Which religious communities are recorded in Grenada's 2021 preliminary census?

The census recorded large Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-day Adventist and Anglican communities, as well as Church of God, Spiritual Baptist, Evangelical, Baptist, Methodist and Rastafarian groups. It also recorded Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Bahá'í and other smaller communities, together with people reporting no religious affiliation or no stated affiliation.

How does Article 9 of Grenada's Constitution protect religious practice?

Article 9 protects freedom of conscience, thought and religion, including worship, teaching, observance, public or private religious expression and religious change. Restrictions may be imposed only for specified public interests or to protect the rights and freedoms of others, and discrimination based on creed is prohibited.

When does a religious wedding in Grenada have legal effect?

A religious wedding has legal effect only when the ceremony and officiant satisfy the applicable Marriage Act requirements and any required licence or authorization. A ceremony held by a congregation is not automatically a legally valid marriage without that recognition.

Religion in Grenada

Religion in Grenada is predominantly Christian, with Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-day Adventist and Anglican communities among the largest groups. The 2021 preliminary census recorded 108,279 people, including 34,145 Roman Catholics, 21,581 Pentecostals, 13,343 Seventh-day Adventists and 7,916 Anglicans; 6,444 reported no religious affiliation and 7,698 did not state one. Freedom of conscience and religion protects worship, teaching, observance and religious change, while access to congregations, rites and activities depends on the individual community.

Tip

Choose religious services, instruction or rites by your convictions, practical access, preparation requirements and costs rather than by census size alone. Treat religious ceremonies and legal procedures separately, especially for marriage, and confirm dates, fees and authorization with the responsible congregation and the Cabinet Office. For children, confirm guardian consent and participation rights before arranging religious instruction or observance.

byShanice&Tariq

Most religious activity in Grenada takes place through local churches, congregations and denominations. The 2021 preliminary census also recorded Church of God communities with 3,900 people, Evangelicals with 2,553, Spiritual Baptists with 1,843, Independent Baptists with 1,625, Methodists with 1,368 and Rastafarians with 1,154. Smaller recorded communities included Jehovah's Witnesses with 1,097, Presbyterians with 467, Muslims with 396, Brethren with 312, Mennonites with 280, Hindus with 151, Mormons with 95, Salvation Army members with 49, Buddhists with 24 and Bahá'ís with 15. The census also recorded 49 atheists, 6,444 people with no religious affiliation and 7,698 people who did not state an affiliation. Weekly communal worship, prayer, preaching, sacraments and other religious rites are arranged by individual communities. Holy Week commonly includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Religious services and prayers can also form part of national and religious occasions, but the times, locations and access conditions come from the relevant congregation or denomination. Participation is generally open under freedom of religion, while membership, preparation, donations, fees and appointment requirements vary between communities. The Conference of Churches in Grenada (CCG) is a legally incorporated ecumenical umbrella structure. It works with the Government on mutual understanding, diversity and religious tolerance. Grenada also has special laws covering the CCG, Baptist and Bahá'í bodies, the Islamic Foundation and other church corporations. The available legal framework does not show one uniform state registration requirement for every religious community; organizational status, land and institutional questions can depend on the law applying to the particular body. Article 9 of the Constitution protects freedom of conscience, thought and religion, including the freedom to change religion and to manifest religious belief in public or private through worship, teaching and observance. A person cannot be required to take an oath that conflicts with their religion. Restrictions may apply only on grounds such as public safety, public order, public morality, public health or the rights and freedoms of others, and discrimination based on creed is prohibited. A criminal provision concerning blasphemous language has been reported, but it was not enforced in 2023. Religious communities may establish and maintain educational institutions at their own expense and provide their own religious instruction. A person cannot be required to take part in another religion's instruction, ceremony or observance. Guardian consent applies to religious instruction or observance involving a person under 18. The available information does not establish a nationwide requirement for students to attend instruction belonging to a particular denomination. Good Friday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Corpus Christi and Christmas Day are official public or bank holidays in Grenada. The annual holiday schedule is issued through the Cabinet Office. Carnival, Emancipation and Thanksgiving are not included here because their primary classification is not religious. Religious life events can include baptism, confirmation, communion, blessings, religious weddings, funerals and burials. The Marriage Act recognizes religious, civil and other legally recognized forms of marriage. A marriage licence pathway is handled through the Cabinet Office. A religious ceremony does not automatically create a legally valid marriage unless the ceremony and officiant meet the applicable legal recognition requirements. Congregational fees and preparation periods vary, and government marriage-licence costs and timing should be checked separately for the intended procedure.