Discover
The identity of the nation
Saint Helena is a very small volcanic island, lost in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, more than 1,900 km from the coast of Africa. It was discovered by Portuguese navigators in 1502 and named after the Christian saint of the same name. Few places in the world have a history so marked by isolation: for centuries, the only way to reach it was by ship, a journey that could take weeks.
Colonization began with the British East India Company in the 17th century, and it brought with it a painful chapter: for generations, enslaved people brought from Africa, Madagascar and Asia formed a large part of the island’s population, shaping the mix of peoples that today forms the local people, affectionately known as the “Saints” (a historic nickname for the island’s residents). The island also holds a famous moment in world history: it was there that the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte lived in exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821.
The Christian faith arrived along with the British colonizers, and the Anglican Church became part of the island’s own identity, present in schools, commemorative dates and everyday life. Almost the entire population identifies as Christian, but much of that faith is inherited by family tradition, without necessarily meaning a living, transformed spiritual life. Among the young, a growing number say they have no religion at all.
Today Saint Helena faces very concrete challenges: the population is small and aging, because most young people leave the island to study or work in the United Kingdom, from where many never return. The local economy depends heavily on British financial aid, and the government is the island’s largest employer. Even so, the arrival of an airport in 2016 opened the island to the world in a way that had never happened before.
The greatest calling for Saint Helena today is not to bring the gospel for the first time, since the historic Christian foundation is strong, but to help that inherited faith become living, personal, and able to sustain a small, united and generous people amid isolation and the constant farewells of those who leave in search of a better life.
- 1502 Discovered by the Portuguese expedition of João da Nova, who named the island Saint Helena
- 1659 The British East India Company takes possession of the island and begins colonization
- 17th-18th centuries Arrival of enslaved people brought from Africa, Madagascar and Asia to sustain the colony
- 1792 Ban on bringing new enslaved people to the island
- 1815-1821 The French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte lives in exile on the island until his death
- 1827 Beginning of the gradual freeing of enslaved people, years before abolition across the whole British Empire
- 1834 The island passes from the control of the East India Company to direct administration by the British Crown
- 2016-2017 Opening of Saint Helena Airport; technical delays because of wind pushed the first regular commercial flights back to 2017, ending centuries of exclusive dependence on ships
- 2021 Election of the island's first local Chief Minister, expanding the island's autonomy
- Today Saint Helena remains a British Overseas Territory, with a small population and strong dependence on financial aid from the United Kingdom
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EnglishOfficial language, spoken by the entire population
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"Saint" dialectThe island's own accent and vocabulary, blending British, African and Asian influences, used day to day among residents
Saint Helena is a small volcanic island in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, more than 1,900 km from the coast of Africa and about 4,000 km from South America, making it one of the most isolated inhabited places on the planet. The territory covers about 122 km² of area, with rugged terrain formed by mountains and deep valleys left over from ancient volcanic activity. The highest point is Diana's Peak, at about 818 meters, covered by a rare cloud forest.
Major cities
- JamestownCapital and the island's only urban center, nestled in a narrow valley between cliffs, near the port
- Half Tree HollowThe largest residential neighborhood, up on the plateau, linked to Jamestown by the Jacob's Ladder staircase
- LongwoodInland region where the house Napoleon Bonaparte lived in exile until his death was located
- Alarm ForestRural district known for its trails and proximity to Diana's Peak
Climate and temperature
Fishcakes
Fried cakes of fish (usually tuna), mashed potato and seasonings, one of the island's most beloved dishes
Plo
A single seasoned rice dish, sometimes spicy, cooked with fish or meat
Pumpkin stew
A traditional dish made with pumpkin and vegetables grown on the island itself
Coconut fingers
A sweet finger-shaped cake, topped with pink icing and shredded coconut
Saint Helena coffee
One of the rarest and most expensive coffees in the world; the plant arrived on the island in the 18th century and gained international fame in the 19th century
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Jacob's Ladder
A 699-step staircase linking Jamestown to the Half Tree Hollow neighborhood, one of the island's best known landmarks
Longwood House
The house where Napoleon Bonaparte spent the last years of his exile, now a museum
Diana's Peak
The island's highest point, with a unique cloud forest and hiking trails
Jonathan the tortoise
The world's oldest known land animal, living in the grounds of the governor's residence since the 19th century
Tungi Distillery
Produces a drink made from prickly pear (a type of cactus brought to the island in the 19th century), a local tradition to this day
- Treating the island only as "the place of Napoleon's exile" This ignores centuries of Saint Helena's own history, including the difficult legacy of slavery
- Making fun of the local accent The "Saint" dialect is a point of pride in the island's identity, not something to mock
- Haste and impatience Life on the island moves at a calm, unhurried pace; expecting everything to be fast comes across as disrespect for the local culture
- Comparisons that belittle the island next to the United Kingdom Residents value their own identity, even while being a British territory
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
Many people were baptized and attend the Anglican church out of family custom, without a personal, living faith in Christ
The new generation is drifting away from church, and a growing number say they have no religion at all
Decades of living on British financial aid feed the feeling that nothing can change there
The most capable young people leave the island to find work abroad, emptying out families and churches
Distance from the rest of the world also isolates the local church from resources and fellowship with other Christians
Tungi, a strong drink made from prickly pear, and other beverages fuel abuse at parties and in daily life
In a small, close-knit community, gossip and fear of judgment weigh heavily on family life
The enslaved past of the island's first inhabitants still weighs on the people's memory, with little room for healing
The historic churches remain standing, but often without a fresh move of the Holy Spirit that transforms lives
The separation between those who stay and those who leave to work abroad brings emotional loneliness, including among the young
In Saint Helena there is no religious persecution. Freedom of belief is guaranteed by law and respected in practice, and the Anglican Church carries a central historic role in the island’s life since British colonization.
The greatest challenge to the Christian faith there does not come from outside, but from within: the habit of tying faith only to traditions and ceremonies, without a renewed spiritual life. Among the young, a growing number say they have no religion at all, a sign of a quiet drift away from the church that concerns local leaders.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
Saint Helena has a single people group listed by the Joshua Project, the Saint Helena people (the "Saints"), shaped over the centuries by the mixing of European colonizers, Africans brought as enslaved people, and workers from Asia. Today this people group is considered partially reached with the gospel: almost the entire population identifies as Christian, but the proportion of evangelicals is still small, around 8% to 9%.
- 0 Unreached 0%
- 0 Minimally reached 0%
- 0 Superficially reached 0%
- 5K Partially reached 100%
- 0 Significantly reached 0%
- 0 Unreached 0%
- 0 Minimally reached 0%
- 0 Superficially reached 0%
- 1 Partially reached 100%
- 0 Significantly reached 0%
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
Practical points for those who go
- Fiber-optic internet only arrived in 2023, so communication with the island can still be slow or unstable
- The local currency is the Saint Helena pound, with the same value as the British pound sterling
- Being a very small and isolated territory, any outside support requires patience and long-term planning
- Most "Saints" today live outside the island, mainly in the United Kingdom; it's worth remembering this scattered community too
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.