Evidence of the spread of Christianty eastward across Libya to Leptis Magna is evident in the 533 CE conversion of the magnificent Severan Basilica, completed in 216 by Septimius Severus’ son, Caracalla, into a church dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. This growth lasted until the Arab invasion of 643 AD, when Libya saw the introduction of the Islamic faith. The arrival of Islam posed major challenges to the survival of Christianity in the region, especially between the 12th and 17th century, during which period very little evangelical work occurred and thus little progress in the teaching and spread of Christianity took place⁴.

Copts are an ethno religious group comprising the largest Christian population of Libya. It is estimated that the Coptic church of Libya currently has approximately 60,000 followers⁵. The Copts are indigenous to North Africa, and are primarily resident in Egypt. The Coptic Church is considered to be one of the oldest Christian denominations in the world. It is believed that the Church was founded by Mark the Apostle, in the middle of the first century CE. Coptic Christians and the Christian Churches of Europe were unified until 451CE, after which doctrinal disagreements emerged that led to the formation of a separate Church⁶. The disagreement was over the nature of Jesus: Coptics believed that Jesus has one nature, a blend of human and divine, in contrast to the belief that Jesus had two natures: one human and the other divine. Libya’s Coptic Church does not recognize the authority of the Roman pope and looks towards the Coptic Patriarch in Alexandria for their guidance, as well as having their own religious leaders⁷.

There are currently three Coptic orthodox churches in Libya: Saint Mark’s church in Tripoli, Saint Antonios Church in Benghazi and Saint Mary and Saint George in Misrata⁸.

As noted above, the arrival of Islam in 643AD posed a major barrier to the growth of Christianity in the region. However, following the Spanish invasion and the occupation of Tripoli by the Knights of Malta, in the 16th century, Christianity rallied in the region of Tripoli. The Francisian Friars received an order in 1630 from the Catholic Church to remain in the city and offer religious assistance to imprisoned Catholic slaves. This eventually led to the foundation of the Franciscan Mission of the Friars Minor being founded in Tripoli in 1643 and in Cyrenaica in 1818. The Friars founded the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in old town of Tripoli in 1645..The Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Egypt, the Josephite Fathers in Cyrenaica, The Sisters of Ivrea and the Christian De La Salle Brothers, all established themselves in the region during the same period⁹.

In 1919, Mons.Giacinto Tonizza as the Apostolic Vicar of Libya by the Holy See, oversaw the building of 22 new churches in Tripolitania. Amongst these were the Cathedral of Tripoli, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, built in 1928, and the Church of Saint Francis, in Dahra. A further 18 Churches were also built in Cyrenaica¹⁰.

The Apostolic Vicariate of Cyrenaica was created in 1927, with Mons. Bernardino Bigi being announced as its first Apostolic Vicar. In 1936, because of increasing influence of the Italians in the region, the Mission in Cyrenaica was divided into two districts: one of which was the Friars Minor of Genova held in Benghazi and another in Derna, which was entrusted to the Friars Minor of the Marches¹¹.

In 1935, the Cathedral in Benghazi was opened and then consecrated in 1939. The years between 1934 - 1938 were marked as the period in which significant development in the Catholic Church of Libya occurred, with eight colonial villages being built in Tripolitania and a further four in the mountainous region of Cyrenaica, each one having its own church in the village centre or nearby¹².

Italian Catholics were in the majority in Libya until 1969, when Gaddafi took power, they were then forced out of Libya, with most returning to their country of origin¹⁴.

It is estimated that there are some 40,000 Catholic Christians currently living in Libya: mostly immigrants from Italy and Malta. Today, the majority of the Catholic Christian population reside in the urban centres of Libya, mainly Tripoli and Benghazi. There are currently no Catholic dioceses in Libya but four territorial jurisdictions: there are three apostolic administrations and one apostolic prefecture:

(i) Apostolic Vicariate of Benghazi: the Apostolic Vicariate of Benghazi is a Roman Catholic apostolic vicariate whose cathedral, Benghazi Cathedral, is in the city of Benghazi¹⁵.

(ii) Apostolic Vicariate of Derna: the Apostolic Vicariate of Derna is a Roman Catholic apostolic vicariate. Centered in Derna, Libya, it has an episcopal see, but no cathedral¹⁶.

(iii) Apostolic Vicariate of Tripoli: the Apostolic Vicariate of Tripoli is a Roman Catholic apostolic vicariate in Tripoli. Although still named after its see, it has no cathedral as Tripoli Cathedral was converted into a Muslim mosque circa 1970. St. Francis, currently serves as the primary parish church¹⁷.

(iv) Apostolic Prefecture of Misurata: the Apostolic Prefecture of Misurata is a Roman Catholic apostolic prefecture whose ecclesiastical see in Misrata. It is exempt, i.e. directly subject to the Holy See, and not part of any ecclesiastical province. The apostolic prefecture has been vacant since 1969¹⁸.

Other than the Coptics and Roman Catholics, there is a relatively smaller presence of Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, and Greek Orthodox Christian communities in Libya. There is also a congregation of Anglicans in Tripoli. The Anglican population is small and mostly comprises of African immigrants¹⁹. Although not officially approved by the Government, there are also a handful of worship groups of Pentecostal Christians including the Indian Prayer Fellowship in Tripoli, and the Global Faith Fellowship based in Misrata.