Republic of the Congo Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, go to the Religious Records page.

Online Resources and Websites

 * 1906-1936: République démocratique du Congo, Bas-Congo, Kisantu, Paroisse Notre Dame de Sept Douleurs, 1894-2016 at FamilySearch Catalog – images

Historical Background
About half of all Congolese people are Catholic, making it the largest religion in the country. The Catholic church is the majority religion largely because Belgium colonized the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the 19th century. During the colonial period, the Belgian government supported the Catholic churches missionaries, schools, and hospitals.

Information Recorded in the Records
These parish registers contain cards that list each person's baptism, confirmation, first communion, marriage, and death. Each card lists the person's name, parents' names, residence, and the dates of events.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints first arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1986. This denomination has 42,689 members in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Kimbanguist Church
This religion was founded by Simon Kimbangu in the early 1920s. In its early days, leaders held anti-European sentiments, which lasted until the Congo gained its independence. Today there are about 300,000 members.