Em busca da salvação: vivência da fé e vida cotidiana entre os irmãos de São Miguel e Almas. São João e São José Del Rei (1716-1804)

Abstract

Throughout this paper, we try to examine how the representation of death and the doctrine of salvation disseminated by the Church were updated and experienced in daily by the faithful gathered in the brotherhoods of St. Michael and Souls of mining villages of São João and São José Del Rei during the XVIII century. To this end, we seek to understand the practices of brothers and their religious beliefs from the analysis of the documentation of these associations, such as the books of entry and elections of administrative positions, balances books, as well as the wills of members, in order to understand cultural and religious universe of the members in the mining region. We note that membership of a brotherhood that was dedicated to the salvation of souls from the pains of purgatory feathers also indicated a concern with accountability in addition that was present throughout the life of the settlers and not just at the time that he felt the approach of death. The Catholic Church, while they acted towards blaming, also offered the possibility of repair of the misconduct and salvation, for example, through confession, penance, of the votes, the pious legacies, etc. So we try to understand the strategies of those believers for salvation of their souls taking into account the complexities and contradictions inherent in the official Catholic doctrine and social context in which they were entered.