Catholicism Connection - Similarities Between Voodoo and Catholicism

As described in the last section, the slaves found a great similarity between their religions and the Catholicism that they were forced to practice.

Existence of Supernatural Powers

Both Catholicism and Voodoo have a sense of supernatural powers or beings in their religion. Voodoo spirits and the Catholic Holy Spirit and miracles are examples.

Life After Death

As Catholics believe in heaven and hell after death, Voodoo practitioners share a similar belief of the good going to a heaven-like place and the bad doomed to live on earth as bodiless spirits. The belief of souls is also very important to both religions.

One God

Both religions believe in one supreme God who rules the universe and is somewhat distant from the people.

Saints/Lesser Gods

The ideas of Catholic saints and Voodoo lesser gods, or loas, are very similar. Both are humans who lived extraordinary lives and are revered for that fact. Both are often prayed to to help a certain cause and are believed to be able appeal to God for assistance on behalf of the person praying. Direct similarities between specific saints and loas are prevalent.

• Saint Patrick vs. Dambala - both associated with snakes.
• St. Joseph vs. Ogou Balanjo - healers, help small children
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Communion and Blood Sacrifice

The sacrament of Communion in the Catholic church can be considered a blood sacrifice as in Communion, the wine and bread turn into the blood and body of Christ. In Voodoo, animal sacrifice is an important ritual. Goats, chickens, and other animals are sacrificed as gifts to the loas.