Religion in Panama

Before the arrival of Spanish missionaries, the various ethnic groups residing in the territory of modern day Panama practiced a multitude of faiths.

[2] An official survey carried out by the government estimated in 2020 that 80.6% of the population, or 3,549,150 people, identifies itself as Roman Catholic, and 10.4 percent as evangelical Protestant, or 1,009,740.

Although not all crypto-Jews bore the surname "de Pisa," the author uses it as a reference due to its relevance as a common ancestral line among many converso families in the region.

During this stage, Portuguese crypto-Jews, who were more organized and had greater resources, managed to establish a house of prayer on Calle Calafates, located behind the old Cathedral of Panama la Vieja.

However, the Inquisition intensified its persecution of Judaizers, culminating in 1640 in an event known as the "Great Conspiracy," which dismantled much of the crypto-Jewish network in the isthmus.

From that point onward, their presence in historical records became increasingly faint, as fear of persecution drove many to conceal their identity even further.

[12] When the Isthmus joined Simón Bolívar's Federation project, a new Hebrew migration took place, revitalizing the Mosaic faith on isthmian soil.

These early Jewish immigrants arrived under a new initial policy that promoted religious freedom in the newly independent territories.

They played a crucial role as intermediaries and translators, bridging the gap between the local population and foreigners arriving or passing through the region, thanks to their proficiency in languages such as German, Spanish, French, English, Dutch, and Papiamento.

Jews, both Sephardic (Judeo-Spanish) and Ashkenazi (Judeo-German), began to arrive in significant numbers in Panama in the mid-19th century, drawn by economic opportunities such as the construction of the transoceanic railroad and the California Gold Rush.

Despite their relatively small demographic size compared to the total population of the country (approximately four million inhabitants), the Jewish community numbers between 15,000 to 17,000 people.