Monte Santo: vivências religiosas e ancestralidade

Abstract

This work aims to analyze the religious experiences maintained by practitioners of Catholicism and Umbanda in the Monte Santo location. Being a community known for its strong Afro-religious presence and practice, the researcher will discuss the meaning of religiosity for people who live in this region and are synonymous with struggle and resistance due to their histories related to religious syncretism based on their interpersonal experiences. Such syncretism occurs through the cult of the Mariana invocation of Our Lady of Health and the Umbanda segment highlighting two terreiros called Tenda São Benedito and Tenda São Francisco, in addition to traditions such as prayers and faith healers who work religiously with healing through herbs. The community is also marked by the ancient tradition of climbing the Sacred Hill annually in the month of April, where the population gathers, according to their beliefs, to climb the Hill together, in silence, in a religious procession. This work is considered relevant from a social point of view as it should help to grow the great cultural resistance present in the community, taking into account mainly respect for their beliefs and diversity. Keywords: Monte Santo. Religious Experiences. Ancestry. Catholicism. Umbanda.