Two women of opposing faiths unite to protect sacred Candombl茅 space
| Rio de Janeiro
M么nica Francisco and M茫e Seci Caxi do not see eye to eye about God.
Ms. Francisco, a Rio de Janeiro state congresswoman, practiced Catholicism until she joined an evangelical church at 18. She is among the 65 million Brazilians 鈥� approximately one-third of the population 鈥� who consider themselves evangelicals.
Ms. Caxi was born into a family of Candombl茅 鈥� a minority Brazilian religion of African origin that has historically been discriminated against, including by evangelicals.
Why We Wrote This
In polarized Brazil, religious groups have often clashed with one another. But in an unlikely partnership, two women of different faiths find common ground to preserve their African heritage.
But when Ms. Caxi needed help in saving a space sacred to the adherents of Candombl茅, she turned to the evangelical politician, who is also a pastor. United by their African heritage, the two have become unlikely allies against deep-seated religious intolerance in Brazil and for recognition of their shared culture.
鈥淲e must fight religious intolerance so that we can preserve our ancestry. We must preserve our oral traditions and African mythology as a religious practice because this reaffirms our Afro-Brazilian identity and its roots,鈥� Ms. Francisco says.听
鈥淥ur past includes an enslaved family, who probably worshipped African gods, who had to use syncretism,鈥� she adds. 鈥淎lthough I am a 海角大神, a pastor, and have embraced the evangelical faith, it is impossible not to recognize this presence in our ancestors.鈥�
Message of justice听
An abandoned structure outside Rio de Janeiro that a local mayor wanted to raze brought Ms. Francisco and Ms. Caxi together. Called the Terreiro da Gom茅ia, it鈥檚 sacred land in Afro-Brazilian worship and a national symbol of Afro-Brazilian culture. It was established by the late Jo茫ozinho da Gom茅ia, a pai-de-santo, or high priest, who was also known as the King of Candombl茅 because he brought the religion out of obscurity. Gay and mixed race, he was often harassed and once imprisoned, as he fought against entrenched attitudes and prejudices.
Before his death 50 years ago, the site attracted journalists, artists, and high-ranking politicians who sat high in balconies to watch its elaborate festivals and ceremonies.
鈥淗e welcomed nonbelievers just as much as he welcomed believers,鈥� says Ms. Caxi, who was chosen to be a Candombl茅 priest when she was a baby. She established the Gom茅ia Commission in 2003 to preserve the memory of Mr. Gom茅ia and calls his lifework 鈥渁 true social project.鈥澨�
His message of justice resonated with Ms. Francisco too. She grew up in Rio de Janeiro鈥檚 Borel favela, a majority-Black hill settlement where most residents live in precarious housing and have limited access to public services. When a massive landslide in Rio killed听dozens in her community in 1988 when she was a teen, she spent sleepless days and nights helping families. She calls this moment the birth of her activism. From then on, she fought for housing rights in favelas.听
When Ms. Francisco converted and began serving in various roles in the evangelical church, her activism expanded: fighting against police violence against poor Black men and for economic and political rights for women. Eventually she started her own church in Borel. When her friend Marielle Franco, an activist and politician,听was assassinated in 2018, Ms. Francisco ran for political office, easily winning a seat for the left-wing Socialism and Liberty party.
When asked how her faith and desire for justice interconnect today, Ms. Francisco points to Matthew 5:6 in the Bible: 鈥淏lessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.鈥澨�
Religion under attack
Candombl茅 is considered one of the strongest vestiges of African heritage in a country where 50% of its 212 million people are Afro-descendants.听It鈥檚 estimated that only 1.5% of all Brazilians practice Candombl茅, but the religion鈥檚 symbolism and imagery can be found in festivals, holidays, and carnivals.
Still, society has not always been open to Candombl茅 鈥� and at times downright hostile. In recent years Candombl茅 practitioners have come under increasing attacks from adherents of evangelical 海角大神ity, who helped听.听In 2019, 听Candombl茅 religious facilities destroyed or ransacked nationwide, the majority in Rio de Janeiro. The Terreiro da Gom茅ia in the town of Duque de Caxias听came under threat by Mayor Washington Reis, who announced he wanted to build a day care on the sacred site. He called such temples 鈥渃orners of witchcraft鈥� just this year.
But attitudes are shifting.听鈥淎frican spirituality has always been satanized by 海角大神 movements,鈥� says L锚mba Dyala, coordinator of the Gom茅ia Commission and also a high priest. 鈥淏ut today we can report [abuses], move freely, and fight without being criminalized.鈥�
In fact, the Gom茅ia Commission fought for the temple鈥檚 remains by pushing to have the site turned into a historic landmark. In 2019, its members initiated a heritage process through Rio de Janeiro鈥檚 State Institute of Cultural Heritage (INEPAC). In the middle of the pandemic, with the INEPAC process delayed, Mayor Reis reiterated the city鈥檚 plans to turn the site into a nursery. So on July 21, 2020, Ms. Francisco and two other state congresspeople proposed a bill that would make the land where Mr. Gom茅ia鈥檚 Candombl茅 terreiro once stood a state heritage site.听
It noted the site is not just fundamental to the religious practices of Candombl茅, but to 鈥渢he struggle and resistance of the black population and for the dissemination of African and Afro-Brazilian culture in the country, ensuring the right to identity and memory,鈥� it reads.
Amid this bill and mounting media attention and demonstrations, Mayor Reis backed down a week later. But Ms. Francisco didn鈥檛 stop there. She also proposed another bill to make March 27, Mr. Gom茅ia鈥檚 birthday, the State Day of Awareness Against Religious Racism and Jo茫ozinho da Gom茅ia Day. (Evangelical politicians attempted unsuccessfully to amend the bill with a proposal to remove Mr. Gom茅ia鈥檚 name.)
鈥淧utting his name on the day not only represents the fight against religious racism, but also against racism, against homophobia, against prejudice,鈥� says Ms. Francisco. 鈥淚t鈥檚 defending territories that are occupied and built by Black people.鈥�
In April of this year, both bills were passed, paving the way for the complete landmark status of the terreiro in September by INEPAC. It is only the second Candombl茅 site to receive such status in Rio de Janeiro.听
鈥淚 believe that Terreiro da Gom茅ia has a cultural and symbolic relevance on a national level,鈥� says Leon Ara煤jo, director of the Department of Intangible Heritage at INEPAC.听
While the Gom茅ia Commission plans how to use the landmarked site to properly pay homage to Mr. Gom茅ia, Ms. Francisco continues her political work against religious racism through a state committee investigating all religious intolerance.
鈥淭his was an episode; tomorrow comes another and we will fight it again,鈥� Ms. Francisco says. 鈥淲ith my militancy, I couldn鈥檛 be far from this fight. I would be there whether or not I was a politician. Coming from where I come from and with my journey, I have a responsibility to do everything I can.鈥�
This article was produced with the support of the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture, the John Templeton Foundation, and Templeton Religion Trust. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations.
