Religion & Family

The importance of religion in Jamaican culture is evidenced by the many allusions to biblical events in discourse. The island contains more than 100 different Christian denominations and the biggest number of churches per capita in the entire world.

The major Christian groups in Jamaica include Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, and Brethren. Various denominations generally hold Communion services, candlelight rituals, concerts, all-night prayer gatherings, and sing Christmas carols during the holiday season.

A tight-knit network of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins makes up the Jamaican family. Families are tight and help their members financially and emotionally. The family is the most significant group to which an individual belongs, and as such, it is the group with whom the individual spends the most of his or her time cultivating and sustaining friendly interactions.