1.5 million evangelicals play 'follow the leader' in Brazil

The 17th annual "March for Jesus" drew more than 1.5 million evangelical Christians in Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city yesterday. The march takes place each year on Corpus Christi, a Catholic holiday celebrating the gift of the Holy Eucharist (the symbolic body and blood of Christ) to the world. It is not observed by evangelicals but it's a national holiday in Brazil.

 

The parade was sponsored by the Reborn in Christ Church, whose leaders, Estevam Hernandes Filho and his wife, Sonia Haddad Moraes Hernandes, recently returned to Brazil after serving time as guests of the United States penal system for smuggling $56,467 cash stashed in luggage, her purse, a son's backpack and a Bible on a flight into Miami from Sao Paulo in 2007. The couple also faced charges in Brazil for stealing millions of dollars from their parishioners to finance a lavish lifestyle which included mansions and horse farms. These charges, which included fraud, larceny, tax evasion and money laundering, resulted in an order of imprisonment but were quashed by the Brazilian Supreme Court in March, 2008. The couple were then able to return home from the United States.

 

So yesterday, Estevam Hernandes Filho and his wife, Sonia Haddad Moraes Hernandes, led hundreds of thousands of followers along a 2.5 mile parade route to Sao Paulo's central plaza where they listened to preachers, local celebrities and Christian music.

 

According to an AP report, Filho said the theme of this year's gathering — "March to Topple Giants" — refers to evangelicals' battle against "discrimination, misunderstanding and mainly the stereotypes." It was also seen as at least partly a welcome home party for Filho and Hernandes.

 

But participant Andrea Pazin told AP that the march was not just about the influential ministry couple because it takes place annually with or without them. “They are important to us – they founded the church,” Pazin said. “But what is happening here is bigger than them. It’s a celebration for Jesus.” (from the AP report)

 

Estevam Hernandes Filho, a former professional marketer who used to work for Itautec and Xerox corporations, founded the Reborn in Christ Apostolic Church along with his wife in 1986. Currently the church has over 1,500 branches in Brazil, Latin America, Europe and the United States. It also owns broadcast radio and television networks. Evangelicals currently represent 15% of Brazil's population; up from 9% in 1990.

 

Photo Credits:

1) Estevam Hernandes Filho, right, leaves federal court in Miami with a bodyguard (the one in what looks like a monk's robe) Feb. 6, 2007, after attending an arraignment. (David Adame/AP)

2) Sonia Haddad Moraes Hernandes (David Adame/AP)

 

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