Central African Republic Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in Central African Republic, go to the Religious Records page.

Historical Background
Christianity is the largest religion in Central African Republic, with Protestantism being the largest denomination. Roman Catholic and Protestant missions are scattered throughout the territory. About 51 percent of the population are Protestant; another 29 percent are Roman Catholic. Missionary groups within the country include Lutherans, Baptists, Grace Brethren, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Information Recorded in the Records
Different denominations, different time periods, and practices of different record keepers will effect how much information can be found in the records. This outline will show the types of details which might be found (best case scenario):

Baptisms
In Catholic and Anglican records, children were usually baptized a few days after birth, and therefore, the baptism record proves date of birth. Other religions, such as Baptists, baptized at other points in the member's life. Baptism registers might give:

Marriages
Marriage registers can give:

Burials
Burial registers may give:

Digital Copies of Church Records in the FamilySearch Catalog
Watch for digitized copies of church records to be added to the collection of the FamilySearch Library. Some records might have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a Family History Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:
 * a. Click on the records of Central African Republic.
 * b. Click on Places within Central African Republic and a list of towns will appear.
 * c. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
 * d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
 * e. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the listing for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the record is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the records.

Writing for Records
You will probably need to write to or email the national archives, the diocese, or local parish priests to find records. See French Letter Writing Guide for help with composing letters.
 * Maps.me Church Directory for Central African Republic

Writing to a Local Parish
Earlier records can be held at the diocese, with more recent records still kept in the local parish. To locate the mailing address or e-mail address for a diocese or local parish, consult:
 * The Catholic Directory: Central African Republic

Historical Background
The Catholic Church in the Central African Republic is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. There are over 1.5 million Catholics in the country which represents slightly more than a third of the total population.

Online Records
Online information is available to current members, for deceased members and immediate family members who are still living. Sign in to FamilySearch and then select Family Tree in the drop-down menu.

Historical Background
The first known member living in Central Africa Republic was a returned missionary with the United States Peace Corps in 1991. She shared the gospel with many of her associates and in September 1991 was set apart as a district missionary. In September 1992, 20 converts were baptized and two branches (small congregations) organized in Bangui. A few months later a French missionary couple arrived. Total Church Membership: 239. Congregations: 1.