Religion in Timor-Leste

[2] The constitution of Timor-Leste protects the freedom of religion, and representatives of the Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim communities in the country report generally good relations, although members of community groups occasionally face bureaucratic obstacles, particularly with respect to obtaining marriage and birth certificates.

East Timorese animist belief systems did not fit with Indonesia's constitutional monotheism, resulting in mass conversions to Christianity.

[8] There were also a few ethnic East Timorese converts to Islam, as well as a small number descended from Arab Muslims living in the country while it was under Portuguese authority.

[2] The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice occur, but they are relatively infrequent.

"[12] Retired bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo is a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize along with José Ramos-Horta in 1996 for their attempts to free East Timor from Indonesia.

[13] The Catholic Church remains very involved in politics, with its 2005 confrontations with the government over religious education in school and the foregoing of war crimes trials for atrocities against East Timorese by Indonesia.

[15] In June 2006 Catholic Relief Services received aid from the United States to help victims of months of unrest in the country.

[17] Islam was not traditionally practiced in Timor-Leste; much of the Muslim population are descendants of immigrants during the eras of Portuguese colonialism and Indonesian occupation.

[23][24] Prior to the Indonesian invasion in 1975, the Austronesian people of Timor were animist polytheists with practices similar to those seen in Madagascar and Polynesia.

[25] A few prominent myths remain, such as the island's conception as an aging crocodile,[26] but today practitioners of indigenous religions constitute a very small minority.

Should an organization wish to run private schools or provide other community services, registration with the Ministry of Justice is required.