I see so many similarities between Catholicism and ATR
By Okwok Onah
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Published on August 20, 2026
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3 min read
If I leave the Catholic Church, I’ll go straight to becoming an African Traditional Religion (ATR) chief priest.
I see so many similarities between Catholicism and ATR.
- Ancestors/Saints: ATR reveres ancestors who led good lives and played heroic roles in the community. The Catholic Church also reveres those who led good lives and defended the faith with their lives.
- Intercession: ATR invokes the intercession of the ancestors. The Catholic Church invokes the intercession of the saints.
- Sacrifice: ATR priests pour libations and make sacrifices to God almost every day. Catholic priests also make sacrifices to God every day through the Holy Mass.
The Catholic Church and ATR both have altars, rituals, vestments, incense, holy water, feast days, and a strong sense of community and tradition.
Why the similarities feel so strong
A lot of early Catholic missionaries in Africa actually inculturated the faith. So things like:
- Ancestors→Saints: The idea of a “cloud of witnesses” who can pray for us
- Libation → Mass/Wine offering: Daily sacrifice to God
- Shrines → Churches/Chapels: Sacred spaces
- Chief priest → Priest/Bishop: Mediator between people and God
That’s why many people say “Catholicism feels like ATR with different names.”
It’s also why some people move from one to the other and say it doesn’t feel like a total break — it feels like coming home to identify with God in your own culture and language.
Opinion by By Ekwok Onah, PhD, lecturer at the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS).
