Our Lady of Aparecida
17
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9
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7
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Search complete. 17 mentions across 9 episodes found for "Our Lady of Aparecida".
Oct 2, 2026
José Roberto de ToledoHOST
Exactly.
José Roberto de ToledoHOST
And then comes, within this wave of repercussion that you mentioned, one of them, one of the thousands of messages and posts that were made, was made by the humorist Antônio Tabet, who also has a podcast here at ON, a videocast, and he basically said that the militiaman family has so much hatred for black women that now they are attacking Nossa Senhora Aparecida.
José Roberto de ToledoHOST
And Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign, in my opinion, in an ironically delicious way, put on the hood and entered with a representation in the Electoral Court, directly in the Superior Electoral Court, to take it out of the air.
José Roberto de ToledoHOST
this message.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
We're talking a lot about rumors.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
We're talking about this religious controversy about Our Lady of Aparecida.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
But the main topics, they were simply not there.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
First of all, you can see that there was not even a debate between the candidates.
speaker_3NARRATOR
In the high-stakes final days leading up to Brazil's October 2026 presidential election, a fierce, unexpected controversy centered on religious identity and national heritage has seized the country's political landscape.
speaker_3NARRATOR
The sacred figure at the absolute center of this storm is Our Lady of Aparecida, the dark-skinned depiction of the Virgin Mary, who has served as Brazil's official patron saint for nearly a century.
speaker_3NARRATOR
What began as a viral rumor circulating across social media channels has rapidly escalated into a frontline campaign issue, drawing in President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, challenger Flavio Bolsonaro, and even Brazil's highest electoral and supreme courts.
speaker_3NARRATOR
The dispute highlights the profound intersection of religion, culture, and power in a nation characterized by intense political polarization and shifting demographic alliances.
speaker_3NARRATOR
The political turmoil was triggered by widespread social media posts alleging that Flavio Bolsonaro, the senator son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, intended to strip Our Lady of Aparecida of her official statutory status as the nation's patron saint if elected.
speaker_3NARRATOR
The claims pointed to a long-archived 2007 legislative proposal introduced nearly two decades ago by an evangelical lawmaker attempting to reframe it as a current policy objective of the Bolsonaro movement.
speaker_3NARRATOR
Flavio Bolsonaro.
speaker_3NARRATOR
accusing President Lula's campaign and figures within the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil of deliberately disseminating misinformation to alienate Catholic voters on the eve of the vote.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
Well, this election, it's been an interesting one, Chris, because I think we have so many important topics to be discussed, but it's been almost a silly election.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
People are talking about Our Lady of Aparecida, which is the patron saint of Brazil, and there's been some fake news about it, that one of the candidates went to remove her as a patron saint.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
You know, it's weird.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
We need to talk about the things that matter, but that's not what's happening in this election.
Fernando Augusto PachecoSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
... struggle translating this to an international audience.
Fernando Augusto PachecoSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
I mean, there's a scandal about Our Lady of Aparecida.
Sergio D'AvilaSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
Yeah.
Fernando Augusto PachecoSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
It's very unexpected, some of those scandals.
Sergio D'AvilaSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
It's hard even for me to understand sometimes what's going on.
Sergio D'AvilaSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
At this time, we're talking on a Tuesday afternoon.
Sergio D'AvilaSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
The Supreme Court will most likely to schedule a meeting for, uh, tomorrow morning to appreciate [laughs] the issues involving Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil.
Sergio D'AvilaSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
Because fake news linked Flávio Bolsonaro, who's the main candidate of the opposition, saying, allegedly saying that if he gets elected, Our Lady of Aparecida-
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
But it's been almost a silly election.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
People are talking about Our Lady of Aparecida, which is the patron saint of Brazil, and there's been some fake news about it, that one of the candidates went to remove her as a patron saint.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
You know, it's weird.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
We need to talk about the things that matter.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
So, uh, there's been quite a, an interesting...
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
And of course you've heard about the fake news about Our Lady of Aparecida, right, Andrew? [laughs]
Andrew MuellerHOST
Mm-hmm.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
Uh-
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
Absolutely, and the story continues.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
It's still, can you believe it's still on the front pages of all papers? And now one of the s- one of the Supreme Court judges, uh, is saying that the attacks against religious imagery must stop, uh, 'cause some, some people are criticizing now the Catholic Church and vice versa.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
But I was talking to Sergio D'Avila, the editor of Folha de São Paulo, and he was like, "It is a little bit bizarre that, uh, you know, a massive country like Brazil with so many problems, violence, the economy, we're all [laughs] talking about Our Lady of Aparecida, and we can't stop talking about her." Uh, this is quite unique in this election, I would say.
Andrew MuellerHOST
Uh, Fernando, we have spoken before about the, the influence of the evangelical tendency on Brazilian politics, but does it actually appear to be increasing like it hadn't peaked last time we spoke about it?
José Luis Granados CejaHOST
I forget what they call it.
José Luis Granados CejaHOST
Ah, Nossa Senhora Aparecida.
José Luis Granados CejaHOST
Patron saint of Brazil.
Kurt HackbarthHOST
Also, dark-skinned.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
So the main story from the papers I have in front of me, let's say here Folha de São Paulo, it's about a fake news story that is very particular to Brazil.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
If you don't know, Andrew, Our Lady of Aparecida, she's the official patron saint of Brazil.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
And apparently there's been some fake news in recent days saying that Flávio Bolsonaro, the candidate, is going to remove that title from her if she's going to be elected.
Fernando Augusto PachecoCORRESPONDENT
And of course, that angered many Catholics.