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22-810: The Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) is a Pentecostal church in the Aladura movement, which was founded by Samuel Oshoffa on 29 September 1947 in Porto-Novo , Benin . It has spread from West Africa to countries in Europe, such as Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom, but a number of its parishes are located in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos and Ogun State . Oshoffa was a former carpenter born in Dahomey (now Benin) in 1909. Raised as

44-709: A Methodist , he had a divine revelation while lost in a forest on 23 May 1947 during a solar eclipse . (The nearest recorded solar eclipse visible in Africa occurred on May 20, not May 23, of that year.) He felt called to pray, to heal the sick, and to raise the dead. He founded his church in September 1947. Having appointed himself Prophet, Reverend, Pastor, and Founder, he occupied the highest office of his movement. The hegemony he exercised on doctrine and discipline issues made succession difficult when he died in 1985 in Lagos, Nigeria. The CCC

66-531: A million followers. In France, the church is suspected by two anti-cults associations, ADFI and CCMM , of "cultic deviances" and of having committed acts of violence involving the death of a fifteen-year-old minor. Aladura The first known Aladura church started with Abbieassalem Samuel Somoye (Baba Dada) in 1918 at Abule Dada in Ogun State Nigeria. The main Aladura churches can be distinguished by

88-705: The Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim in 1925, also as a prayer group within the Anglican Church. Captain Christiana Abiodun's adopted daughter fell into a trance and Moses Orimolade Tunolase, who was already an itinerant evangelist and teacher, was the only one who could awaken her. By 1925 they had left the Anglican church to become independent. Their most distinctive ministry was to openly identify and challenge witches on evangelistic journeys through

110-580: The United Kingdom , Germany , Austria , France and the United States , to maintain contact with each other and with Nigeria , the nation in which the CCC is currently most popular. The movement has continued to grow since Oshoffa's death, but has also suffered setbacks, the most immediate being severe difficulties related to the matter of succession. Oshoffa was succeeded by Alexander Abiodun Adebayo Bada , who

132-557: The baptism of the Holy Spirit . The revival lasted about 60 days and is regarded as the greatest revival ever in Nigeria. Faith Tabernacle of Nigeria later invited the Apostolic Church of England in 1931 to form an Association that lasted until 1939. The Revival group went through additional name changes until, 24 years after its formation, it settled on the name Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in 1942. Today, CAC has spread worldwide and

154-538: The "Prayer Band", popularly called "Egbe Aladura". After D.O. Odubanjo joined the movement in 1919, they became influenced by the doctrines of the Faith Tabernacle of Philadelphia. They rejected infant baptism and all forms of medicine, whether western or traditional. This led to a doctrinal conflict with the Anglican Church and they were forced out of the church. Joseph Sadare was compelled to give up his post in

176-520: The 21st and 24th, the church hosts an international event called the Imeko Convocation. It is mandated that every member of CCC attends as a pilgrim. The CCC believes the event attendance is a mandate made by Oshoffa following his declaration that God had chosen Imeko as the New Jerusalem for the fold. The temples of worship always face east. An altar stand has seven candle holders that represent

198-640: The Synod and others were forced to resign their jobs and to withdraw their children from the Anglican School . The Aladura movement began as a renewal movement in search of true spirituality. A revival took place in 1918 during the influenza pandemic . The group filled with the Holy Ghost claim to have used prayer to save many lives affected by the epidemic. This consolidated the prayer group. The movement grew gradually and formed branches throughout Nigeria. The name of

220-577: The altar. Services often use candles and perfumes during prayers. The church uses English language Bibles, as well as Yoruba translated versions. The church supposedly takes elements from Gungbe and Yoruba thought. It also has strong similarities to the "purification movements" against paganism that are relatively common in African Christianity . Oshoffa believed he had a mission to combat "[Satan], 'fetish priests' and other 'powers of darkness'"( Marburg colloquy ). Every December, usually, between

242-450: The church is sometimes informally called “Cele”. The formal name of the church is inspired by a vision, in which Jesus said that Church members adore him as do the angels in heaven , and from Deuteronomy 26:15: "Look down from thy Holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel and the land which thou hast given us, as thou didst swear to our father, a land flowing with milk and honey". The church claims inspiration from God through

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264-604: The consumption of pork are forbidden. The faithful wear white one piece garments during worship, and must not wear their shoes whilst wearing their garments or while within the main church. Men and women are separated at the church. Menstruating women and those who have recently given birth are unclean and cannot enter the church building or wear the garment for seven days, after which they would be "sanctified". Members of CCC are forbidden to engage or participate in any form of idolatry , fetish ceremony or cults, black magic and charms. Only men who are "anointed" are allowed access to

286-527: The countryside. These long trips were typical of Cherubim and Seraphim (as they are most commonly called) evangelists and missionaries. Today the church is one of the most popular, most attractive and most influential of the Aladura churches worldwide. The first Aladura movement emerged from St. Saviour's Anglican Church, Ijebu-Ode , Nigeria in 1918. The Sexton, Ali, related a dream to four church elders, J.B. Sadare, E.O. Onabanjo, D.C. Oduga and E.O.W. Olukoya. They started vigorous prayer sessions. They initiated

308-562: The distinct apostolic way, the church founders were called directly by Christ himself. Jesus Christ emphasized: my house shall be called the house of prayer. Aladura churches emphasize the power of prayer, prayerful songs and the word of God (both the Bible and revealed by the living voice of God). They believe in holiness. The yoruba term for this: is " ijo-mimo ". Aladura churches are Evangelicals and various elements associated with Pentecostalism can be found in Aladura churches. Most of

330-516: The group went through several changes, such as Prayer Band, Precious Stone, Diamond Society, and Faith Tabernacle, in that order, until 1930. A great revival started in July 1930 by the raising of a dead body by Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola at Oke-Oye in Ilesa . People traveled from neighboring cities and countries to receive healing at Ilesa. Several people were healed through the power of prayer amid evidence of

352-481: The manifestation of the Holy Spirit among the faithful. Its doctrinal teachings are based on the Bible, and any superstition or animist belief from traditional African religions is excluded, as in other churches in the Aladura movement. The church is governed by twelve major recommendations, consisting of several prohibitions, including food, common to a number of other monotheistic religions. Tobacco , alcohol , and

374-469: The pioneer founders in the early 20th century were initially Anglicans and Methodists . They rejected the power of traditional African religion as malign. They also opposed many dominant practices then such as: both polygamy and witchcraft and focus instead on the "holiness movement". Today, many churches in Nigeria can be called "Aladura", since they have been influenced by this movement. The main Aladura churches with their founders are: Some of

396-413: The pre-1960s Aladura churches are also called "White Garment" churches. Samuel A. A. Somoye Moses Orimolade , David O. Odunbanjo , Joseph Sadare , Oba Babalola Akinyele, Sophia Odunlami , and many others Joseph A. Babalola , SBJ Oschoffa , J.O. Akindayomi , W.F. Kumuyi Michael C. Egbo Moses Orimolade Tunolase , who was later called Baba Aladura, or Praying Father, founded

418-609: The seven spirits of Jehovah as represented in Revelation 4:5 . The church auditorium also has different rows for male and female seats. On days that services are observed during the week, such as the Wednesday and the Friday services, another altar is made which has three, rather than seven, candles. In 2001, it was the second largest church in Benin by the number of its practitioners with nearly half

440-595: Was head of the church until his death on 8 September 2000. Bada was briefly followed as leader by Philip Hunsu Ajose , who died in March 2001. A dispute followed over the succession to Ajose. Some declared Gilbert Oluwatosin Jesse as the new leader, while the majority recognised the Reverend Emmanuel Oshoffa , son of Samuel Oshoffa. Following Jesse's death, his faction declared that Superior Evangelist Paul Suru Maforikan

462-513: Was recognized and authorized by the Republic of Dahomey in 1965. From 1976, the church launched an evangelistic campaign in that country, a former colony of French West Africa , which had become independent in 1960. From the late 1990s, the CCC church has utilized the internet as a means of evangelization, thus allowing the many existing branches of the church within the African diaspora in such nations as

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484-408: Was the new spiritual leader of the church. Contrary to the procedure of succession in Nigeria, Porto-Novo, the supreme headquarters, successfully chose Benoit Agbaossi (1931–2010) to be the head of the church, who in his turn appointed Benoit Adeogun as the next Rev. Pastor shortly before his death in 2010. The CCC is a prophetic one with a Christian background. The faithful are called Celestians, and

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