Religion

The religious leanings of the Lomwe vary greatly with the degree of penetration of Christianity. Islam has had very little influence on this people group. In general, the Lomwe are animists who still worship and fear ancestral spirits. Most would consider themselves Christian because of 500 years of exposure to Roman Catholicism due to Portuguese colonialization; however, the traditions of the ancestors still greatly influence their lives.

Christianity

As previously mentioned, the Roman Catholic church has had the longest influence on the Lomwe People Group. Because so many of the Lomwe who came into Malawi from Mozambique in the 1930's were Roman Catholic, the Catholic Church in southeastern Malawi was sometimes called the "Lomwe Church." The Universities Mission to Central Africa began work at Magomera in southern Malawi in 1861. As the Lomwe are one of three major ethic groups in that area, they were among the first to receive a Christian witness in Malawi. In Mozambique, there has also been a greater than 100 year history of evangelism in some Lomwe areas due to the efforts of the Baptist Union of South Africa. The Baptist Union has had a strong influence in areas surrounding their churches.Lomwe people are extremely responsive to the gospel, but surveys reveal that although they consider themselves Christian, very few have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. And although Christianity has been available in some areas for several generations, the Lomwe People tend to think that evangelism is the work of the pastor, priest or missionary; very few actively share their faith.