Advertise with us
Advertise with us
ASPIRING MINDS FOUNDATION
Spritual Baptist Day
This holiday is always celebrated on 30 March each year.
Spiritual Baptist Day may also be known as Shouter Baptist Liberation Day and marks the 1951 repeal of the prohibition on practising the religion.
Spiritual Baptist is a religion that developed from similar faiths in several Caribbean countries. It combines elements of Protestant Christianity with African customs and rituals.
In 1917, practicing the religion was prohibited under the Shouter Prohibition Ordinance by the British colonial government. The reason given was that the noise created their services was disturbing the peace.
Spiritual Baptists are sometimes referred to as 'shouters', as during services, they shout, clap, sing loudly and ring bells. During the time of the prohibition on their religion, the Spiritual Baptists dropped the name Shouter Baptists in order to gain more respect for their religion.
The ordinance was repealed on 30 March 1951, leaving the Spiritual Baptists free to practice their religion as they wish.
This holiday was first observed in 1966 to mark the repeal of the prohibition and the struggle for religious freedom.
Trinidad and Tobago is the only country in the world that celebrates a public holiday for the Spiritual Baptist faith.