Have you ever wondered why most Brazilian cities were built around a church? Or why most holidays are dedicated to saints? To try to answer these questions, it is necessary to understand the Catholic religious influence in Brazil. Still in the beginning of the 21st century, among the religions professed by the Brazilian population, the Catholicism continues to have the largest number of followers among the country's inhabitants. Such predominance is due to the presence of the Catholic Church throughout the Brazilian historical formation.
The arrival of members of the Catholic clergy to Brazilian territory was simultaneous with the process of conquest of the lands of Brazil, since the Portuguese kingdom had close relations with the Roman Catholic Church. The mass celebrated on the arrival of Pedro Álvares Cabral, in 1500, was immortalized by Victor Meirelles in the painting First Mass in Brazil. the presence of Catholic church began to intensify in 1549 with the arrival of the Jesuits of the Society of Jesus, who formed towns and cities, the most famous case of which is the city of São Paulo.
Victor Meirelles' painting portrays the influence of the Catholic Church since the beginning of the conquest of Brazilian territories
Several other groups of Catholic clergy also came to the Portuguese colony with the main mission of evangelize the indigenous people, such as the orders of the Franciscans and the Carmelites, bringing the doctrine to them Christian. This process was linked to the very needs of European mercantile and political interests in Brazil, as an ideological basis for the conquest and colonization of new lands. The consequences were the acculturation of indigenous populations and the efforts to discipline, according to European Christian precepts, the population that lived here, mainly through actions educational.
In the arts, the most notorious contribution of the Catholic Church in the history of Brazil were the baroque artistic productions, whose main exponent was the plastic artist Aleijadinho. These works can be found in the cities of Salvador, Diamantina, Ouro Preto, Recife and Olinda. On the other hand, Catholicism's contact with African religions produced religious syncretism, a mixture of religions that gave rise to Candomblé, for example.
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Relations between the Catholic Church and the State were close in Brazil, both in the colony and in the Empire, since, in addition to ensuring social discipline within within certain limits, the church also performed administrative tasks that are now the responsibility of the State, such as the registration of births, deaths and weddings. The Church also contributed to the maintenance of hospitals, especially the Santas Casas. In return, the State appointed bishops and parish priests, in addition to granting licenses for the construction of new churches.
The scenario changed with the appointment of the Marquis of Pombal, who removed the influence of the Catholic Church from the administration of the State. After his death, the ties became closer again, spanning the entire Brazilian imperial period in the 19th century. With the proclamation of the Republic in 1889, there was a formal separation between the State and the Catholic Church, but their presence was still alive, as evidenced by the existence of various national festivities and holidays, such as the June festivities and the October 12th holiday, the day of Nossa Senhora Aparecida, patron saint of parents.
Contrary to the directives of the church's direction, several religious groups acted politically, fighting for the improvement of the living conditions of the exploited population of the country. There have been several examples throughout Brazilian history, including the Canudos Revolt at the end of the 19th century, or even in the last quarter of the century. XX, when groups linked to Liberation Theology managed to form some social movements, such as the MST, through action in the Base Ecclesial Councils (CEB's).
By Tales Pinto
Graduated in History
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
PINTO, Tales of the Saints. "The Catholic Church in Brazil"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiab/igreja-catolica-no-brasil.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
