Religion in Guyana

Guyana is a secular state with no state-established religion. In the 2012 census, 24.83% identified as Hindu, 22.80% as members of Pentecostal churches, 20.76% as members of other Christian churches, 7.08% as Roman Catholic, 6.77% as Muslim, 5.41% as Seventh-day Adventist and 5.22% as Anglican. Smaller groups included Methodists at 1.35%, Jehovah’s Witnesses at 1.29%, Rastafari at 0.47%, Bahá’í at 0.06% and other religions at 0.85%; 3.14% reported no religious affiliation. The 2022 census continued to include questions on religion and denomination, but its preliminary report did not publish a religion table. Religious institutions and umbrella bodies include Christian denominations, the Guyana Council of Churches, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, the Maha-Sabha des Sanatan Dharma in Guyana (Guyana Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha), the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana, Ahmadiyya, the Guyana Rastafari Council, Bahá’í communities, and Afro-diasporic, Areruya and Indigenous faith communities. The Inter-Religious Organisation of Guyana, known as IROG, includes approximately 40 religious organisations from several faith traditions. Communities organise their own services and admissions; no nationwide registration requirement for religious communities or general licensing requirement for clergy is documented. Religious practice includes services, puja in a mandir, prayers in a masjid, namaz, Jummah, Ramadan, zakat and Hindu festivals. Phagwah is celebrated with colour rituals, while Deepavali is celebrated with lights. Public holidays include Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas, Phagwah, Deepavali, Eid-ul-Azha and Youmun Nabi. Dates are announced by the state each year; Islamic holidays follow the lunar calendar. Eid-ul-Fitr is observed religiously, but its status as a public holiday must be checked against the applicable official announcement each time. Article 145 of the Constitution protects conscience, thought, religion, religious conversion, public and private religious practice, religious instruction and religious observance. No one may be compelled to take an oath that conflicts with their beliefs. Article 149 protects, among other things, against discrimination on the grounds of religion, conscience, belief or culture. The Prevention of Discrimination Act applies to employment, education, professional associations, goods and services; religious institutions may follow special rules concerning ordination, religious education, religious functions and religiously compliant practice. In 2023, a legal conflict was reported concerning cannabis use and Rastafari religious practice, but no general religious exemption has been confirmed. Religious education is included in the Grade 11 curriculum of the Ministry of Education as a National Scheme and covers Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. Article 145 allows religious communities to provide their own instruction. Persons under 18 may not participate in another religion’s religious instruction or religious ceremony without the consent of their guardians. The Hindu community and the relevant Sanatan Dharma organisation provide Hindi, Sanskrit and English instruction, scholarships, and temple, school and welfare activities; availability and quality may vary by location. Religious dialogue takes place through IROG, World Interfaith Harmony Week and discussion events at the University of Guyana, among other channels. The Kommission für ethnische Beziehungen (Ethnic Relations Commission) has a constitutional mandate to promote religious and ethnic harmony, but it is primarily responsible for racial and ethnic discrimination and redress and is not a general religious court. A Marriage Officer must be involved in a religious marriage. Depending on the procedure, residents require banns or notice or a licence; non-residents require a licence. Before a licence can be issued, at least one party must have resided in Guyana for 15 days, the application must be submitted at least two business days in advance, and the licence is valid for 90 days. For persons aged 16 or 17, the consent of the responsible persons is required. The Standesamt (General Register Office) lists 5,000 GYD for the licence, 2,600 GYD for a marriage at the office and 300 GYD for processing a certificate. Community fees are not uniform nationwide. Births and deaths must be registered civilly with the General Register Office; baptism or another religious ritual does not replace this registration.