Ilê Axé Iya Nassô Oká - Terreiro da Casa Branca

Candomblé is an African religion practiced chiefly in Brazil but also in adjacent countries. The religion came from Africa to Brazil, carried by African priests and adherents who were brought as slaves between 1549 and 1850. Some scholars argue that the religion is African peoples uniting under similar African practices, making the religion a New World practice instead of a remnant of African practice. The name Batuque is also used, especially before the 19th century when Candomblé became more common. Both words are believed to derive from a Bantu-family language. Image File history File links Casa branca do engenho velho is an temple of candomblé religion in Bahia Brasil File links The following pages link to this file: Candomblé ... Image File history File links Casa branca do engenho velho is an temple of candomblé religion in Bahia Brasil File links The following pages link to this file: Candomblé ... Religion in Africa is multifaceted. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... . ... Slave redirects here. ... Events July - Ketts Rebellion Francis Xavier arrives in Japan. ... Year 1850 (MDCCCL) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Map showing the approximate distribution of Bantu (dull yellow) vs. ...

Although originally confined to the slave population, banned by the Catholic church, and even criminalized by some governments, Candomblé thrived for over four centuries, and expanded considerably after the end of slavery in late 1800s. It is now a major, established religion, with followers from all social classes and tens of thousands of temples. In recent surveys, about 2 million Brazilians (1.5% of the total population) have declared candomblé as their religion. However, in Brazilian culture, religions are not seen as mutually exclusive, and thus many people of other faiths participate in candomblé rituals regularly or occasionally. Candomblé deities, rituals, and holidays are now an integral part of Brazilian folklore. Slave redirects here. ... The name Catholic Church can mean a visible organization that refers to itself as Catholic, or the invisible Christian Church, viz. ... // ON MAY 5 1853 MR.FADER HAD SEX WITH A MAN NAME MR WIEN THEN THEY HAD SON NAMEDMRS COTURE AND MR MANOOGIAN WENT INTO MRS HASKELLS OFFICE NAKED AND DANCED AROUND AND MASTERBATED ON HER CHEST AND SHE LICKED IT OFF THEN THEY HAD ORAL SEEX WITH NAPLOEAN OF... Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions between individuals or groups in societies or cultures. ... Folklore is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, material culture, and so forth within a particular population comprising the traditions (including oral traditions) of that culture, subculture, or group. ...

Candomblé may be called Macumba in some regions, notably Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, although Macumba has a distinct set of practices more akin to European witchcraft. Candomblé can also be distinguished from Umbanda, a religion founded in the early 20th century by combining African elements with Kardecism; and from similar African-derived religions in other New World countries, such as Haitian Voodoo, Cuban Santería, and Obeah, which developed independently of Candomblé and are virtually unknown in Brazil. Flag of Rio de Janeiro See other Brazilian States Capital Rio de Janeiro Largest City Rio de Janeiro Area 43,696. ... Flag of São Paulo See other Brazilian States Capital São Paulo Largest City São Paulo Area 248,176. ... Macumba is a word of African (Bantu) origins. ... It has been suggested that Witch be merged into this article or section. ... Umbanda is a religion that blends Catholicism, Kardecist Spiritualism, and Afro-Brazilian religions . ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Kardecist Spiritism or Kardecism is a spiritualistic doctrine created in the 19th century by Allan Kardec. ... Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, c. ... Voodoo (Vodou, Vodoun, Vudu, or Vudun in Benin, Togo, southeastern Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Senegal; also Vodou in Haiti) is a name attributed to a traditionally unwritten West African spiritual system of faith and ritual practices. ... “Lukumi” redirects here. ... Obeah is a term used in the West Indies to refer to folk magic or sorcery. ...

Nations

Brazilian slaves came from a number of ethnic groups, including Yoruba, Ewe, Fon, and Bantu. Slave handlers classified them by the shore of embarkment, so the relation to their actual ethnicity may be accurate or not. As the religion developed semi-independently in different regions of the country, among different ethnic groups, it evolved into several "sects" or nations (nações), distinguished chiefly by the set of worshipped deities, as well as the music and language used in the rituals. The Yoruba (Yorùbá in Yoruba orthography) are a large ethno-linguistic group or ethnic nation in Africa; the majority of them speak the Yoruba language (ede Yorùbá). The Yoruba constitute approximately 21 percent of Nigerias total population,[1] and around 30 million individuals throughout the region of... The Ewe people are a people of southern Ghana and Togo. ... Fon is a major West African ethnic and linguistic group in the country of Benin or Dahomey, and southwest Nigeria, made up of more than 2,000,000 people. ... Map showing the approximate distribution of Bantu (dull yellow) vs. ... Religious music (also sacred music) is music performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. ... A sacred language is a language, frequently a dead language, that is cultivated for religious reasons by people who speak another language in their daily life. ...

The division into nations was also influenced by the religious and beneficent brotherhoods (irmandades) of Brazilian slaves organized by the Catholic Church in the 18th and 19th centuries. These fraternities, organized along ethnic lines to allow preaching in the slaves' native languages, provided a legitimate cover for slave reunions, and ultimately may have aided the establishment of Candomblé. Look up brotherhood in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The following list is a rough classification of the major nations and sub-nations, and their sacred languages:

• Ketu or Queto - Yoruba language (Iorubá or Nagô in Portuguese)
  • Efã and Ijexá in Bahia
  • Nagô or Eba in Pernambuco
  • Oió-ijexá or Batuque-de-Nação in Rio Grande do Sul
  • Mina-nagô or Tambor-de-Mina in Maranhão
  • Xambá in Alagoas and Pernambuco (nearly extinct).

• Bantu or Angola - mix of Bantu (Kikongo and Kimbundo) languages
  • Caboclo (worships Indian deities besides Orixás)
• Jejé - Ewe, Fon, and Gen languages (Jejé)
  • Mina Jejé in Maranhão
  • Babaçuê in Pará

Candomblé Ketu (or Queto in Portuguese spelling) is the largest and most influential nation (sect) of Candomblé, an Afro-American religion widely practiced in Brazil. ... Candomblé Ketu (or Queto in Portuguese spelling) is the largest and most influential nation (sect) of Candomblé, an Afro-American religion widely practiced in Brazil. ... Yoruba (native name ede Yorùbá, the Yoruba language) is a dialect continuum of West Africa with over 22 million speakers. ... Flag of Bahia See other Brazilian States Capital Salvador Largest City Salvador Area 564 273 km² Population   - Total   - Density 13 070 250 23. ... Flag of Pernambuco See other Brazilian States Capital Recife Largest City Recife Area 98,281 km² Population   - Total   - Density 7,918,344 80. ... Flag of Rio Grande do Sul See other Brazilian States Capital Porto Alegre Largest City Porto Alegre Area 282,062 km² Population   - Total   - Density 10. ... Maranhão is one of the states of Brazil in the north-eastern region. ... Flag of Alagoas See other Brazilian States Capital Maceió Largest City Maceió Area 27 818 km² Population   - Total   - Density 2 822 621 101. ... Flag of Pernambuco See other Brazilian States Capital Recife Largest City Recife Area 98,281 km² Population   - Total   - Density 7,918,344 80. ... Bantu, also called Batuque or Angola, is one of the major sects (nations) of Candomblé, an Afro-American religion practised in Brazil. ... Map showing the approximate distribution of Bantu vs. ... The Kongo Empire was an African kingdom located in southwest Africa in what are now northern Angola, Cabinda, Republic of the Congo, and the western portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ... Kimbundu is one of the most widely spoken pre-colonial languages in Central Africa. ... Candomblé Jejé is one of the major branches (nations) of Candomblé, an Afro-American religion. ... Ewe is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana and Togo by approximately three million people (Capo 1991). ... Fon (native name FÉ”ngbe) is part of the Gbe language cluster and belongs to the Kwa sub-family of the Niger-Congo languages. ... Gen (also called Gẽ, Gen-Gbe, or Mina) is a Gbe language spoken in the southeast of Togo and in the Mono province of Benin. ... Maranhão is one of the states of Brazil in the north-eastern region. ... Flag of Pará See other Brazilian States Capital Belém Largest City Belém Area 1. ...

Beliefs

Candomblé is a spiritualist religion and worships a number of gods or spirits, derived from African deities: By 1853, when the popular song Spirit Rappings was published, Spiritualism was the object of intense curiosity. ... Look up deity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

• the Orishas of Yoruba mythology (Ketu nation), spelled Orixás in Portuguese;
• the Voduns of the Ewe and Fon (Jejé nation); and
• the Nkisis (Minkisi) of the Bantu (Angola nation).

These spirits were created by a supreme God: the Olorun (Olorum) of the Yoruba, Zambi or Zambiapongo of the Bantu, and Nana Buluku of the Fon. An Orisha, also spelled Orisa and Orixa, is a spirit that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare (God) in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system. ... The mythology of the Yorùbá is sometimes claimed by its supporters to be one of the worlds oldest widely practised religions. ... Candomblé Ketu (or Queto in Portuguese spelling) is the largest and most influential nation (sect) of Candomblé, an Afro-American religion widely practiced in Brazil. ... An Orisha, also spelled Orisa and Orixa, is a spirit that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare (God) in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system. ... The term Voodoo (Vodun in Benin; also Vodou or other phonetically equivalent spellings in Haiti; Vudu in the Dominican Republic) is applied to the branches of a West African ancestor-based religious tradition with primary roots among the Fon-Ewe peoples of West Africa, in the country now known as... The Ewe people are a people of southern Ghana and Togo. ... Fon is a major West African ethnic and linguistic group in the country of Benin or Dahomey. ... Candomblé Jejé is one of the major branches (nations) of Candomblé, an Afro-American religion. ... An Nkisi (plural Minkisi, also Nkishi/Minkishi), literally translates as (sacred) medicine. ... An Nkisi (plural Minkisi, also Nkishi/Minkishi), literally translates as (sacred) medicine. ... Map showing the approximate distribution of Bantu (dull yellow) vs. ... Bantu, also called Batuque or Angola, is one of the major sects (nations) of Candomblé, an Afro-American religion practised in Brazil. ... In Yorùbá mythology, Olorun is the Sky Father (though occasionally androgynous or female), and a god of peace, purity and harmony. ... Binomial name Carcharhinus leucas (Müller and Henle, 1839) Range of bull shark The bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, also known as the bull whaler, Zambezi River shark or colloquially Zambi, is common worldwide in warm, shallow waters along coasts, and well-known for its unpredictable, often aggressive behaviour. ... Map showing the approximate distribution of Bantu (dull yellow) vs. ... Nana Buluku is the Supreme Deity of the Fon from Dahomey. ... Fon is a major West African ethnic and linguistic group in the country of Benin or Dahomey. ...

Candomblé deities have individual personalities, skills, and ritual preferences, and are connected to specific natural phenomena (a concept somewhat similar to the Kami of Japanese Shintoism). Every person is chosen at birth by one or more "patron" spirits, identified by a priest. The spirits (except the supreme Olorum) are "incorporated" by priests during Candomblé rites. “Megami” redirects here. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...

Altogether, the various nations of Candomblé retain fifty or so of the hundreds of deities still worshiped in Africa. There are many similarities between some deities of different nations: e.g. Bantu Kabila, Ketu Oxósse and Jejé Otulu are all hunters and have the same symbolic colors. In Candomblé, however, they are considered different deities. Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Kabange (born June 4, 1971) became president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo after the assassination of his father Laurent-Désiré Kabila in January 2001. ... Oxossi, (alternately Ochossi or Oshossi) is the orixa of the forest, and one of the three Guerrero, or warrior orixas. ...

On the other hand, deities from one nation may be cultuated as "guests" in houses and ceremonies of another nation, besides those of the latter. Some nations assign new names to guest spirits, while some retain the names used in the nation of origin.

Syncretism

Over the centuries Candomblé has incorporated many elements from Christianity. Crucifixes are sometimes displayed in candomblé temples, and the African deities were often identified with specific Catholic saints. This syncretism was in part a reaction to Church-inspired persecution by authorities and slave owners, who viewed Candomblé as paganism and witchcraft. Indeed, there are reports of Christian devotional altars being used in early slave houses to hide African cult icons and ritual objects. Even after the end of slavery, the claim that ritual dances of Candomblé were in honor of Catholic saints was often used, by practitioners and authorities alike, as an excuse to avoid confrontation. Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... A crucifix amidst the cornfields near Mureck in rural Styria, Austria A handheld crucifix A crucifix in front of the Holy Spirit Church in KoÅ¡ice, Slovakia A crucifix is a cross with a representation of Jesuss body, or corpus. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are often depicted as having halos. ... Syncretism is the attempt to reconcile disparate, even opposing, beliefs and to meld practices of various schools of thought. ... Heathen redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Witch be merged into this article or section. ...

However, religious persecution may not be the only reason for Candomblé's syncretism. One should note that syncretism was more natural for polytheist and multi-ethnic Candomblé than for the centralized, strongly monotheistic religions of the Old World. While Christians furiously denied the Divine status of the Orixás, there was no reason why belivers of Candomblé could not regard Jesus and Chrisitian Saints as being powerful deities.

In this regard, it is worth noting that some Candomblé rites have also incorporated local Native American gods — which, to the Church, were just as pagan as the Orixás — because they were seen as the "Orishas of the land". Finally, one should keep in mind that many (if not most) practitioners of Candomblé through the times had not only African roots but European ones as well. A Hupa man. ...

Although syncretism still seems to be prevalent, in recent years the lessening of religious and racial prejudices has given rise a "fundamentalist" movement in Candomblé, that rejects the Christian elements and seeks to recreate a "pure" cult based exclusively in Africa.

Rituals

The candomblé ritual (toque) has two parts: the preparation, attended only by priests and initiates, which may start a week in advance; and a festive public "mass" and banquet that starts in the late evening and ends around midnight.

In the first part, initiates and aides wash and iron the costumes for the ceremony, and decorate the house with paper flags and festoons, in the colors favored by the Orixas that are to be honored on that occasion. They also prepare food for the banquet. Some domestic animals are slaughtered; some parts reserved for sacrifice, the rest is prepared for the banquet. On the day of the ceremony, starting in the early morning, cowrie-shell divinations (jogo de búzios) are performed, and sacrifices are offered to the desired Orixás, and to the messenger spirit (Exú in Ketu). Ifá is a system of divination that originated in West Africa among the Yoruba people. ... Eshu represented in concrete with his features made with cowrie shells. ...

In the public part of the ceremony, children-of-saint (medianic priests) invoke and "incorporate" Orixás, falling into a trance-like state. After having fallen into trance, the priest-spirits perform dances symbolic of the Orixá's attributes, while the babalorixá or father of saint (leading male priest) leads songs that celebrate the spirit's deeds. The ceremony ends with a banquet. For other meanings of medium, see medium (disambiguation). ...

Candomblé music, an essential part of the ritual, derives from African music and has had a strong influence in other popular (non-religious) Brazilian music styles. The word batuque, for instance, has entered the Brazilian vernacular as a synonym of "rhythmic percussion music". Africa is a large and diverse continent, consisting of dozens of countries, hundreds of languages and thousands of races, tribes and ethnic groups. ...

Temples and priesthood

Ilê Axé Opó Afonjá

Candomblé temples are called houses (casas), plantations (roças), or yards (terreiros). Most Candomblé houses are small, independently owned and managed by the respective higher priests (father- or mother-of-saint). A few of the older and larger houses have a more institutional character and more formal hierarchy. There is no central administration. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (873x613, 92 KB) Ile Axe Opo Afonja is an temple of candomblé religion in Salvador Bahia Brasil Axé Opô Afonjá - vista da roça, casa de Xangô, de Oxalá, de Omulu e o Barracão. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (873x613, 92 KB) Ile Axe Opo Afonja is an temple of candomblé religion in Salvador Bahia Brasil Axé Opô Afonjá - vista da roça, casa de Xangô, de Oxalá, de Omulu e o Barracão. ... Temple of Hephaestus, an Doric Greek temple in Athens with the original entrance facing east, 449 BC (western face depicted) For other uses, see Temple (disambiguation). ...

Candomblé priesthood is organized into symbolic families, whose members are not necessarily relatives in the common sense. Each family owns and manages one house. In most houses, especially the larger ones, the head of the family is always a woman, the mother-of-saint (ialorixá in Ketu), seconded by the father-of-saint (babalorixá). Some houses have a more flexible hierarchy which allows the father-of-saint to be the head priest. Candomblé Ketu (or Queto in Portuguese spelling) is the largest and most influential nation (sect) of Candomblé, an Afro-American religion widely practiced in Brazil. ...

Admission to the priesthood and progression in the hierarchy is conditioned to approval by the Orixás, possession of the necessary qualities, learning the necessary knowledge, and performance of lengthy initiation rites, which last seven years or more.

Upon the death of an ialorixá, the successor is chosen, usually among her daughters, largely by means of divination using consecrated cowrie shells that are considered to be the mouthpieces of the Orixa cowrie shell. However the succession may be very disputed or may fail to find a successor, and often leads to splitting or closing down of the house. Only a handful of houses in Brazil have seen their 100th anniversary. Among the oldest that are still extant are Ilé Axé Iyá Nassô Oká (the "White House at the Old Sugarmill"), in Salvador, Bahia, and the Casa das Minas in São Luís, Maranhão (ca. 1796). Armação dos Búzios, often referred to as just Búzios, is a resort town located in the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. ... São Luís is the capital of the state of Maranhão, Brazil. ... Maranhão is one of the states of Brazil in the north-eastern region. ... Year 1796 (MDCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ...

See also: Olga de Alaketu Olga de Alaketu or Mother Olga- (c. ...

Books

• Pierre Fatumbi Verger: Dieux D'Afrique. Paul Hartmann, Paris (1st edition, 1954; 2nd edition, 1995). 400pp, 160 b/w photos, ISBN 2-909571-13-0.
• McGowan, Chris and Pessanha, Ricardo. "The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova and the Popular Music of Brazil." 1998. 2nd edition. Temple University Press. ISBN 1-56639-545-3

• Jim Wafer : Taste of Blood: Spirit Possession in Brazilian Candomble. 1991 - University of Pennsylvania Press.

• Ruth Landes : The City of Women. 1994 - University of New Mexico Press.

• Diana DeG. Brown : Umbanda: Religion and Politics in Urban Brazil. 1994 - Columbia University Press.

• Serge Bramley : Macumba. 1994 - City Lights Books.

Pierre Edouard Leopold Verger, alias Fatumbi or Fátúmbí (Paris, November 4, 1902; Salvador, Brazil, February 11, 1996) was a photographer, self-taught ethnographer, and babalawo (Yoruba priest) who devoted most of his life to the study of the African diaspora — the slave trade, the African-based religions... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Something which is monochromatic has a single color. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Candomblé

• Federação Internacional de Umbanda e Candomblé
• Ilé Axé Opô Afonjá, a major house
• (Portuguese) Orixá imagery
• Ama, A Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade
• (Portuguese) Extensive info on the Orixás
• (Portuguese) Candomblé information - includes lexicons of Candomblé sacred languages
• (French) Prefaces of Berger's book
• Unesco 2004: Slavery Abolition Year
• (English) Quimbanda Web page - Brazilian Tradition related to Candomble

v • d • e Afro-American Religions
Religions	Candomblé • Hoodoo • Kumina • Obeah • Palo • Quimbanda • Santería (Lukumí) • Spiritual Baptist • Umbanda • Vodou
Deities	Babalu Aye • Eshu • Iansan • Mami Wata • Obàtálá • Ogoun • Ọlọrun • Orunmila • Ọṣun • Shango • Yemaja
Roots	Ifá, Oriṣa (Yorùbá) • Lwa (Dahomey) • Nkisi (Kongo) • Catholicism (Portugal, Spain)

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Afro-American religions are a number of related religions that developed in the Americas among African slaves and their descendants. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Kumina is both the religion and the music practiced by the people of eastern Jamaica. ... Obeah is a term used in the West Indies to refer to folk magic or sorcery. ... Palo Monte, or Regla de Palo is a religion of largely Bantu origin developed by slaves from Central Africa in Cuba. ... Quimbanda is an Afro-American traditional religion found in Brazil. ... “Lukumi” redirects here. ... No one across the vast world, truly knows from where the Spiritual/Shouter Baptists of Trinidad and Tobago originated from. ... Umbanda is a religion that blends Catholicism, Kardecist Spiritualism, and Afro-Brazilian religions . ... Voodoo redirects here. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (171x700, 25 KB) Summary Statue of Eshu-Elegbara, the trickster god. ... In the cult of Orishas, Babalu Aye is the spirit of illness and disease. ... Eshu represented in concrete with his features made with cowrie shells. ... Painting of Iansan (or Iansã) Iansan or Iansã in portuguese, is an entity of the Afro-Brazilian religious faith of candomblé, identified with the Catholic Saint Barbara. ... This poster of a Samoan snake charmer inspired the common image of Mami Wata in Africa. ... In Yoruba mythology, Obàtálá (alternatively Obatala) was a creator god; he made human bodies, and his father, Olorun (husband of Olokun), breathed life into them. ... In Haitian Vodun, Ogoun (or Ogun) is a loa who presides over fire, iron, politics and war. ... In Yorùbá mythology, Olorun is the Sky Father (though occasionally androgynous or female), and a god of peace, purity and harmony. ... In Yoruba mythology, Orunmila is an Orisha (Orisa), and deity of prophecy. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ochun. ... In Yorùbá mythology, Shango (Xango, Shango), or Changó in Latin America, is perhaps the most popular Orisha; he is a Sky Father, god of thunder and the ancestor of the Yoruba. ... In Yorùbá mythology, Yemoja is a mother goddess; patron deity of women, especially pregnant women; and the Ogun river (the waters of which are said to cure infertility). ... Ifá is a system of divination that originated in West Africa among the Yoruba people. ... An Orisha, also spelled Orisa and Orixa, is a spirit that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare (God) in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system. ... The mythology of the Yorùbá is sometimes claimed by its supporters to be one of the worlds oldest widely practised religions. ... LOA could stand for: Library of America, a famous American publisher Length Over All, commonly used to indicate maximum hull length of a vessel. ... The Dahomey (or Fon) are a nation located in Benin, Africa. ... An Nkisi (plural Minkisi, also Nkishi/Minkishi), literally translates as (sacred) medicine. ... The Kingdom of Congo (now usually rendered as Kingdom of Kongo to maintain distinction from the present-day Congo nations) The Kingdom of Kongo (1400-1888) (Kongo: Kongo dya Ntotila or Wene wa Kongo) was an African kingdom located in west central Africa in what are now northern Angola, Cabinda... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ...