Religion in the United States Virgin Islands is varied, though most U.S. Virgin Islanders are Christian. The U.S. Virgin Islands has a history of Judaism and Christianity, with Jews first settling on the islands in 1655. It is estimated that only 5-6% of the population is non-Christian (see chart).
Religions: in the United States Virgin Islands (2010)[1]
Protestant (65.5%)
Roman Catholic (27.1%)
Other Christian (1.8%)
Unaffiliated (3.7%)
Other religion (1.9%)
As in most Caribbean countries, Christianity is the dominant religion in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Protestantism is most prevalent, reflecting the territory's colonial heritage. There is also a strong Roman Catholic presence. Protestants make up 65,5% (Baptist 32%, Pentecostal 12%, Adventist 10%, Episcopalian 9%, other 2,5%) of the total population on the islands. Roman Catholics are 27,1% of the population.[2]
See also: Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands and Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Thomas
Islam in the United States Virgin Islands is a minority religion in the territory.
History
Islam grew in the territory beginning in the 1960s which mainly came from other Caribbean islands and the Middle East originally for work purposes. They brought their families and eventually settled down on the island. In 1978, the Muhammad Mosque was established as the first mosque in the territory. It was later renamed to Nur Mosque.[7] In 1998 the first Islamic school, IQRA' ACADEMY, was opened, in St. Croix.[8] There were, as of 2011, around 1,200 Muslims in the Islands.[9]
The Bahai Faith was established in the Virgin Islands in the 1950s and has had active communities and spiritual assemblies there since that time. The Bahai National Center for the US and British Virgin Islands is located on St. Thomas and local centers are elsewhere. The local communities are administered by local spiritual assemblies and are under the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais of the Virgin Islands. [10]
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As in most of the Caribbean, various forms of Rastafari are practiced on the island.
Shree Ram Naya Sabha, Inc. v. Hendricks, 19 VI 216 (D.V.I. July 14, 1982).