Primarily focused on Haitian Vodou and Catholic Christianity, the two have been merging together in a way since around the 18th century, when a majority of Haiti was part of the Atlantic slave trade.
The Roman Catholic religion believes itself to be derived historically from the teachings of Jesus Christ through his Apostles.
In Haitian history, it made its appearance in the 15th century, when Christopher Columbus set foot on the island of Hispaniola.
Due to this, Vodou came to light as a rebellion against the religion of the slavers, which eventually would lead to a slave revolt in 1791.
During the 15th century, Christopher Columbus landed around San Salvador, where some of his people were left to proclaim their religious efforts; but unfortunately were obliterated by illness and others by slavery.
[5] Under several laws established around 1685, Catholic practices amongst African slaves (such as baptism and teachings of doctrines) were enforced.
[2] The revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines presumptively proclaimed himself head of the church in Haiti after the Haitian Revolution.
He set forward to limit the jurisdiction of priests and to appoint men to vacant positions in local church communities.
He himself had caused the assassination of a large number of the missionaries by failing to stop slaughter of the white colonists.
Another cause of the syncretic connection between Catholicism and Vodou was the state's ordination of Haitian men to the priesthood – a step that the Vatican would not recognize as legitimate.
Some Christians deem the earthquake a punishment, because they believe that the portion of Haiti who practice Vodou made a deal with the devil.
False representations in the media have led it to be considered "black magic," but its adherents recognize it as an official religion.
Instead of completely converting to Christianity, the African slaves disguised their loa as acceptable Catholic saints.
Missionaries sought to end any African influence on slaves in the New World to fully convert them to Christianity.