A Scattered Faith: Catholicism's Presence In Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked, mountainous country in south-central Asia. It is a predominantly Muslim country, with very few Catholics. In fact, prior to August 2021, there were just over 200 Catholics in the country, most of whom were foreigners working in embassies. There is only one Catholic Church in the country, located in the Italian embassy in Kabul. The history of Catholicism in Afghanistan is a short one, with the first Catholic chapel being opened in 1921 as part of a treaty with Italy. Since then, the Catholic community in Afghanistan has faced many challenges, including restrictions on proselytising and a lack of religious freedom. In recent years, the Taliban takeover has further complicated the situation, with Catholic relief organisations evacuating the country and the community ceasing to exist.

The Catholic Church in Afghanistan is part of the worldwide Catholic Church

The history of the Catholic Church in Afghanistan can be traced back to the early days of Christianity, when it is believed that the Apostles Thomas and Bartholomew first brought Christianity to the region. In the 5th century, there was a Diocese of Herat, which became a metropolitan see in the 6th, 10th, and 11th centuries. Christian communities, largely Nestorian, flourished in Afghan cities along caravan routes but eventually disappeared.

In the 17th century, Jesuit missionaries came to Kabul, but there were only a small number of conversions in the predominantly Muslim country. In 1921, as part of a treaty with Italy, Afghanistan allowed the Italian embassy in Kabul to build a Catholic chapel to serve foreigners working in the capital. This chapel, known as Our Lady of Divine Providence Chapel, was the only legal Catholic place of worship in the country and was not open to local nationals.

In 1933, Pope Pius XI sent a priest from Italy, Egidio Caspani, to serve as the papal representative in Afghanistan. Over the years, a small number of Catholics, mostly foreigners, resided in the country, and priests from the embassy provided spiritual assistance to them. However, there was never a formal diocese or diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and the Holy See.

In recent years, there have been some positive developments in relations between the Catholic Church and Afghanistan. In 2005, Afghan President Hamid Karzai attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II and congratulated Pope Benedict XVI on his election. Additionally, the papal nuncio to neighbouring Pakistan visited Afghanistan and held a Mass in the Italian Embassy Chapel, which was well-attended.

However, the Catholic Church in Afghanistan has also faced significant challenges. In the late 20th century, the country fell under the control of Islamic fundamentalists, and Christian missionaries were forbidden to proselytize. Their presence was only tolerated due to their humanitarian work. In 2001, the Taliban government announced that conversion to Christianity was punishable by death, and several Christian aid workers were charged with spreading Christianity and imprisoned.

Following the collapse of the Taliban government in 2001 and the installation of a new coalition government led by Hamid Karzai, there was hope for greater religious freedom and tolerance in Afghanistan. The Catholic Relief Services provided aid to refugees and displaced persons, and the Missionaries of Charity arrived in Kabul in 2004 to carry out humanitarian work.

Despite these efforts, the Catholic community in Afghanistan remains small and faces challenges in practising their faith openly. In recent years, there have been reports of protests and effigy burnings of the Pope by Afghans accusing Christian aid groups of proselytizing. As of 2021, with the Taliban's return to power, the Catholic community in Afghanistan has ceased to exist, and religious freedom remains a distant dream for Catholics in the country.

The history of Catholicism in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked, mountainous country in south-central Asia with a population of roughly 33 million, 99% of whom are Muslim. The country has been conquered and influenced by various empires throughout its history, including Alexander the Great, Persia, India, and Islam. Islam spread across the region in the 7th century AD, and Muslims have been the dominant religious group in the country ever since.

While there is a tradition that the Apostles Thomas and Bartholomew first brought Christianity to the region, and Christian communities flourished in Afghan cities along caravan routes, they eventually disappeared. Jesuit missionaries came to Kabul in the 17th century, but there were only a small number of conversions within the predominantly Muslim population.

In the 20th century, Catholic presence in Afghanistan was largely tied to the presence of foreign embassies and their employees. In 1921, Italy signed a treaty with Afghanistan and opened an embassy in Kabul. As part of the deal, Italy requested to build a Catholic chapel within its embassy compound to serve Italian employees, and the Afghan government agreed. The chapel, known as Our Lady of Divine Providence Chapel, became the first and only legal Catholic place of worship in the country.

In 1933, Pope Pius XI sent a priest, Egidio Caspani, to serve as the papal representative in Afghanistan. Over the years, a number of Barnabite priests served as chaplains to the small Catholic community, which primarily consisted of foreigners working in embassies or as technicians and specialized workers.

In the late 20th century, the Afghan government fell into the hands of Islamic fundamentalists, and Christian missionaries were forbidden to proselytize. Catholic chaplains from Pakistan visited the country to minister to the few Catholic non-residents living in Afghanistan. In 1999, non-Muslims were ordered to identify themselves with yellow clothing and marks on their homes so that they could be avoided by Muslims.

In 2001, the Taliban government announced that conversion to Christianity was punishable by death. This led to the imprisonment of eight Christian aid workers, who were later freed by US forces following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. With the collapse of the Taliban and the installation of a new coalition government in 2002, there was hope for greater religious freedom and tolerance in Afghanistan.

In May 2002, Pope John Paul II established a mission sui iuris for Afghanistan, with Giuseppe Moretti as its first superior. There is only one functioning chapel in the country, located in the Italian Embassy in Kabul. The Catholic community in Afghanistan primarily consists of foreigners, especially aid workers, and no Afghans are known to be currently part of the Church due to social and legal pressures against converting to non-Islamic religions.

In August 2021, following the Taliban's resumption of governance, the Catholic community in Afghanistan ceased to exist, with religious leaders and workers evacuating the country.

The Catholic community in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked, mountainous country in south-central Asia, with a population of roughly 33 million, 99% of whom are Muslim. It has historically been a challenging environment for Christians, and even more so for Catholics, who have had no sustained presence in the country until the 20th century.

The history of the Catholic Church in Afghanistan is closely tied to the Italian embassy in Kabul. In 1921, the embassy was allowed to build the first and only legal Catholic chapel in the country to serve foreigners working in the capital. The chapel, called Our Lady of Divine Providence Chapel, is the only functioning Catholic place of worship in Afghanistan. It is also the base of the Mission Sui Iuris of Afghanistan, the Catholic mission territory erected by St. Pope John Paul II in May 2002 and led by Italian priest Fr. Giovanni Scalese since 2015.

In addition to the chapel, the mission has several projects, including a "Peace School" for 500 students that was constructed in 2003, and a scholarship program to help young Afghan women study. Three religious sisters also work with those with mental disabilities in the capital city, teaching those with cerebral palsy essential life skills.

The Catholic Church in Afghanistan has faced numerous challenges over the years, particularly under Taliban rule. During the Taliban's rule in the 1990s, Christian missionaries were forbidden to proselytize and were only tolerated due to their humanitarian work. In 2001, the Taliban announced that conversion to Christianity was punishable by death. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 and the installation of a new coalition government, there was hope for greater religious freedom and tolerance in Afghanistan. However, with the Taliban's return to power in 2021, the Catholic community in Afghanistan ceased to exist, as Fr. Giovanni Scalese and several other religious workers left the country.

The only Catholic church in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked, mountainous country in south-central Asia with a population that is overwhelmingly Muslim. There is only one Catholic church in the country, located in the Italian embassy in Kabul. The chapel was built in 1921 after Italy signed a treaty with Afghanistan and wanted a Catholic chaplain and chapel to serve Italians employed by the embassy.

The chapel is called Our Lady of Divine Providence Chapel and is the base of the Mission Sui Iuris of Afghanistan, which extends to the whole country. The mission has been led by Fr. Giovanni Scalese since 2015. He is hopeful that Afghanistan will return to a "normal situation" in which foreign personnel can return and live out their faith "without limitations".

The Catholic community in Afghanistan is mainly made up of foreigners, especially aid workers. No Afghans are currently known to be part of the Church due to social and legal pressure not to convert to non-Islamic religions. Proselytising is forbidden, and those who do so can be imprisoned or even killed.

The number of Catholics in Afghanistan is estimated to be around 200, and Mass attendance has dipped in recent years due to security concerns and less emphasis on religion among foreigners in the country. However, the community has grown from only a few sisters to a full Sunday Mass of around 100.

The future of the Catholic Church in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked, mountainous country in south-central Asia, with a population of roughly 33 million, 99% of whom are Muslim. The country has a long history of religious conflict, with Islam spreading across the area over a millennium ago.

The Catholic Church in Afghanistan is part of the worldwide Catholic Church. There is a long history of the Catholic Church in Afghanistan, but its presence has always been small. Prior to August 2021, there were very few Catholics in the country—just over 200 attended Mass in its only chapel, located in the Italian embassy in Kabul. The chapel was built in 1921 to serve foreigners working in the capital. The Catholic community in Afghanistan is mainly made up of foreigners, especially aid workers, and no Afghans are known to be currently part of the Church, due to social and legal pressure not to convert from Islam.

Following the Taliban takeover in 2021, there is no longer a Catholic community to speak of in Afghanistan. Fr. Giovanni Scalese, head of the Mission Sui Iuris of Afghanistan, returned to Italy after the Taliban took power, bringing with him a number of Missionaries of Charity and 14 disabled children cared for by the sisters. However, Scalese is hopeful that the country will eventually return to a "normal situation" in which foreign personnel can return and live the faith "without limitations". He emphasizes that Catholics "are not interested in who is in government: we just need no obstacles to the exercise of religious freedom."

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