When it involves festivals, the world knows Brazil best for Carnival, its raucous celebration of Mardi Gras, stuffed with elaborate costumes, dancing on the road, and revelry.
But ask many Brazilians, they usually’ll let you know they enjoy their June festivals much more. Originating from European pagans to have fun the arrival of summer and call for a bountiful harvest (hence the indisputable fact that they fall through the Northern Hemisphere’s summer), these fests were later co-opted by the Catholic church under Festa Junina, or a set of holidays celebrating saints Anthony, John the Baptist, and Peter. Later, Portugal exported the vacation to colonial Brazil, which has since transformed the festivities right into a multiweek celebration marked by eating canjica (a dessert comprised of corn that has the consistency of a thicker porridge) and pamonha (creamed corn cooked inside corn husks), decorating streets with colourful flags, and streaming forró and baião songs from speakers.
Traditionally, those street parties were a part of broader Catholic celebrations that included Masses and processions accompanied by images of the saints. Devotees followed, and plenty of used this time to repay guarantees made to the saints, which included walking on their knees as a penance or making donations to the parish.
Despite its Christian heritage, like Carnival, many evangelicals have similarly scorned Festa Junina, deeming Roman Catholic devotion to saints as idolatry. While some say that the word Junina comes simply from the name of the month, Junho (June), others say it stems from Joanina and is a nod to Saint John the Baptist, consequently making it a type of hagiolatry (worship of saints). In fact, probably the most celebrated festival is called after him, on June 24.
Christians who do have fun these festivals say the customs modified way back and today reflect an appreciation of the sertanejo music, food, dancing, and lifestyle.
Although they’re celebrated throughout the country, these festivals are most grandiose within the Northeast. A region susceptible to severe droughts, the festivities occur firstly of the rainy season and function a promise of prosperous days ahead.
CT invited five Brazilian evangelical pastors and leaders in Northeastern Brazil to weigh in on whether evangelicals should feel comfortable participating within the June festivities. Responses were edited for length and clarity and arranged from yes to no.
Marcos Fróes, pastor of Casa da Bênção, a Pentecostal church of Maranguape, Paulista, Pernambuco
These religious festivals in celebration of Catholic saints coincide with the harvest season. Thanking God for the harvest will not be something recent. The Jewish people already celebrated the Feast of Weeks or the harvest, Shavuot, between May and June. During this era, all of Israel would go to Jerusalem to have fun and produce offerings. They would eat and remember God’s promise of a land wealthy in milk and honey.
Celebrating the harvest as an act of God’s kindness and mercy will not be a sin when done with a grateful heart to the Lord. Just as we rejoice in December at Christmas for the approaching of Jesus our Savior, in June we have fun the provided sustenance, recalling our rural origins, no matter whether the occasion also honors the June saints or the June festivities.
Ricardo Leite, youth pastor on the Primeira Igreja Batista of Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará
In past many years, the presence of evangelicals at Festa Junina was practically nonexistent. Those who did participate were generally viewed negatively by their fellow community members. However, in newer years, their participation has grow to be more common. Some churches are incorporating elements of those festivals into their very own events (traditional foods and bonfires, for instance), and plenty of converts see no reason to stop participating in parties they used to go to.
When Paul wrote [his first letter] to the Corinthians, he handled an analogous situation about engaging in a non-Christian culture. In chapter 10, he offered three necessary principles. First, he told the early church that the query of whether or not one should participate within the festivities wasn’t a matter of lawfulness but of appropriateness (1 Cor 10:23). What message are we signaling? Second, Paul desired to know whether participation can be edifying. Would God’s people come out stronger and more like Christ? Third, would their participation glorify God (10:31)? That is, would the presence of Christians doing a given motion exalt God above all else?
I might advise Christians that if their answer to any of the three questions is negative, their conscience is already strongly declaring that they shouldn’t participate in it.
Pedro Pamplona, pastor of Igreja Batista Filadélfia, Fortaleza, Ceará
My answer is dependent upon what you mean by Festa Junina. There is a diversity of cultural manifestations of this festival today, and plenty of of them now not have any reference to religious elements. Where I live within the Northeast, our food, decorations, and music related to this time of 12 months haven’t any clear religious connection.
Therefore, if the particular festival includes Catholic content (like Masses and processions), practices, or worldly and immoral features, I do not see the participation of evangelicals as advisable. We have necessary disagreements that should be taken into consideration. But if the festivities are limited to food, flags, and clothing, I see no impediment for evangelicals. Some families, firms, and schools hold gatherings, and I do not consider them sinful.
Thiago Italo Rocha, assistant pastor at Igreja da Família, a reformed church in Santo Antônio de Jesus, Bahia
This long-awaited festival is, in brief, a tribute to the Catholic saints. In this sense, it’s undeniable that your complete festival originates from the Catholic tradition, but over time, it gained a certain air of syncretism. Given strong anti-Catholic sentiment in Pentecostal, neo-Pentecostal, and (independent) community churches, the reply appears to be a powerful no. But perhaps, in the sunshine of the Bible, this answer will not be so easy.
The apostle Paul, when coping with various controversies within the church of the Corinthians, seems to appeal to conscience and love. Most of the time, Paul seems considering preserving the conscience of Christian brothers and sisters and avoiding scandal within the church (1 Cor. 10.32). The apostle also seems to wish to warn those that are strong in the religion to not make their freedom a stumbling block. In this context, Paul argues, it might be higher to abstain in love in order that your brother or sister in Christ, seeing your freedom, doesn’t wish to take it as a model and commit sin against his or her conscience.
I understand that the São João festival has grow to be largely a business event, and in lots of places we don’t even see remnants of original Festas Juninas. Within this reality, where the music and atmosphere are extremely sexualized, my advice to Christians can be to avoid such places. However, on the subject of craft fairs and traditional food venues, those that are mature of their faith would haven’t any problem participating. The only thing they need to be careful for is that they don’t exercise this freedom in such a way that “the weak” don’t sin.
Looking at such situations in the sunshine of the gospel, the reality is that now we have one God and all the pieces must be done for his glory. “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all of it for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). As Christians, we want to avoid extremes—first, from imposing legalism and, second, from toxic freedom, pride, and inability to empathize with others’ hardships.
Sávio Vinícius, pastor at Primeira Igreja Batista of Valença, Bahia
If you concentrate on the Festas Juninas something related to Saint John, the biblical command to not drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons is undeniable (1 Cor. 10:14–22).
As a frontrunner, based on the principles present in 1 Corinthians 6:12–13 (you’ve gotten the correct to do anything, but not all the pieces is useful) and 1 Corinthians 8:13 (it’s best to avoid any behavior that will lead a brother or sister into sin), I don’t think it’s appropriate to get entangled, even when it isn’t a Saint John celebration, as participating can confuse people.
However, I see no problem in celebrating traditional foods, clothes, and forró that glorify God at other times of the 12 months or elsewhere. The principal goal is to live for his glory in all things (Col. 3:23–24).
