writing for Records

Nazarene Church Records

Writing for Records

Pentecostal/Evangelical/Apostolic Church Records

Writing for Records

Presbyterian Church Records

Writing for Records

Historical Background

The history of the Presbyterian Church of Mozambique goes back to 1882 when Josefa Mhalamhala was sent to preach the gospel in present-day Mozambique by the Church of Valdezia/Spelonken in South Africa, belonging to the Swiss Mission. Rev. Paul Berthoud, the first missionary sent by the Swiss Mission arrived in 1887. Ricatla, where today the theological seminary is located, was the first mission station. In 1948 the church assumed its own financial responsibilities. At a meeting of representatives of the church and the Swiss Mission in 1962 the autonomy of the church was officially recognized, and the status of the missionaries serving the church was clarified. An important synod of the church was held in 1963, in Lourenço Marques (now Maputo), where a new constitution was adopted and five pastors were ordained. [7]

Seventh-day Adventist Church Records

Writing for Records

Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Church Records

Writing for Records


Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Av 24 de Julho 3108
Alto Maé, Maputo

Telephone: 82306 286/ 823063 289

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Religion in Mozambique", in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Mozambique, accessed 24 March 2020.
  2. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Catholic Church in Mozambique", in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_Mozambique, accessed 24 March 2020.
  3. ↑ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Facts and Statistics: Mozambique, https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/facts-and-statistics/country/Mozambique, accessed 24 March 2020.
  4. ↑ "Mozambique", at "Christadelphian Bible Mission", https://www.cbm.org.uk/mozambique/, accessed 24 March 2020.
  5. ↑ "Christadelphians", at ReligionWiki, Wikia.org, https://religion.wikia.org/wiki/Christadelphians, accessed 24 March 2020.
  6. ↑ "United Congregational Church of Southern Africa", at World Council of Churches, https://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/united-congregational-church-of-southern-africa, accessed 24 March 2020.
  7. ↑ "Presbyterian Church of Mozambique", at "World Council of Churches", https://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/presbyterian-church-of-mozambique, accessed 24 March 2020.
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