Brasile: la battaglia delle dune

Scontri tra gruppi religiosi in Brasile

Evangelicals are silhouetted against a sunset as they pray in an area of the Abaete dune system, on a steep rise of sand they have come to call the

A woman prays in an area of the Abaete dune system, on a steep rise of sand evangelicals have come to call the

A boy plays in the sand dunes on Sullivan's Island as winds from Hurricane Ian begin to roll in to the Charleston, S.C., area on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)

Bishop Wedson Tavares, left, leads his flock in prayer asking God to influence the upcoming election as a congregant burns scrawled prayers on scraps of paper in an area of the Abaete dune system, at a steep rise of sand evangelicals call the

Practitioners of Afro Brazilian faiths gather around the Abaete Lagoon during a protest calling on authorities to take action against a series of environmental offenses in the Abaete dune system, an area they consider sacred, in Salvador, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. Dressed in white, they marched to the lagoon, the traditional site for most of their rituals, and lined up along the water in a symbolic hug for the area.†(AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Members of the Indigenous community join Afro Brazilian community members in a protest march, in Salvador, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. Protesters called on authorities to take action against projects that would have environmental impact on the dunes, including one to accommodate evangelical pilgrims congregating at the Abaete dune system, an area members of the Afro Brazilian faiths consider sacred. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Afro Brazilian community members take part in a protest march, in Salvador, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. Protesters called on authorities to take action against projects that would have environmental impact on the dunes, including one to accommodate evangelical pilgrims congregating at the Abaete dune system, an area members of the Afro Brazilian faiths consider sacred. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Evangelicals pray while walking around the perimeter of an area of the Abaete dune system, that they have come to call the

Afro Brazilian community members take part in a protest alongside the Abaete Lagoon in Salvador, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. Protesters called on authorities to take action against projects that would have environmental impact on the dunes, including one to accommodate evangelical pilgrims congregating at the Abaete dune system, an area members of the Afro Brazilian faiths consider sacred. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Newly baptized Casa de Oraçao church members Zerilda Souza, 57, from left, Bruno Jesus Santos, 32, and Joao Ferreira, 80, pose for a portrait on the shore of the Abaete Lagoon, in Salvador, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. While Catholicism is still the largest religion in Brazil, in recent years it has slipped below 50% of the population to lose its status as a majority faith even as evangelical churches have gained. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Figures adorn an altar inside the temple of Jaciara Ribeiro, a priestess of the Afro Brazilian faith Candomble, in Salvador, Brazil, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. Ribeiro, who is known as Mother Jaciara of Oxum, says members of her temple have been insulted when walking past a dune where evangelicals congregate or had Bibles brandished at them. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Medaberel Baptist Church members walk to the top of an area in the Abaete dune system, to arrive at a steep rise of sand they call the

Evangelical Pastor Edy Santos, right, spreads his arms as newly baptized Zerilda Souza, center right, is embraced by a church member, in the Abaete Lagoon, in Salvador, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. Santos refuses to talk politics with his flock, even when they ask.

A woman holds a handful of sand as she prays in area of the Abaete dune system, that evangelicals have come to call the

Da circa 25 anni gli evangelici brasiliani convergono sul sistema di dune di Abaete, che per loro è una “Montagna Santa”. Migliaia di persone arrivano ogni settimana per cantare, pregare ed entrare in stati di trance per comunicare con Dio. Per meglio accogliere questi pellegrini, il municipio ha iniziato a costruire una piazza e un centro di accoglienza.

Questo ha scatenato le proteste di molti altri gruppi, soprattutto i membri della comunità indigena e della comunità afro-brasiliana, perché i progetti avrebbero un forte impatto ambientale.

I gruppi religiosi afro-brasiliani affermano che la crescente influenza degli evangelici nelle stanze del potere e della politica del Paese sta mettendo a dura prova le relazioni interreligiose in vista delle elezioni generali del 2 ottobre.

Gli evangelici costituiscono quasi un terzo della popolazione brasiliana, e hanno contribuito a portare al potere il presidente Jair Bolsonaro nel 2018. Il cattolicesimo è ancora la più grande religione in Brasile, ma negli ultimi anni è scivolato al di sotto del 50% della popolazione, mentre le chiese evangeliche hanno guadagnato proseliti. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)