The Sainte Jeanne d'Arc cathedral is considered one of the prettiest in the Ivory Coast. The cathedral was built by the students of Professor Jules-Joseph Moury. Katiola is the seat of a Catholic bishopric. The Tagbana ethnic group, which is the majority ethnic group in Katiola, is predominantly Catholic. Islam has also been present since the Jihad led by Samory Touré in the 19th Century. In the 19th century, Samory Touré arrived in Katiola, which at that time was made up of several villages. Samory Touré, when he arrived in Katiola, asked the population to convert to the Muslim religion. Most of the inhabitants refuse so massacres took place. Some fled to the nearby Baoulé country, some became slaves. The occupation ended towards the end of the 19th century. Catholicism was brought by missionaries from France in the 20th Century.