Flávio Bolsonaro has sparked controversy, raising fears he might remove Our Lady of Aparecida as the country's patron saint RIO DE JANEIRO -- RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s patron saint, Our Lady of Aparecida, has become a surprise election issue just days ahead of the Oct. 4 vote. A comment on Jesus by presidential candidate Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro went viral last week and triggered fears among many Catholics that he might intend to remove the patron saint, a widely beloved figure among Brazilians.
The son of former president Jair Bolsonaro and main rival against incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva denies the claim and has called the accusations a “great lie” and “the biggest fake news of the campaign.” The row over Our Lady of Aparecida has propelled religion to the heart of the campaign in Latin America’s biggest country, where around 56.7% of the population is Catholic and 26.9% Evangelical, according to a 2022 census by Brazil’s national statistics agency. Polls show Lula and Bolsonaro in a close race ahead of the election on Sunday. If neither wins an outright majority, a runoff vote will take place on Oct. 25.
The AP explains the row and why it matters. In an Aug. 23 video, Sen. Bolsonaro said that he would “declare that Brazil belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ.” Some Catholics interpreted that as meaning that the presidential candidate would remove Our Lady of Aparecida as Brazil’s patron saint.
Lula supporters on social media amplified that understanding. They pointed to a 2007 bill with that intention presented by then-lawmaker Victório Galli, a Bolsonaro ally who served as special adviser to Jair Bolsonaro’s administration. The proposal was later shelved.
While local media has reported ties between the Bolsonaro family and a bishop that has defended such a move, Sen. Bolsonaro himself has never said he supports the removal of Our Lady of Aparecida as Brazil’s patron saint and has strongly refuted the accusations. On Tuesday, the presidential candidate said he was referring to a symbolic act such as a prayer.
Brazil's president does not have the authority to demote Our Lady of Aparecida. That is a Vatican prerogative. Pope Pius XI declared Our Lady of Aparecida Brazil's patron saint in 1930, a title that the Brazilian state later recognized.
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