Christianity in Somaliland is a minority religion, estimated to have 7,642 followers according to the 2023 report by the Somali Bible Society.[1] This census did not count for the Christians in Somaliland who continue to practice their religion secretly or could not be contacted due to language barriers or fear of persecution.[1] The country's Christians are mostly native born.[2] The foreign Christian demographics include United Nations workers or other humanitarian agencies with bases in Hargeisa.[2] As of 2021, however, there are at least some known local Christians who feel persecuted.[3] The church and its institutions such as Caritas International also work in relief and charitable work, and also run programs such as rehabilitation of schools and hospitals, food aid, and assistance to poor children.[citation needed]
History
In the ancient city of Mundus, located near Heis, archaeologists have found evidences of Christian worship in the fifth century. Excavations here have yielded pottery and shards of Roman glassware with Christian symbols from a time between the 1st and 5th centuries. Among these artefacts is high-quality millefiori glass; it features red flower disks superimposed on a green background.[4]
However, prior to Islam, Christianity had no foothold in Somaliland until after the Colonial Era.
Roman Catholic church closed in 2017, Hargeisa, Somaliland
In 1913, during the early period of the colonial era, there were practically no Christians in Somaliland, with about 100 to 200 adherents coming from schools and orphanages affiliated with the Catholic missions in the Protectorate of British Somaliland.[5] The small number of Christians in the region today comes mostly from similar Catholic institutions in Aden, Djibouti and Berbera.[6]
Somaliland is located within the bishopric area in the Horn of Africa and under the administration of the Anglican diocese in Egypt. However, there are no current Anglican communities in the region.[7] However, since 1990 no bishop has been appointed from Mogadishu, and currently the bishop of Djibouti serves the diocese as an apostolic official.[8]Adventist Mission indicates that there are no members in Somaliland.[9][10]
Bibliography
Tripodi, Paolo. The Colonial Legacy in Somalia. St. Martin's Press. New York, 1999.
^Charles George Herbermann, The Catholic encyclopedia: an international work of reference on the constitution, doctrine, discipline, and history of the Catholic church, Volume 14, (Robert Appleton Company: 1913), p. 139.
