“SAINT ANTHONY, THE PATRON SAINT”: FAITH, IDENTITY, AND MEMORIES BETWEEN THE 18TH AND 20TH CENTURIES IN BAIÃO, PARÁ

Abstract

O abstract/resumen do artigo deve ser elaborado em língua inglesa ou espanhola (idioma secundário), seguindo, tanto quanto possível, a redação utilizada no Resumo, e deve ser elaborado em fonte Times New Roman, tamanho 10, espaçamento simples, justificado, sem recuo de parágrafo. This article aims to analyze the manifestations of faith and religiosity dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua in the city of Baião, State of Pará, and their relevance for the construction of local identity and collective memory. In this sense, the study seeks to understand how the elements and immaterialities associated with devotion to the Saint have transformed over time, consolidating themselves as a cultural heritage of the region. To this end, we adopted a qualitative approach, based on documentary analysis. The documents studied include primary sources, such as 19th-century newspapers available in the digital newspaper library of the National Archives, land grant letters and correspondence from the Public Archives of the State of Pará. The results demonstrate that devotion to Saint Anthony in Baião is deeply rooted in local history and culture, and is an element of resistance in the face of social and economic transformations in the region, going beyond the liturgical aspect, functioning as a means of social congregation and transmission of traditional knowledge in the face of the challenges imposed by the advance of agribusiness and globalization.