There are different types of Apostolics (Mapostori) Churches and here are just a few...
The Apostolic sect has risen to be counted among the top religious grouping in the country, strong enough to influence changes in how society looks at spiritual healing. Its popularity grew with the deepening of the economic crisis as people sought solutions and defences to their situations. The Apostolics were no longer a poor man's church but a church where anyone who had a problem (i.e. wanted to land a contract, wanted safe passage to UK, wanted a husband, etc) would come to get help.
Generally the church has no written dogmas and the network is loosely defined. However the lack of buildings does not imply the inability to purchase such structures, as the Apostolics have become quite prosperous relative to their neighbours, but is a reflection of their pilgrimage. These are some of the groupings:
NB: We have deliberately left out the two largest groupings African Apostolic Church and the Johane Marange mainly because doctrine infiltration at these sects is still limited:
Johane Masowe Chishanu (original)
The most popular grouping is the one which gathers at the Coca Cola Corner in Graniteside. It is led by Madzibaba Israel. It is however said that Israel's angel is weak these days as he has opened a funeral company and according to the sect's doctrine no one should profit from the dead.
They only do the all-night vigil (choto) when something drastic has happened. They use the muhacha tree for making small crosses tied with white sewing thread. Only short unrelaxed hair is allowed. There is no hand clapping and no bible reading.
Johane Masowe Jerusalema
These wear white garments with yellow belts. Some of the garments have yellow stars on the shoulder and chest. The headgear which they call Samaria has a yellow star. Meetings are on Friday. They do not clap on some of the songs and use mainly the Morodai dance (sideways movement). They have an event called misi mitatu where they use a big clay pot (zigate) tied with a white cloth and then placed on the centre close to the krawa (or shrine). In there will be a mixture of lemons, oil and milk usually for the younger children. Believers do not eat on this particular day.
Johane Masowe Esnai
They wear white garments tied with white belts, headgear has a green cross and also gather on Fridays.
Johane Masowe Nguwo Tsvuku (Mitchell)
This grouping is popularly known for its use of covenants (mhiko) in the way they do their healings. Their philosophy is an eye for an eye. Enemies are not supposed to live. Once someone from this sect ties a covenant, no one, not even a traditional healer can undo it. They wear green, yellow and white garments. The women wear mbikiza. In their worship they use red cloths, needles and eggs, leaves or roots from the mutova, mutara and muhacha. They use razor blades when they do their thanksgiving rites (kuuchira).
Johane Masowe mwemwedzi nomwe pa Hosea
They is no handclapping during the service. They use the Dicksenz and HighSenz types of dance. The Highsenz has more movement with a jumping pattern. In their worship they use matsito (charcoal), mutova to ward off evil spirits, mazai (eggs) to recall a lost lover or husband and to tie up a covenant, muhacha only for the beacons (hook) and leaves and mutara only the beacon.
The ones who are identified as the one with the spirit of Moses should grow locks (ndaza) but only the spiritual leader in Guruve should give the go-ahead. Mweya wa Moses is a vengeful spirit based on the incident where he murdered an Egyptian. They are also guided by the angels or the mermaids. (Note: As moved in an earlier briefing the majority of apostolic sect leaders and traditional healers are usually trained at the same place usually underwater). This church does not read the bible.
Eggs are in fact an important part of any healing processes and can be used for almost anything. 3 eggs with the enemies name written in red ink are put in a glass bottle (usually a mayo bottle). The bottle is then closed and thrown into the fire. Obviously with the transference of heat, the bottle will burst which means the evil deed would have been sent back to the enemy. The enemy usually falls sick or even dies within 3 days.
A mixture of condensed milk, cheese and 6 eggs can ensure that a barren woman has children. The same mixture with 3 eggs cleanses wombs. A green cloth with 3 crosses is then tied onto the woman waist for 3 days. The woman has to wash with boiled water from a chisipite (natural spring) until she gets pregnant.
Razor blades and needles are also used to revenge on a bad deed. 3 blades, 9 needles placed on the red cloth with needles pinned on the cloth which has the name of the enemy in the middle will cause harm to that particular enemy.
Bakatwa (short sword) is used for mentally ill patients who are healed by scrapping off the ember of a burning log towards the direction of the patient. Wool thread (shinda ye majuzi) in green, white or red is corded in 2s with 6 or 9 knots and tied to a person's waist so that the evil spirit can be trapped.
Zvakazarurwa Apostolics
They wear white garments with white headgear with a red cross. They use only water. It allows long hair so long as it's not plaited.
JM Deminai
They meet on Fridays and the leader wears a green garment.
Apostolic Faith Mission (Mugodhi)
The founding leader broke away from AFM after he had taken a second wife. They wear white garments, read the bible and use water, milk and salt and wool thread in their healing. All the prophets have to be tried out in Chitope Hwedza where they are given certificates of passing. The sect uses tongues when the spirit is upon them. Women are allowed to keep hair so long as they do not plait it while men should always keep their hair short.
Bethsaida (Mugodhi)
The men also wear khakis but basically it is white garments with a red belt. They read the bible and use only water.
Worldwide
They wear white garments with long white headgear. The leaders are referred to as MPs. There is a Mai Murayi; a woman who teaches the congregation. They have a similar staff to the Marange staff.
They read the bible and use stones and wool. Members are put on discipline if they are found to be on the wrong side, for example, a man is stripped of his garments for 3 months if he commits adultery....
The Apostolic sect has risen to be counted among the top religious grouping in the country, strong enough to influence changes in how society looks at spiritual healing. Its popularity grew with the deepening of the economic crisis as people sought solutions and defences to their situations. The Apostolics were no longer a poor man's church but a church where anyone who had a problem (i.e. wanted to land a contract, wanted safe passage to UK, wanted a husband, etc) would come to get help.
Generally the church has no written dogmas and the network is loosely defined. However the lack of buildings does not imply the inability to purchase such structures, as the Apostolics have become quite prosperous relative to their neighbours, but is a reflection of their pilgrimage. These are some of the groupings:
NB: We have deliberately left out the two largest groupings African Apostolic Church and the Johane Marange mainly because doctrine infiltration at these sects is still limited:
Johane Masowe Chishanu (original)
The most popular grouping is the one which gathers at the Coca Cola Corner in Graniteside. It is led by Madzibaba Israel. It is however said that Israel's angel is weak these days as he has opened a funeral company and according to the sect's doctrine no one should profit from the dead.
They only do the all-night vigil (choto) when something drastic has happened. They use the muhacha tree for making small crosses tied with white sewing thread. Only short unrelaxed hair is allowed. There is no hand clapping and no bible reading.
Johane Masowe Jerusalema
These wear white garments with yellow belts. Some of the garments have yellow stars on the shoulder and chest. The headgear which they call Samaria has a yellow star. Meetings are on Friday. They do not clap on some of the songs and use mainly the Morodai dance (sideways movement). They have an event called misi mitatu where they use a big clay pot (zigate) tied with a white cloth and then placed on the centre close to the krawa (or shrine). In there will be a mixture of lemons, oil and milk usually for the younger children. Believers do not eat on this particular day.
Johane Masowe Esnai
They wear white garments tied with white belts, headgear has a green cross and also gather on Fridays.
Johane Masowe Nguwo Tsvuku (Mitchell)
This grouping is popularly known for its use of covenants (mhiko) in the way they do their healings. Their philosophy is an eye for an eye. Enemies are not supposed to live. Once someone from this sect ties a covenant, no one, not even a traditional healer can undo it. They wear green, yellow and white garments. The women wear mbikiza. In their worship they use red cloths, needles and eggs, leaves or roots from the mutova, mutara and muhacha. They use razor blades when they do their thanksgiving rites (kuuchira).
Johane Masowe mwemwedzi nomwe pa Hosea
They is no handclapping during the service. They use the Dicksenz and HighSenz types of dance. The Highsenz has more movement with a jumping pattern. In their worship they use matsito (charcoal), mutova to ward off evil spirits, mazai (eggs) to recall a lost lover or husband and to tie up a covenant, muhacha only for the beacons (hook) and leaves and mutara only the beacon.
The ones who are identified as the one with the spirit of Moses should grow locks (ndaza) but only the spiritual leader in Guruve should give the go-ahead. Mweya wa Moses is a vengeful spirit based on the incident where he murdered an Egyptian. They are also guided by the angels or the mermaids. (Note: As moved in an earlier briefing the majority of apostolic sect leaders and traditional healers are usually trained at the same place usually underwater). This church does not read the bible.
Eggs are in fact an important part of any healing processes and can be used for almost anything. 3 eggs with the enemies name written in red ink are put in a glass bottle (usually a mayo bottle). The bottle is then closed and thrown into the fire. Obviously with the transference of heat, the bottle will burst which means the evil deed would have been sent back to the enemy. The enemy usually falls sick or even dies within 3 days.
A mixture of condensed milk, cheese and 6 eggs can ensure that a barren woman has children. The same mixture with 3 eggs cleanses wombs. A green cloth with 3 crosses is then tied onto the woman waist for 3 days. The woman has to wash with boiled water from a chisipite (natural spring) until she gets pregnant.
Razor blades and needles are also used to revenge on a bad deed. 3 blades, 9 needles placed on the red cloth with needles pinned on the cloth which has the name of the enemy in the middle will cause harm to that particular enemy.
Bakatwa (short sword) is used for mentally ill patients who are healed by scrapping off the ember of a burning log towards the direction of the patient. Wool thread (shinda ye majuzi) in green, white or red is corded in 2s with 6 or 9 knots and tied to a person's waist so that the evil spirit can be trapped.
Zvakazarurwa Apostolics
They wear white garments with white headgear with a red cross. They use only water. It allows long hair so long as it's not plaited.
JM Deminai
They meet on Fridays and the leader wears a green garment.
Apostolic Faith Mission (Mugodhi)
The founding leader broke away from AFM after he had taken a second wife. They wear white garments, read the bible and use water, milk and salt and wool thread in their healing. All the prophets have to be tried out in Chitope Hwedza where they are given certificates of passing. The sect uses tongues when the spirit is upon them. Women are allowed to keep hair so long as they do not plait it while men should always keep their hair short.
Bethsaida (Mugodhi)
The men also wear khakis but basically it is white garments with a red belt. They read the bible and use only water.
Worldwide
They wear white garments with long white headgear. The leaders are referred to as MPs. There is a Mai Murayi; a woman who teaches the congregation. They have a similar staff to the Marange staff.
They read the bible and use stones and wool. Members are put on discipline if they are found to be on the wrong side, for example, a man is stripped of his garments for 3 months if he commits adultery....
