Rio de Janeiro Religion
Upon your first visit to the beautiful state of Rio de Janeiro, you will notice immediately the prominence of religion in the Brazilian culture. This may, in fact, be the most devoted country on the continent with 90% of it’s residents actively practicing religion and over 97% believing in god and religion. You will notice that Rio de Janeiro’s places of worship are so distinct they rival the beauty of some of the more famous religious sites. As the most populated area of Brazil, it tends to offer a larger variety of religions than the city outskirts which remain predominantly Catholic.
Brazil has the largest population of Catholics in the world. This has been the main religion of the country beginning in the 16th century and was the only religion that was observed by the Portuguese settlers. Many of the churches built by the settlers are still standing today. While Catholics make up for about 74% of the countries religious population, only about 50% of the residents in Rio de Janeiro claim Catholicism as their religion.
Rio de Janeiro’s religion is becoming increasingly diverse each day with a significant portion of the population practicing Protestantism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Judaism and Islam to name a few. The state contains the largest population of these diverse religions in Brazil. In particular the majority of Protestants and Jews are concentrated in Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro’s religion continues to diversify each day with more of its residents practicing alternative religions.
If traveling to Rio to experience the religious culture or if you are looking to see a few sights during your travels, there are a few religious sights that are a “must see”. The first is the 38-meter high Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue atop Corcovcado located in the Parque Nacional de Tijuca. Upon visiting you will enjoy the spectacular view of Rio and the wondrous religious structure. The Centro, or downtown, area of Rio de Janeiro has many older churches and cathedrals. Mosteiro de Sao Bento dates back to 1641 and will fill you with amazement as you gaze at the wood carvings, chandeliers, and beautiful spiral columns. The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Candelaria has an amazing history that dates back to 1610 and a beautiful painted dome that tells a tale of shipwreck survival.
Whatever your religious views are, make sure you take a day or two to enjoy Rio’s religious culture during your visit.
Read on the next page: Rio de Janeiro Key Facts »
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