Nosso Senhor do Bonfim

Though Nosso Senhor do Bonfim is a Catholic church, it also incorporates aspects of Candomblé, a form of worship with its roots in African Yoruba beliefs. The practice arrived in Brazil with the many slaves that landed on the country’s shores.

Candomblé, which means ‘dance in honour of the gods’, involves the worship of many orixas or gods, as well as the main deity, Oludumaré. It became entwined with Catholicism when enslaved Africans were forbidden to practise their own religion and had to adhere to that of their masters. As a result, Catholic saints and rituals became a cover for African ones.