The Pastafarian faith claims 30 million devotees worldwide including over 4000 New Zealanders according to last year's census.
The religion revolves around the idea that the world was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster (and his 'noodly appendages'). Its adherents' headwear of choice is the colander, and they close their written communications 'R'Amen' as the mark of their faith.
It was founded in 2005 by graduate student Bobby Henderson 'as a response to Christian fundamentalists demanding the teaching of creationism in Kansas school science classes'.
Mike Arthur (himself a Pastafarian) has recently directed a documentary feature film on the religion: I, Pastafari
It's a story with a strong New Zealand dimension too; the world's first Pastafarian wedding was held in Akaroa in 2016, and in 2017 Björn Oback became the first person in the world to swear an oath of affirmation on the holy text of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, when he used it to swear allegiance to New Zealand in a citizenship ceremony.
Photo: supplied
