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Julius Nyerere is most famous for his envisioning and implementation of ujamaa (familyhood) socialism in the late 1960s and 1970s. Here Nyerere attempted to marry the ideals of modern Catholic social teaching, the communitarian ethos of traditional African society, and socialist economic theory.

Traditional healing, witchcraft and exorcisms are part of the fabric of spiritual life. Witchcraft is greatly feared, especially among Christians.

As in much of Africa, the Tanzanian Catholic Church plays an outsized role in providing educational, medical and social services. Catholic-affiliated street ministries are also making a big impact on social provision.

The choir dominates the Tanzanian Mass, and no song is complete without choreographed movement including stamping feet, swaying arms, clapping, and sometimes even cries of joy.

Catholic worship in Tanzania revolves around the Mass, and a Tanzanian Mass shares much of the ritual formality one would find in any part of the Catholic world. But African pride is also on display, with a jubilant choir, dancing children, and impeccable dress.

The heart of the Tanzanian church is the jumuiya, or Small Christian Community. These communities are especially important in rural areas where there are no priests. They meet weekly, help to develop local lay-leaders, and provide needed support and hospitality in the community.

Tanzania is a country rich in eco-tourism, indigenous cultures, and diverse and dynamic religious traditions. About 30% of the population identify as Catholic, making it the largest Christian church in the country.

The ancient pilgrimage site calls for its retreatants to complete prayer stations while barefoot, fasting, and without sleep for a 24-hour vigil. It taps a morally rigorous strain of Christianity that runs deep in Irish religious culture, even while religious practice is otherwise in sharp decline.

In Camaiore, a small city in Tuscany nestled between mountains and the sea, one of the highlights of the year is the feast of Corpus Domini, when townspeople come out to make and view brightly colored sawdust tappeti, or carpets, to line the route for a religious procession.

Maronite Catholicism encompasses a whole range of traditions and practices that give meaning and texture to the faith. The Qurbono,1 as the Maronite Mass is properly called, is the primary official form of prayer of the church, and a fundamental source of Maronite identity. It bears many similarities to other Eastern and Western Catholic liturgies, but has its own particular elements that make it distinctive. Having developed from the ancient traditions of Antioch, the Qurbono was for centuries celebrated in 1It is also sometimes spelled Qorbono when written using a Latin alphabet.