During the twentieth century, though little noticed by most observers, the Christian demographic in Africa exploded from 9.5 million in 1900, to over 400 million by 2000—an increase of 4,000 percent. Not surprisingly, the European colonial system, which had encouraged the efforts of European missionaries as a part of their own ostensibly “civilizing” goal, saw little production, much less use, of indigenous, local religious art by and for this new and growing Christian populace. Instead, they encouraged the widespread introduction of European late Romantic era Christian imagery and materials (ref. French holy card) for both educational and devotional use. Before mid-century, a new, reformist Catholic Christian discourse began emanating from Vatican leaders, who promoted the adaptation (indigenization or inculturation) of Christian practices, including the visual arts to local cultures, including Archbishop (later Cardinal) Celso Costantini (1877–1958), Secretary of Propaganda Fide, the Church’s ministry of missionary activity.