Irmandades negras em São Luís: um estudo sobre a Irmandade do Glorioso São Benedito e sua atuação no século XIX.

Abstract

Study about Black Brotherhoods at São Luís city, mainly focusing on Glorious Saint Benedict Brotherhood. It analyses brotherhoods from their concept, advancing through the history in Europe until the arrival in Africa and later in Brazilian territory. The main religious devotions of the black population from Brazil were also presented, as: Saint Benedict, Santa Efigênia and Our Lady of the Rosary and how Catholic religious orders helped in this process. Nevertheless, this study presents how the relations between religious and social experiences took place within these periods. Thus, a historical and structural analysis of the Confraternity of Saint Benedict from São Luís was carried out through the Commitment of this same brotherhood, which was founded in the 19th century, during the period of romanisation, an action of the Catholic Church that ended up persecuting brotherhoods and popular Catholicism. In this context, the role of resistance and maintenance of their religiosity and culture fell to the black brotherhoods, as well as the integration of blacks and enslaved people into the ludovicense society of the period.