Discover
The identity of the nation
The United States Virgin Islands form a small Caribbean archipelago made up mainly of three islands, Saint Thomas, Saint Croix, and Saint John, plus dozens of smaller islets. Although they have been a United States territory since 1917, the soul of the islands is Caribbean and Afro-Caribbean: the music, the food, the Creole spoken in the streets, and the way of life have far more in common with the Caribbean than with the North American mainland.
The territory’s Christian history is among the oldest in the Americas. As early as the eighteenth century, under Danish rule, Moravian missionaries (members of the Moravian Church, one of the first Protestant groups to evangelize enslaved peoples in the Americas) arrived in Saint Thomas to bring the gospel to Africans enslaved on the sugarcane plantations, at a time when many slaveholders opposed enslaved people receiving any religious instruction. A woman named Rebecca Protten, taken to the island as a child, became one of the first ordained Black preachers in the history of Christianity, walking hillside trails to bring the faith to other enslaved people. The abolition of slavery in 1848 was won peacefully, when thousands of enslaved people gathered before a fort in Frederiksted and pressed the colonial government to decree freedom.
Today, more than 90% of the population identifies as Christian, and Baptist, Pentecostal, Adventist, Anglican, and Catholic churches share the territory. But the greatest challenge is not a lack of churches, it is the distance between professed faith and faith lived day to day. Many families call themselves Christian out of tradition inherited from grandparents, but attend church little and still turn, in moments of illness, fear, or dispute, to obeah practices (sorcery and “spiritual works” of African origin). The strong consumer culture tied to cruise ship tourism also feeds a lifestyle focused on appearances and leisure.
Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which struck the islands days apart in 2017, left deep wounds: church roofs torn away, families left homeless, and a wave of emigration, especially among the young, in search of a more stable life on the American mainland. This constant exodus weakens local churches, which lose members and leaders precisely when they most need spiritual and material rebuilding.
Even so, the United States Virgin Islands hold unique potential: a hospitable, creative people full of cultural faith, who sing, dance, and celebrate life even amid hardship. Helping that faith move beyond family inheritance into a living relationship with God is one of the greatest callings for those who pray and work for this small Caribbean territory.
- Pre-Columbian Indigenous peoples, including the Taíno and the Caribs, inhabit the islands for centuries before the Europeans arrive.
- 1493 Christopher Columbus sights the archipelago on his second voyage and names the group of islands in honor of Saint Ursula and the eleven thousand virgins of an ancient Christian legend.
- 1666 Denmark occupies Saint Thomas and, five years later, founds a colony there to produce sugar, cotton, and indigo.
- 1717 Danish settlers establish themselves on Saint John.
- 1733 Denmark buys Saint Croix from France; around the same time, the first Moravian missionaries arrive to evangelize the enslaved peoples.
- 1848 The colonial government declares the end of slavery in Saint Croix, after thousands of enslaved people gather in peaceful protest before a fort in Frederiksted.
- 1917 The United States buys the islands from Denmark for 25 million dollars; the Territory of the Virgin Islands of the United States is born.
- 1927 Most of the population receives United States citizenship.
- 1954 A new organic act organizes the local government and creates an elected senate.
- 1970 The territory elects its first local governor, ending decades of governors appointed by Washington.
- 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria strike the islands days apart, destroying much of the infrastructure and many churches.
- Today The islands remain a United States territory, with an economy based on tourism and a strong Caribbean and Afro-Caribbean identity.
-
EnglishOfficial and majority language, used in government, schools, and the media.
-
Virgin Islands CreoleThe everyday language among many residents, a blend of older English with African languages; a source of local pride, not "broken" English.
-
SpanishSpoken by immigrants from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, especially on Saint Croix.
-
French patoisSpoken by a community descended from immigrants from the island of Saint-Barthélemy, especially on Saint Thomas.
The United States Virgin Islands lie in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico, in the group of islands known as the Leeward Islands. The territory consists of three main islands, Saint Thomas, Saint Croix, and Saint John, plus dozens of smaller islets, totaling just over 300 square kilometers of land. The landscape combines volcanic hills covered in dry vegetation, white sand beaches, and coral reefs, with Saint Croix flatter and Saint Thomas and Saint John more mountainous.
Major cities
- Charlotte AmalieCapital of the territory, on the island of Saint Thomas, with one of the busiest cruise ports in the Caribbean.
- ChristianstedFormer Danish capital on Saint Croix, with well-preserved colonial architecture.
- FrederikstedHistoric town on the west coast of Saint Croix, site of the declaration of the end of slavery in 1848.
- Cruz BayMain town of the island of Saint John, gateway to the Virgin Islands National Park.
Climate and temperature
Kallaloo
A thick green soup made with leafy greens (such as taro or spinach), okra, meat or fish, seasoned with local herbs.
Fungi
A cornmeal polenta-like dish cooked with okra, served alongside fish or inside kallaloo.
Fish and fungi
The territory's most traditional dish: fried or stewed fish served with fungi.
Johnny cake
Fried bread, slightly sweet, eaten for breakfast or as a side dish.
Peas and rice
Rice cooked with pigeon peas, coconut milk, and seasonings; an everyday side dish on the islands.
Maubi
A fermented, slightly bitter drink made from the bark of a local tree.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Moko jumbies
Dancers who parade on very tall stilts, a tradition of African origin representing protective spirits at street festivals.
Quelbe
Traditional musical style played on improvised instruments, declared the territory's official music in 2003.
Carnival
A grand street festival with parades, colorful costumes, and calypso and soca music.
Saint Croix Christmas Festival
A celebration blending Danish, African, and Caribbean traditions, with music bands and traditional foods.
Historic Moravian churches
Buildings that preserve the memory of one of the first Christian missions dedicated to enslaved peoples in the Americas.
Danish colonial architecture
Cobblestone streets and colorful buildings in Charlotte Amalie and Christiansted, a reminder of centuries under Danish rule.
- Treating the islands as "just another beach destination" The territory has its own history and cultural identity, shaped by the struggle against slavery and the pursuit of dignity and autonomy.
- Mocking the local accent or Creole Virgin Islands Creole is a source of pride, not a "wrong" way of speaking English.
- Ignoring the symbolic weight of Emancipation Day (July 3) The date marks the end of slavery in 1848 and is central to local identity.
- Assuming the islands are "just like mainland United States" The culture, food, and way of life are Caribbean and Afro-Caribbean, even under the American flag.
- Treating obeah as a tourist curiosity For many residents, it is a serious matter, tied to the people's history of suffering and resistance.
- Photographing people without asking permission A simple matter of respect, as anywhere in the world.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
The cruise tourism economy fuels a lifestyle centered on consumption and appearances.
Beliefs of African origin in spells and "spiritual works" are still sought by part of the population in moments of fear or illness, even among those who call themselves Christian.
Many people call themselves Christian out of family tradition, without living out the faith day to day (a faith "in name only").
The steady departure of talented young people seeking work on the American mainland weakens local churches and families.
The material and emotional losses left by Irma and Maria in 2017 still weigh on many families and congregations.
Strong competition between denominations for new members sometimes hinders the unity of the body of Christ.
Remnants of the old colonial system still generate distinction and prejudice based on skin tone within the community itself.
Drug and crime problems affect the islands' poorer neighborhoods.
The erasure of the history of indigenous peoples and the struggle of the enslaved hinders a healthy process of identity and healing.
The American lifestyle of consumption and leisure is gradually emptying church pews.
The United States Virgin Islands enjoy full religious freedom, protected by the United States Constitution, and no one is persecuted for their faith. The challenge there is not persecution, it is the quiet hollowing out of faith.
Decades of tourism, consumerism, and strong North American cultural influence have fostered a Christianity that is more cultural than lived. Many families call themselves Christian out of tradition, but attend church little and, alongside that, still turn to beliefs inherited from Africa, such as obeah (sorcery and “spiritual works” practices that still circulate in some island neighborhoods).
Hurricanes Irma and Maria, in 2017, left deep marks: many churches lost roofs and members, and entire families left the islands in search of a fresh start elsewhere, weakening communities that were already losing population and young leaders.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
The United States Virgin Islands have only 6 distinct peoples or ethnic groups identified, totaling about 81 thousand people according to the Joshua Project. The great majority have already been significantly reached by the gospel, the fruit of more than two hundred years of Christian presence on the islands, beginning during the era of slavery. Smaller groups, such as immigrants of East Indian and French origin, have proportionally smaller evangelical presence, but no people group in the territory is considered unreached.
- 0 Unreached 0%
- 600 Minimally reached 0,7%
- 600 Superficially reached 0,7%
- 0 Partially reached 0%
- 80K Significantly reached 98,5%
- 0 Unreached 0%
- 1 Minimally reached 16,7%
- 1 Superficially reached 16,7%
- 0 Partially reached 0%
- 4 Significantly reached 66,7%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Every nation carries a redemptive purpose. Marks that seem woven into the identity God desires to restore:
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
Average price of a basic meal, without a drink.
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Currency: the US dollar (USD) is used, the same as in the United States.
- Side of the road: despite being a US territory, driving is on the left side of the road, a legacy from the time the islands were a Danish and later British colony.
- Hurricanes: the season runs from June to November; outside this period, lodging and airfare tend to be cheaper.
- Cards and connectivity: American credit cards and internet work just as on the US mainland, with no need for currency exchange.
- Getting between islands: ferries connect Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix; renting a car helps in exploring the interior of the larger islands.
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.