While scholarship often focuses on how early modern Italians used images in their devotions, particularly in the post-Tridentine era, little attention has been placed upon how laypeople engaged with devotional text during times of prayer and in their everyday lives. Studies of early modern devotional texts have explored their literary content, investigated their censorship by the Church, or concentrated upon an elite readership. This thesis, instead, investigates how ordinary devotees interacted with holy words in their material form, which I have termed ‘material prayers’. Since this thesis developed under the aegis of the interdisciplinary research project, Domestic Devotions: The Place of Piety in the Italian Renaissance Home, 1400-1600, it focuses primarily on engagement with these material prayers in domestic spaces. Using an interdisciplinary approach drawing from material culture studies, literary history, social and cultural history, and art history, it brings together objects, images and archival sources to illuminate how devotees from across the socio-economic and literacy spectrums accessed and employed devotional text in their prayers and daily life. From holy words, Biblical excerpts, and prayers to textual symbols like the Sacred Monogram of the Name of Jesus, this thesis explores how and why these material prayers were employed for spiritual, apotropaic and intercessory purposes. It analyses material prayers not only in traditional textual formats (printed books and manuscripts), but also those that were printed on single-sheets of paper, inscribed on jewellery, or etched into the structure of the home. To convey how devotees engaged with and relied upon these material prayers, it considers a variety of inscribed objects, including those sanctioned by the Church as well as those which might be questioned or deemed ‘superstitious’ by ecclesiastical authorities. Sermons, Inquisition trial records, and other archival documents have been consulted to further illuminate the material evidence. The first part of the thesis, ‘On the Body’, considers the how devotees came into personal contact with texts by wearing prayers on their bodies. It examines a range of objects including prayers with protective properties, known as brevi, that were meant to be sealed in a pouch and worn around the neck, and more luxurious items of physical adornment inscribed with devotional and apotropaic text, such as necklaces and rings. The second part of the thesis enters the home to explore how the spaces people inhabited and the objects that populated their homes were decorated with material prayers. ‘In the Home’ begins with texts inscribed over the entryways of early modern Italian homes, and then considers how devotees decorated their walls with holy words and how the objects of devotion and household life were imbued with religious significance through the addition of pious inscriptions. By analysing these personal objects and the textual domestic sphere, this thesis argues that these material prayers cut across socio-economic classes, genders, and ages to embody quotidian moments of domestic devotion as well as moments of fear, anxiety and change.

Les représentations monumentales de la Mise au tombeau du Christ constituent l’un des sujets de prédilection en sculpture aux XVe et XVIe siècles. Longtemps, leur historiographie s’est contentée d’observations stylistiques sans marquer d’intérêt concernant les raisons de leur popularité. Pourtant, l’émergence de ce motif iconographique bien particulier – sans référent direct dans les Écritures – ainsi que la grande diversité des lieux d’implantation (cathédrale et église paroissiale, chapelle seigneuriale ou d’hôpital), allant de pair avec celle des donateurs, incitent à un examen attentif des contextes de commande, d’un point de vue historique, politique, économique mais aussi intime. À partir de l’examen de dossiers choisis pour leur pertinence et la richesse de leur documentation, cette étude propose plusieurs ensembles de réflexions articulés autour des notions de monument funéraire, de l’image de dévotion et de pèlerinage spirituel. Elle met ainsi en lumière l’exceptionnelle polyvalence de ces remarquables groupes sculptés. / The monumental representations of the Christ’s entombment were one of the most sought after sculpted subjects during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Their historiography has long been confined to mere stylistic observations without tackling the issue of the reasons for their immense popularity. However, the emergence of such a distinctive iconographic motif – one that stems from no direct reference in the Scriptures – as well as the great diversity of its locations (cathedral and parish churches, castle or hospital chapels), one which mirrors that of their donators, should lead us to a careful examination of the command contexts, from a historical, political, economic as well as personal viewpoint. By examining several examples chosen for their relevance and their wealth of documentation, the present study offers several chapters of reflections hinging upon such notions as a funeral monument, a devotion image and a spiritual pilgrimage. It thus casts light upon the outstanding polyvalence of these remarkable sculpted groups.

Au moment où se poursuit l’établissement des princes de l’Église dans la campagne romaine par la construction de somptueuses villas, le Concile de Trente (1545-1563) adopte une série de décrets qui entendent réaffirmer les dogmes catholiques et réformer les mœurs du clergé, critiqués par les protestants. Puisque la villa est perçue au 16e siècle comme un lieu où le fidèle peut faire l’expérience d’une retraite spirituelle, ce mémoire souhaite lever le voile sur les pratiques dévotionnelles suburbaines post-tridentines. Pour ce faire, les cycles picturaux de trois chapelles de villas romaines dont la décoration a été réalisée à la suite de cet important concile sont examinés : la chapelle du palazzo Farnese à Caprarola, appartenant au cardinal Alessandro Farnese (1520-1589), la chapelle de la villa d’Este à Tivoli, construite pour le cardinal Ippolito II d’Este (1509-1572), et la chapelle de la villa Mondragone à Frascati, commanditée par le cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps (1533-1595) pour le pape Grégoire XIII (1502-1585). Il s’agit de vérifier l’impact des pratiques dévotionnelles sur le choix des décors dans ces lieux de culte privés. S’attarder à la perception du regardeur de l’époque et au rapport spirituel du public à l’image implique que nous analysions notre corpus à l’aide d’un cadre anthropologique. / The taste for countryside palaces among the Princes of the Church was already well established when the Council of Trent (1545-1563) moved to counter the protestant Reformation. This council asserted catholic dogmas and significantly reformed clerical mores. In this context, villas are seen as the perfect stage to realize spiritual ambitions. This thesis thus studies extra-urban devotional practices by examining three chapels in countryside palaces around Rome decorated after the Council of Trent: Cardinal Alessandro Farnese’s (1520-1589) chapel in his villa at Caprarola; the Villa d’Este chapel at Tivoli built for Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este (1509-1572); and the Villa Mondragone chapel at Frascati, ordered by Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps (1533-1595) for Pope Gregory XIII (1502-1585). We seek to examine the influence of contemporary devotional practices on the iconographic cycles in the private sphere. The public’s perception and spiritual response to the frescoes will be probed through an anthropological approach to images.

Submitted by Ricardo Cedraz Duque Moliterno (ricardo.moliterno@uefs.br) on 2017-10-16T21:15:42Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ANA NERY DISSERTAC?O 19.11.16_Disserta??o_Ana Nery_Arquivo completo (1)-2.pdf: 3023409 bytes, checksum: 9ffa76f7e2e79ced18b4ef96755be054 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-16T21:15:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ANA NERY DISSERTAC?O 19.11.16_Disserta??o_Ana Nery_Arquivo completo (1)-2.pdf: 3023409 bytes, checksum: 9ffa76f7e2e79ced18b4ef96755be054 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-29 / This dissertation analyzes the Festa de Reis (Feast of Kings) in the city of Concei??o do Coit?, Bahia, between the years 1965 to 2005, focusing on the performance of the Reisado de Cabaceiras Group in a rural community located in this municipality. The proposed research sought to identify the changes and permanence during the festivities, as well as to understand the reasons and instruments used by the ?sambadores? (samba dancers) for these changes to occur, how they are being perceived and experienced by the population that participated in the feast, and how the residents of the Cabaceiras community understood and participated in the reinvention process. In addition, it seeks to understand new meanings and appropriations of other forms of religiosity, such as the interreligious dialogue between the religion of African matrices and the Catholic tradition, which makes it plural in relation to other celebrations in praise of the Holy Kings in the interior of Bahia state. We analyze aspects between the sacred and the profane, besides observing conflicts and divergences between the revelers and the municipal authorities. For that, the narratives of these residents and participants, audiovisual records and written sources were primordial methodological resources, in order to understand the peculiarities of this Christmas party. The work intends to contribute to an analysis of the practices of the feast as an expression of popular religiosity, focusing on the dynamics of the Reisado de Cabaceiras Group, its trajectory and its insertion in the urban spaces of the city of Concei??o do Coit? and Sisaleira Region. / Esta disserta??o analisa a Festa de Reis em Concei??o do Coit? (BA), entre os anos de 1965 a 2005, focando-se na atua??o do Grupo Reisado de Cabaceiras em uma comunidade rural localizada neste munic?pio. A pesquisa proposta buscou identificar as mudan?as e as perman?ncias ocorridas na festa, bem como entender quais os motivos e os instrumentos utilizados pelos sambadores para que essas mudan?as acontecessem, como elas est?o sendo percebidas e vivenciadas pela popula??o que participava da festa e como os moradores da comunidade de Cabaceiras entenderam e participaram do processo de reinven??o. Al?m disso, compreender novos significados e apropria??es de outras formas de religiosidades, a exemplo do di?logo inter-religioso entre as Religi?es de Matrizes Africanas e a tradi??o cat?lica nas festas em louvor aos Santos Reis no interior baiano. Analisamos aspectos da rela??o entre o sagrado e o profano, al?m de observar conflitos e diverg?ncias entre os festeiros e as autoridades municipais. Para tanto, as narrativas desses moradores e participantes, registros audiovisuais e fontes escritas foram recursos metodol?gicos primordiais, a fim de compreender as peculiaridades dessa festa natalina. O trabalho pretende contribuir para uma an?lise das pr?ticas da festa como express?o da religiosidade popular, enfocando a din?mica do Grupo Reisado de Cabaceiras, sua trajet?ria e sua inser??o nos espa?os urbanos da cidade de Concei??o do Coit? e da Regi?o Sisaleira.

Submitted by admin tede (tede@pucgoias.edu.br) on 2017-03-30T14:10:54Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PAULO AFONSO TAVARES.pdf: 3698076 bytes, checksum: 7fa4953ac0dacc1cf50f22f1f791005b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-30T14:10:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PAULO AFONSO TAVARES.pdf: 3698076 bytes, checksum: 7fa4953ac0dacc1cf50f22f1f791005b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-08 / This investigation tries to analyze how the religious practices (particularly Masses and Novenas) held in the Basilica Sanctuary of the Divine Eternal Father of the municipality of Trindade in the State of Goiás are put under a process of reconfiguration by being televised. In broadcasting these religious practices, the media employed its own rules and methods (or grammars), resulting in a new form of religious practice, which might be called “mediatic”. By analyzing the media practices of the Basilica Sanctuary of Trindade, we have identified two particularities: the use of simulation and the show as an outcome. These particularities have been originated from the process of media development on religious practices, mostly through the employment of techno- symbolic devices, orchestrated by the “mediatic” ceremony, developing from in- person religious practices. During this process of development, some modifications have also taken place in the Basilica Sanctuary of the Divine Eternal Father, as well as with the religious practices held within this church, due to their transmission by television. Grouped in two orders: temporality and spatiality, these modifications go beyond the religious field and can in fact be classified as concessions to another field, since they migrate into a television media classification. The research also shows that the televised religious practices of the Basilica Shrine of the Divine Eternal Father do not take place for the faithful present but for the “tele-faithful,” that is, the consumers of these mediatic-religious practices. The faithful, as well as the entire liturgical body of these religious practices, thus become the assistants of this media construction. To accomplish this investigation, a set of theoretical, methodological and technical procedures has been used, including bibliographical and documentary research, observation, interviews and analysis of media documents. The dissertation is develped in two parts. In the first, it addresses the emergence and development of devotion to the Divine Eternal Father under three distinct different aspects: the first during the colonial period until the proclamation of the Brazilian Republic. The second examines the devotion under ecclesiastical administration – in what we have called “Romanization.” The third deals with the mediatization of this devotion, that is, the use of the media in a first moment in order to “Christianize” it and then to spread it throughout Brazil. In the second part of the dissertation, the main concepts, such as secularization, the role of media, mediatization and the mediatization of religion (with a particular focus on media‟s interaction with Catholicism) are discussed as its hard core, as well as how the religious practices of the Basilica Sanctuary of the Divine Eternal Father are modified by being televised. It has come to a conclusion that religious devotion makes concessions to the media field in the transmissions of its practices and that these concessions not only alter the liturgical formats of its practices, but indeed affect the temple itself. / A pesquisa se propõe a analisar como as práticas religiosas (Missas e Novenas) do Santuário Basílica do Divino Pai Eterno do município de Trindade no Estado de Goiás são reconfiguradas pelos dispositivos televisivos, pois ao televisionar essas práticas religiosas, o Campo Midiático impõe as suas próprias regras e gramáticas, resultando numa outra prática religiosa, a midiática. Ao analisar as práticas religiosas midiáticas do Santuário Basílica de Trindade identificamos que elas são constituídas por duas particularidades: o simulacro e a espetacularização, oriundas desse processo de construção da prática religiosa midiatizada, através do dispositivo tecno-simbólico orquestrado pelo cerimoniário midiático, a partir das práticas religiosas presenciais. Durante esse processo de construção, algumas modificações também acontecem no Santuário Basílica do Divino Pai Eterno e nas práticas religiosas presenciais desta mesma igreja, por causa de suas transmissões pela TV. Essas modificações podem ser classificadas como concessões, uma vez que perpassam do Campo Religioso ao Campo Midiático Televisivo e se agrupam em duas ordens, temporalidade e espacialidade. A pesquisa também mostra que as práticas religiosas televisionadas do Santuário Basílica do Divino Pai Eterno não são realizadas para os fiéis ali presentes, mas sim para os telefiéis, ou seja, os consumidores dessas práticas religiosas midiatizadas. Os fiéis, assim como todo o corpo litúrgico dessas práticas religiosas, são assistentes desta construção midiática. Para tanto, utilizou-se um conjunto de procedimentos teóricos, metodológicos e técnicos que inclui pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, observação, entrevistas e análises de documentos midiáticos. A dissertação está construída em três partes: na primeira, aborda o surgimento e desenvolvimento da Devoção do Divino Pai Eterno em três períodos bem distintos; o primeiro durante a vigência do padroado até a proclamação da República Brasileira; o segundo momento mostra a devoção sob a administração eclesiástica, o que denominamos por romanização; o terceiro período disserta sobre a midiatização desta devoção, a utilização dos meios de comunicação social num primeiro momento para “cristianizá-la” e, depois, para propagá-la para todo o Brasil. Na segunda parte da dissertação, discute-se os principais conceitos que norteiam a pesquisa, como de secularização, campo midiático, midiatização e midiatização da religião com foco no catolicismo midiático. Na terceira parte analisamos como as práticas religiosas do Santuário Basílica do Divino Pai Eterno são modificadas pelos dispositivos televisivos. Conclui-se que o campo religioso faz concessões ao campo midiático nas transmissões de suas práticas e que essas concessões não só alteram os formatos litúrgicos de suas práticas, como também afetam o próprio templo.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T13:49:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SERGIO DE SOUZA NERES.pdf: 681748 bytes, checksum: 0939af975bf6e99c697c21b2bd3431c2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-12-19 / These Dissertation was construct a main of pesqui of de camp in the Sacrats Stigma and Saint Expedict Church, in Goiânia, in the period of 2005 and 2006, and meaning of bibliograph, motivation for wish of untender the to clean the religious fenomen of devotion that Saint Expedict and the success actituds as of the father Divino Alves Pereira da Silva, boss, mananger of church this period, if constituation in importants elements in stimulat at this devotion. / Esta dissertação foi elaborada por meio de pesquisas de campo na Igreja dos Sagrados Estigmas e Santo Expedito, em Goiânia, no período de 2005 e 2006, e pesquisas bibliográficas, motivadas pelo desejo de esclarecer o fenômeno religioso da devoção a Santo Expedito e entender se as atitudes empreendedoras de Padre Divino Alves Pereira da Silva, pároco, dirigente da paróquia nesse período, se constituíram em elementos importantes no estímulo a essa devoção.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T18:15:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dariane Pirehowski.pdf: 6901071 bytes, checksum: e5f1e296c91a21286fcb6bbf73c9f2d1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-10 / The Shrines, from the religious point of view, are sacred and special places - destination of devotees, pilgrims and tourists - generally raised from the story of a saint, his or her images, relics and miracles. According to it, this study aims to understand the socio-spatial organization of the Shrine of Lady of Brotas, located in Piraí do Sul (PR) from a geographic scientific view. Therefore, this work is presented in three analytical fronts: Firstly, there is a theoretical discussion where reflections are presented about culture, religion, the shrines and also it as a Paraná cultural heritage, especially the city of Piraí do Sul. After is realized the description of the historical features of the constitution of the shrine and the devotion to Lady of Brotas, in order to better understand this phenomenon - was also considered in this sense, the Church's role in the specific place, in partnership with Local Authorities and the opinion of researchers and stakeholders in this process. This theme was approached because of state and local importance of the shrine, previously recognized by the visitors and local society. Thus it was possible to identify that from the beginning of the devotion to Lady of Brotas several changes were adopted by the Church, as the partnership with the Municipal Government, with the intention of adequacy in infrastructure and religious programming to meet religious, economic, political, social and cultural. This research adopted the method of phenomenology, with qualitative approach, in a case study. The technical procedures were: analysis of tumbles, the parish registers books, observation and interviews. It was found that the shrine is a significant religious and cultural city manifestation and therefore is recognized as cultural heritage in Piraí do Sul, consequently a cultural and tourist attraction that needs greater attention from municipal and state powers to keep the maintenance and expansion of religious and cultural use and for local tourism and economic development. / Os santuários, do ponto de vista religioso, são lugares sagrados e especiais –destino de devotos, peregrinos e turistas – que geralmente são formados a partir da história de um santo, imagens, relíquias, milagres. Neste sentido, este trabalho tem por objetivo compreender a organização socioespacial do Santuário de Nossa Senhora das Brotas, de Piraí do Sul (PR) a partir de uma visão científico-geográfica.Para tanto, o trabalho apresenta-se em três frentes de análise: primeiramente há uma discussão teórica em que são apresentadas reflexões sobre cultura, religião, os santuários e estes enquanto patrimônio cultural do Paraná, especialmente da cidade de Piraí do Sul. Depois é realizada a descrição das características históricas da constituição do santuário e da devoção a Nossa Senhora das Brotas, a fim de melhor conhecer esse fenômeno – foi também considerada, neste sentido, finalmente a atuação da Igreja sobre o local, em parceria com o Poder Público local e a opinião de pesquisadores e interessados nesse processo. Este tema foi abordado devido à importância local e estadual do santuário, previamente constatada através do reconhecimento da sociedade local e visitante. Dessa forma foi possível identificar que desde o início da devoção a Nossa Senhora das Brotas diversas mudanças foram adotadas pela Igreja, como a parceria com o Poder Público Municipal, com a intenção da adequação na infraestrutura e na programação religiosa para atender interesses religiosos, econômicos, políticos, sociais e culturais. Esta pesquisa adotou o método da fenomenologia, cuja abordagem foi qualitativa, em um estudo de caso. Os procedimentos técnicos realizados foram:análise dos tombos, livros de registros paroquiais, observação e entrevistas. Verificou-se que o santuário constitui uma manifestação religiosa e cultural expressiva do município e, por isso, é reconhecido como patrimônio cultural em Piraí do Sul; consequentemente, é um atrativo cultural e turístico que necessita de maior atenção por parte dos poderes públicos municipal e estadual para a manutenção e a ampliação do uso religioso e cultural e para o desenvolvimento turístico e econômico local.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Wagner Lima Amaral.pdf: 2330326 bytes, checksum: 56e3c50332392008ce8a2d5f7211efc6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-06-09 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The dynamics of backcountry devotional space - Devotion to Padre Cicero and his contribution to the establishment of the identity of the backwoods frontiersman has devotion to Padre Cicero, being held through extensive literature review by historiographical, analytical and poetic works as an object of study. Part of the analysis of the place of the backcountry - the hinterlands, and finds it difficult to experience instead the motivation for the invention of a particular space, through their devotion, establishing life expectancy. This space creates a dynamic of transcendence x immanence in he transcends his place through his connection with the reference to his devotion - Padre Cicero, adding to its binding interaction with their peers - the devout pilgrims; and thus realize the immanence of the divine in his place for the practice of their faith, by its dimensions: collective, by orality; performative, for pilgrimages; and literary, by twine. The preservation of this space through devotion, not only establishes new dynamics for the backcountry suffered as influences decisively on its own identity by adding or emphasizing features like a poetic vision of reality, an appropriation of symbols, a resistance to hopelessness, an understanding mystical life. These characteristics influence the formation of their identity, making the author and actor in your own reality, inventor of a beautiful dynamic and hope for life; in which reframes ancient knowledge, making them applicable in its new contexto, creating a resilient hope in which all reality is understood, interpreted and lived in a strong Christian mystical tone, bringing meaning to this life and to come, a triumphal eschatological perspective. So, is the devotee who determines the preservation of life through the backcountry of your space / A dinâmica do espaço devocional sertanejo - A devoção a Padre Cícero e sua contribuição na constituição da identidade do sertanejo tem como objeto de estudo a devoção sertaneja a Padre Cícero, sendo realizada através de ampla análise bibliográfica por meio de trabalhos historiográficos, analíticos e poéticos. Parte da análise do lugar do sertanejo o sertão, entendendo ser a difícil vivência em seu lugar a motivação para a invenção de um espaço particular, por meio de sua devoção, estabelecendo esperança de vida. Neste espaço cria uma dinâmica de transcendência x imanência em que ele transcende ao seu lugar, através de sua ligação com a referência de sua devoção Padre Cícero, somando-se à sua ligação de convívio com seus iguais os devotos romeiros; e, desta forma, percebe a imanência do divino em seu lugar pela prática de sua fé, através de suas dimensões: coletiva, pela oralidade; performática, pelas romarias; e literária, pelos cordéis. A preservação desse espaço por meio da devoção, não somente estabelece novas dinâmicas para o sofrido sertanejo como influencia determinantemente em sua própria identidade, acrescentando ou acentuando características como uma visão poética da realidade, uma apropriação dos símbolos, uma resistência à desesperança, uma compreensão mística da vida. Tais características influenciam na formação de sua identidade, tornando-o autor e ator de sua própria realidade, inventor de uma dinâmica bela e esperança para a vida; na qual ressignifica antigos conhecimentos, tornando-os aplicáveis em seu novo contexto, criando uma resistente esperança na qual toda a realidade é entendida, interpretada e vivida em forte tonalidade mística cristã, trazendo significado para esta vida e a por vir, numa perspectiva escatológica triunfal. Assim, é o devoto que determina a preservação da vida ao sertanejo por meio de seu espaço

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Maria Cecilia Domezi.pdf: 3205443 bytes, checksum: b2955c8bbf069403b05fedd8d135d450 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-06-21 / ADVENIAT / The force of devotion lived on the dividing line between traditional and popular catholicism and basic christian communities (CEBs), within the plurality of different forms of brazilian catholicism is the central point of this study. The empirical research limits itself to some networks of brazilian CEBs in the state of São Paulo. The starting point was a suspicion that allowing for the necessity to make credible certain existential situations, many of the members of the CEBs would preserve fragments of the old devotions in a parallelism with the theology of liberation. One questions the possibilities of this theology recovering and resignifying in its rational coherency, these fragments of belief and traditional rituals. In the CEBs persists a devotional "continuum" from early popular traditional catholicism. This "continuum" transmits itself from generation to generation, in a selective and recreative manner through rearrangements, translations, resignifications and constant reelaborations of images and concepts. The subjects preserve traditional religious values, the sacredness of images and a complex web of relations with the saints, crediting them with cultural recourses of the popular universe such as indetermination, ambiguity and ambivalence. The devotion to the Virgin Mary, resignified in the obligation with the praxis of the transformation of society, guards the mythical space of intimacy with the "Great Mother", clement, compassionate, and almost goddess, in equality with God the Father. The form of intelligibility of these subjects is more situated in "concrete thoughts" that are made up and remade through bricolage. The evidence that the devotional "continuum" preserves the central part of it's meaning, wherein the new attitudes encounter vital nourishment, turns the question in reverse: What is the force of the CEBs, looking from the central part of it's meaning, that preserve the mythical universe, the sacred cosmic order and the dynamic interventions of the saints? It is the very members of the CEBs, from within the brazilian popular culture, while being social and ecclesiastical subjects, assume the fragments of being "libertarians" of the theology of liberation, and the projects of a new sociaty defended by the social movements, and resignify them. Mythical space and historical reality are complemented, opening new perspectives when faced with contemporary problems in the encounter between tradition and modernity. / A força da devoção, vivida na fronteira entre o catolicismo tradicional popular e as CEBs, dentro da pluralidade de formas do catolicismo brasileiro, é o foco deste estudo. A pesquisa empírica delimita-se em algumas redes de CEBs brasileiras, situadas no Estado de São Paulo. O ponto de partida foi uma suspeita de que, pela necessidade de tornar plausíveis certas situações existenciais, muitos membros de CEBs preservariam fragmentos da antiga devoção, num paralelismo com a teologia da libertação. Indagava-se, de início, das possibilidades desta teologia resgatar e ressignificar, dentro da sua coerência racional, esses fragmentos de crenças e rituais tradicionais. Nas CEBs persiste um "continuum" devocional, desde o catolicismo tradicional popular. Esse "continuum" transmite-se de geração a geração, de maneira seletiva e recriativa; passa por rearranjos, traduções, ressignificações e constante reelaboração de imagens e conceitos. Os sujeitos preservam valores religiosos tradicionais, a sacralidade das imagens e a teia complexa de relações com as santas e os santos, valendo-se de recursos culturais do universo popular, como indeterminação, ambigüidade e ambivalência. A devoção a Nossa Senhora, ressignificada no compromisso com a práxis de transformação da sociedade, guarda o espaço mítico de intimidade com a "Grande Mãe", misericordiosa, compassiva e quase-deusa, a par com Deus Pai. A forma de inteligibilidade destes sujeitos está mais situada no "pensamento concreto", que se compõe e recompõe através da bricolagem. A constatação de que o "continuum" devocional preserva o seu núcleo de sentido, no qual as novas atitudes encontram um alimento vital, fez a pergunta inverter-se: Qual é a força das CEBs, a partir desse núcleo de sentido que preserva o universo mítico, a ordem cósmica sagrada e as intervenções dinamizadoras dos santos? São os próprios membros de CEBs que, no interior da cultura popular brasileira, enquanto sujeitos sociais e sujeitos eclesiais, apropriam-se de fragmentos "libertários", da teologia da libertação e dos projetos de nova sociedade defendidos pelos movimentos sociais, e os ressignificam. Espaço mítico e realidade histórica complementam-se, abrindo novas perspectivas frente às problemáticas contemporâneas, no encontro entre tradição e modernidade.

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