I’ve been wanting to do a church/religious themed post for a while and since today is Holy Thursday, I thought it’d be the perfect time to do so.

Jamaicans are perhaps the most contrary people on earth. We have the distinction of having the most churches per square mile as well as the most bars per capita. Only 21% of the 2.7 million people who live here claim to have no religious affiliation. Of the 79% remaining, Protestants are in the majority but there are also Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Rastafarians, Buddhists, Bahá’is, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Brethrens.  Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Easter Monday and Christmas are among the national holidays that are observed.

Between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, most of us will put on our Sunday best and fill our churches just like we do at Christmas and next weekend, we’ll jump carnival. You know where to find us the rest of the time – in bars!

This is my submission to this week’s Budget Travelers Sandbox Travel Photo Thursday series. Be sure to check out other photo and story entries on their website.

I’m also submitting this post to Friday Daydreamin’ on the RWeThereYetMom? site. Head on over to see enjoy more travel photos.