Kimbanguist church people, dedication of new religious headquarters and theological school, Kinshasa, Congo (Democratic Republic)

"Kimbanguism is based on the Bible and the concept of spiritual salvation. It mixes some traditional African practices but follows the law of Moses and calls for the destruction of fetishes and an end to sorcery and polygamy. The church was formed by Simon Kimbangu, originally a member of the british Baptist Church, following a vision in 1921. Like many Congolese churches, Kimbanguism was restricted by the Zairian government in the early 1970s." [F. Scott Bobb, 1999: Historical Dictionary of Democratic Republic of Congo, The Scarecrow Press, Inc.]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for National Geographic and traveled to Africa from January 19, 1972 to mid April 1972.