A dispute over Brazil's patron saint, Our Lady of Aparecida, has become a significant issue in the tight presidential election race between Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro. Fears that Bolsonaro might diminish the saint's status have sparked outrage among Catholics, potentially influencing the outcome of the closely contested vote.
The controversy over Brazil's patron saint has become a focal point in a closely contested presidential election, potentially swaying Catholic voters and highlighting the deep religious and cultural divides within the country.
A dispute over Brazil's patron saint, Our Lady of Aparecida, has become a significant issue in the tight presidential election race between Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro.
Fears that Bolsonaro, son of the former president Jair Bolsonaro, might diminish the saint's status have sparked outrage among Catholics, potentially influencing the outcome of the closely contested vote. The row has touched a 'raw nerve' related to the growing political power of evangelicals in Brazil, according to political analyst Thomas Traumann.
While Bolsonaro has denied any intention to unseat the patroness, calling the claims 'fake news,' his movement includes many evangelical Christians, who traditionally do not venerate saints. Suspicions were reportedly reinforced by Bolsonaro's links to an evangelical leader who has previously called for the patroness's removal, and a past legislative attempt by another Bolsonaro ally to do the same.
Lula's campaign has actively leveraged the controversy. Lula has appeared with statuettes of the Virgin Mary, and his wife has worn a pendant honoring Our Lady of Aparecida. Lula himself stated at a rally that 'as long as I’m president, no one will disrespect Our Lady of Aparecida.' His running mate, Geraldo Alckmin, a devout Catholic, also released a video assuring voters of their commitment to preserving religious traditions.
Historian Luiz Antônio Simas noted that Our Lady of Aparecida holds immense cultural significance in Brazil, transcending religious practice and being a defining element of Brazilian popular culture. The outcry, he suggested, also touches on religious racism, as the patroness is a Black representation of the Virgin Mary, and highlights the rivalry between the Catholic church and the rapidly growing evangelical movement.
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