Republic of the Congo Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, go to the Religious Records page.

Online Resources and Websites

 * 1894-2016 - République démocratique du Congo, Bas-Congo, Kisantu, Paroisse Notre Dame de Sept Douleurs, 1894-2016 at FamilySearch Catalog – images

Historical Background
Christianity is the majority religion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, followed by more than 79% of the population. Denominations include Roman Catholic 42.8%, Protestant 38% and other Christian denominations (including Kimbanguist) 12%. 62 of the Protestant denominations in the country are federated under the umbrella of the Church of Christ in Congo or CCC (in French, Église du Christ au Congo or ECC). It is often simply referred to as 'The Protestant Church', since it covers most of the 20% of the population who are Protestants.

Christianity was brought to DRC from Europe, mainly Belgium. The writer Jens Bjørneboe wrote in "Frihetens Øyeblikk" (Moments of Freedom) that "The Belgians worked hard with missionary activities among the black. After a few years the population in Congo was reduced from more than 30 million to only 8. In return, these 8 had become Christian".

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 Congo (Democratic Republic).
 * b. Click on Places within Congo (Democratic 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.

Writing to a Local Parish
To locate the mailing address or e-mail address for a local parish, consult:
 * The Catholic Directory: Democratic Republic of the Congo

Historical Background
There are around 35 million Catholics in the country, representing about half of the total population. There are six archdioceses and 41 dioceses. The impact of the Roman Catholic Church in the DRC is enormous. Besides involving over 40 percent of the population in its religious services, its schools have educated over 60 percent of the nation's primary school students and more than 40 percent of its secondary students. The church owns and manages an extensive network of hospitals, schools, and clinics, as well as many diocesan economic enterprises, including farms, ranches, stores, and artisans' shops.

The church's penetration of the country at large is a product of the colonial era. The Belgian colonial state authorized and subsidized the predominantly Belgian Roman Catholic missions to establish schools and hospitals throughout the colony.

Online Records
Information is available to current members only 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 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1986 and has been growing rapidly, though it remains minor. The group first received recognition in 1986 under etition from members who had joined the Church while studying abroad in Switzerland and Belgium.[6][7] The Church is thought to have 42,689 members in 145 congregations. In 2011, it announced its intention to build its first Congolese Temple in Kinshasa.[

Writing for Records

 * [ Google Maps search results for Church of Christ in Congo. churches in Democratic Republic of the Congo]

Writing for Records

 * [ Google Maps search results for Kimbanguist churches in Democratic Republic of the Congo]