Spiritual? If So, Finding a Religious Home in Arizona is Easy

Throughout the major metropolitan areas such as Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale and Tucson, Arizona finding a home for practicing pretty much every type of religion is fairly easy.

A little history: The first religions that were practiced in Arizona were the sacred beliefs and ceremonies of the Native Americans. In the late 17th century, Catholic missionaries came to the area and began to attempt to convert these native peoples to Christianity, but by the late 18th century, Franciscans were the major missionary group. It was around this time that the Roman Catholic Church was established in Arizona.

A 2007 survey conducted by The Pew Forum found that nearly 30 percent of Arizona residents identify themselves as Catholic and another 30 percent as Protestant. Six percent are Mormon or LDS, one percent are Jewish, one percent are Buddhist and six percent are affiliated with another religion. Over 20 percent do not consider themselves to be connected with any religious preference at all.

While some Arizona churches have just a handful of members, others, especially in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, are enormous facilities with multiple buildings and numerous services that cater to hundreds, if not thousands, of members.

Mormons (Latter-Day Saints, or LDS) have a rich history throughout the state of Arizona; even though a relatively small percentage of religious people are LDS, they do enjoy a significant legacy in the area. Brigham Young sent Mormons to Arizona in the mid-to-late 19th century, and these pioneers founded several Arizona cities and towns including Safford, Heber, Snowflake, Mesa and others. In fact, downtown Mesa is home to a magnificent Mormon temple that hosts a locally-famous holiday display every December.

If you are looking for a spiritual home in Arizona, many websites have extensive listings of local houses of worship, including www.Flockfinder.com, www.USAChurches.org and www.Synagogues.com (search under Phoenix).