Restricted
Cuba
Despite the change in leadership in 2018, churches in Cuba face unrelenting pressure from the government, which remains committed to communism’s atheistic ideology and views churches as a threat to the revolution begun by Che Guevara and Fidel Castro in the 1950s. Cubans are poor, and the government seeks to control every aspect of their lives. In April 2021, Miguel Diaz-Canel was announced as Raul Castro’s successor as first secretary of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party — the first time the country has been governed by someone other than a Castro since the revolution.
Major Religion
While 56 percent of Cubans are Christians, most of the remaining percentage are atheists. A significant number of Cubans engage in superstitious and spiritist practices, including the Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria.
Persecutor
The government persecutes Christians.
WHAT IT MEANS TO FOLLOW CHRIST IN CUBA
Unlike the overt violence Christians faced during the Communist Cuban Revolution, more subtle methods of persecution are now used by the Cuban government, largely out of concern for its global reputation. Christian leaders are often summoned by government officials for questioning or detained up to 48 hours to pressure them, and churches are demolished by hired gangs so the government can deny responsibility. Legal church buildings are seized, and no new church buildings have been legally built in the country since the revolution. Many believers meet in illegal house churches, often extensions of the pastor’s home or shaded structures in the backyard of a family’s home. Churches continue to grow through active evangelistic activity, but some believers have never owned a Bible because of government oppression. Many Christians are closely watched and are effectively under house arrest. In addition, Christians are often denied jobs and educational opportunities.
Access to Bibles
Though great strides have been made in Bible distribution, access remains restricted. In 2017, Cuba allowed the purchase and sale of Bibles only to members of the ecumenical Protestant church organization, but most Christian literature remains illegal. There are no Christian bookstores in Cuba. There is a shortage of Bibles, which even when available can cost a third of a worker’s monthly income. Give Bibles
VOM Work
VOM distributes Bibles and supports discipleship and evangelism. One of the most effective ways VOM supports persecuted Christians is through a vast prayer network. Public prayer, which embarrasses the Cuban government before the world, has led to the release of some detained pastors. Give to VOM’s Global Ministry
Pray for Cuba
- Pray that Christians boldly following Christ at any cost will be a light that draws others to God.
- Pray that Christians who are closely watched by the Communist government will remember their freedom in Christ.
- Pray that Bible distribution efforts will be successful in equipping Christians with access to God's Word.
- Pray that Christians will have opportunities for discipleship despite restriction efforts by the government.
- Pray that Christians who meet in illegal house churches will remain connected and unified in Christ.
