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| Brazil readies for Pope Francis's visit amid uncertain times | Brazil readies for Pope Francis's visit amid uncertain times |
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| With just days to go before Pope Francis takes the stage beneath a 33-metre-high golden cross in front of an expected 2.5 million Catholics, the "Field of Faith" near Rio de Janeiro looked like a building site. | With just days to go before Pope Francis takes the stage beneath a 33-metre-high golden cross in front of an expected 2.5 million Catholics, the "Field of Faith" near Rio de Janeiro looked like a building site. |
| Six months ago, this was an uninhabited swamp beside the poor community of Pedra de Guaratiba. Over the weekend, bulldozers tore into the earth as trucks rumbled past carrying stones to lay over the mud that covered large areas of the site. | Six months ago, this was an uninhabited swamp beside the poor community of Pedra de Guaratiba. Over the weekend, bulldozers tore into the earth as trucks rumbled past carrying stones to lay over the mud that covered large areas of the site. |
| Teams were working day and night to make the site ready for one of the biggest events in Francis's first official visit to Brazil: a massive overnight prayer vigil on Saturday and an open-air mass the following morning. "They are digging up the last vestiges of the swamp," said Lucas Guerra, a press assistant for World Youth Day – JMJ in its Portuguese abbreviation – and one of 60,000 volunteers for the event. | Teams were working day and night to make the site ready for one of the biggest events in Francis's first official visit to Brazil: a massive overnight prayer vigil on Saturday and an open-air mass the following morning. "They are digging up the last vestiges of the swamp," said Lucas Guerra, a press assistant for World Youth Day – JMJ in its Portuguese abbreviation – and one of 60,000 volunteers for the event. |
| A lone traffic cone sat in a puddle before the stage, where teams of workers hammered away under the golden arches representing hands in prayer – not McDonald's, one of the official suppliers of "pilgrim meals" for the millions of Catholics visiting Rio for a week of events around the papal visit.600,000 have signed up so far, said Guerra. (At the last World Youth Day in Madrid in 2011, the fast food chain's turnover in five days was what it normally took in five months for the whole city, according to official JMJ literature.) | A lone traffic cone sat in a puddle before the stage, where teams of workers hammered away under the golden arches representing hands in prayer – not McDonald's, one of the official suppliers of "pilgrim meals" for the millions of Catholics visiting Rio for a week of events around the papal visit.600,000 have signed up so far, said Guerra. (At the last World Youth Day in Madrid in 2011, the fast food chain's turnover in five days was what it normally took in five months for the whole city, according to official JMJ literature.) |
| The Rio site covers 1.36m square metres. If the expected 2.5 million pilgrims turn up, having walked eight miles along a highway, they will have less than half a square metre each for their 48-hour stay. | The Rio site covers 1.36m square metres. If the expected 2.5 million pilgrims turn up, having walked eight miles along a highway, they will have less than half a square metre each for their 48-hour stay. |
| The pope has a week of open-air events. On Wednesday he will say mass at Aparecida, a religious shrine in São Paulo state. On Thursday he visits the Varginha favela, which was "pacified" by police last year. Later that day, up to 1.5 million are expected to watch as he addresses crowds at Copacabana beach. | |
| But the readiness of the Field of Faith is just one of the worries surrounding the visit. Transport is another – even with 35,500 buses due to take pilgrims back to Rio from Guaratiba, organisers believe it will still take 12 hours to get everybody out. | But the readiness of the Field of Faith is just one of the worries surrounding the visit. Transport is another – even with 35,500 buses due to take pilgrims back to Rio from Guaratiba, organisers believe it will still take 12 hours to get everybody out. |
| Security is another concern. The protests that saw a million Brazilians take to the streets on 20 June over bus fare rises, failing transport and education services, spiralling World Cup costs and political corruption may have quietened down, but they are far from over – especially in Rio, where demonstrations increasingly end in violence. | Security is another concern. The protests that saw a million Brazilians take to the streets on 20 June over bus fare rises, failing transport and education services, spiralling World Cup costs and political corruption may have quietened down, but they are far from over – especially in Rio, where demonstrations increasingly end in violence. |
| Last Wednesday night, a protest in the Rocinha favela closed a key road tunnel. A separate protest outside the house of state governor, Sérgio Cabral, in nearby Leblon also caused road closures, and traffic ground to a halt all over south Rio. Later masked gangs rampaged for two hours through Leblon and another upmarket district, Ipanema, trashing banks and looting shops. Police used water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets to battle protesters. | Last Wednesday night, a protest in the Rocinha favela closed a key road tunnel. A separate protest outside the house of state governor, Sérgio Cabral, in nearby Leblon also caused road closures, and traffic ground to a halt all over south Rio. Later masked gangs rampaged for two hours through Leblon and another upmarket district, Ipanema, trashing banks and looting shops. Police used water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets to battle protesters. |
| Despite pressure from Brazilian authorities, Francis will not use the popemobile but one of two open-topped Mercedes, which have already arrived in Brazil., which he will parade in through the centre of Rio when he arrives on Monday. About 14,300 army, navy and air force personnel will be on duty, as well as more than 7,000 police. The Rio newspaper O Globo said in May that security for the visit would cost 118m reals (£34.6m). | Despite pressure from Brazilian authorities, Francis will not use the popemobile but one of two open-topped Mercedes, which have already arrived in Brazil., which he will parade in through the centre of Rio when he arrives on Monday. About 14,300 army, navy and air force personnel will be on duty, as well as more than 7,000 police. The Rio newspaper O Globo said in May that security for the visit would cost 118m reals (£34.6m). |
| At least six protests are planned, including one on Monday at the Guanabara state government palace, when the pontiff meets President Dilma Rousseff, Cabral and Rio's mayor, Eduardo Paes, as well as a gay rights protest, and a SlutWalk on Copacabana beach to protest against a culture in which victims of rape or abuse are blamed, rather than the perpetrators. | At least six protests are planned, including one on Monday at the Guanabara state government palace, when the pontiff meets President Dilma Rousseff, Cabral and Rio's mayor, Eduardo Paes, as well as a gay rights protest, and a SlutWalk on Copacabana beach to protest against a culture in which victims of rape or abuse are blamed, rather than the perpetrators. |
| In Pedra de Guaratiba, residents are more concerned about the scale of the Field of Faith event. "Everyone is a little worried," said Luis Marçal, as he stood shirtless outside his home and surveyed the mud and the trucks. "People don't know what it will be like." | In Pedra de Guaratiba, residents are more concerned about the scale of the Field of Faith event. "Everyone is a little worried," said Luis Marçal, as he stood shirtless outside his home and surveyed the mud and the trucks. "People don't know what it will be like." |
| Marçal is Catholic but he said he would not attend the event. Many of his neighbours are not Catholics. Like many poorer communities in Brazil, Pedra de Guaratiba is dotted with dozens of evangelical churches. | Marçal is Catholic but he said he would not attend the event. Many of his neighbours are not Catholics. Like many poorer communities in Brazil, Pedra de Guaratiba is dotted with dozens of evangelical churches. |
| "I have nothing against Catholics, but I won't go," said Claudinete de Silva, who lives nearby. She welcomed the event because of improvements being made to the area. "This was earth," she said, pointing to the newly asphalted side road beneath her feet that runs beside the main highway. "They are fixing things." | "I have nothing against Catholics, but I won't go," said Claudinete de Silva, who lives nearby. She welcomed the event because of improvements being made to the area. "This was earth," she said, pointing to the newly asphalted side road beneath her feet that runs beside the main highway. "They are fixing things." |
| But her friend Maria das Graças, also an evangelical Christian, disagreed. "Politicians and government are investing millions in the visit while health and education are bad," she said. "Transport is terrible." | But her friend Maria das Graças, also an evangelical Christian, disagreed. "Politicians and government are investing millions in the visit while health and education are bad," she said. "Transport is terrible." |
| Pastor Edimilson Nunes, of the Evangélica Verbo da Vida church in the town, said much of the work done in the town was "makeup". The side road had not been properly asphalted. "They put down some material and put a roller on top of it," he said. "The way it was done, it won't resist a good rain. It will become full of holes." | Pastor Edimilson Nunes, of the Evangélica Verbo da Vida church in the town, said much of the work done in the town was "makeup". The side road had not been properly asphalted. "They put down some material and put a roller on top of it," he said. "The way it was done, it won't resist a good rain. It will become full of holes." |
| Evangelical numbers are on the rise in Brazil, at the expense of the Catholic church. According to the 2010 census, Catholics now make up 64.6% of the Brazilian population, down from 92% in 1970. Evangelicals have increased from 15.4% of the population 10 years ago to 22.2%. | Evangelical numbers are on the rise in Brazil, at the expense of the Catholic church. According to the 2010 census, Catholics now make up 64.6% of the Brazilian population, down from 92% in 1970. Evangelicals have increased from 15.4% of the population 10 years ago to 22.2%. |
| According to a survey released on Sunday by Datafolha, 57% of Brazilians say they are Catholic, while 17% say they go to church more than once a week. Almost one in five Brazilians say they are pentecostals. | According to a survey released on Sunday by Datafolha, 57% of Brazilians say they are Catholic, while 17% say they go to church more than once a week. Almost one in five Brazilians say they are pentecostals. |
| "The evangelical church, in general, adapted to way interaction with social questions changed," Nunes said. "Today the youth want an answer to what is happening … in their language." With live music and a less formal approach, evangelical churches like his responded to that need, he said. | "The evangelical church, in general, adapted to way interaction with social questions changed," Nunes said. "Today the youth want an answer to what is happening … in their language." With live music and a less formal approach, evangelical churches like his responded to that need, he said. |
| The Field of Faith itself has also attracted controversy. The land was ceded for free for the event, but once drained and cleared, in works paid for by the church and the city of Rio, it will be sold at a profit. | The Field of Faith itself has also attracted controversy. The land was ceded for free for the event, but once drained and cleared, in works paid for by the church and the city of Rio, it will be sold at a profit. |
| The church has paid for the drainage work, but around that the city has paid for infrastructure that will eventually benefit the owners of the land too. This includes lighting, cleaning, roads and drainage, to a cost of 26m reals. | The church has paid for the drainage work, but around that the city has paid for infrastructure that will eventually benefit the owners of the land too. This includes lighting, cleaning, roads and drainage, to a cost of 26m reals. |
| Work was clearly visible on the main street of Pedra de Guaratiba, where municipal workers painted railings on a bridge, while a digger dredged a canal that drains water from the site. "It was a swamp, with water up to your chest," said Evaldo de Moura, one of the workers involved in dredging the canal. | Work was clearly visible on the main street of Pedra de Guaratiba, where municipal workers painted railings on a bridge, while a digger dredged a canal that drains water from the site. "It was a swamp, with water up to your chest," said Evaldo de Moura, one of the workers involved in dredging the canal. |
| Rain is forecast for this week, and the organisers are worried about mud. "We are taking a lot of care so there is not too much mud," said Lucas Guerra. "But it's like Woodstock [the music festival in the US] – these things end up escaping our control a little." | Rain is forecast for this week, and the organisers are worried about mud. "We are taking a lot of care so there is not too much mud," said Lucas Guerra. "But it's like Woodstock [the music festival in the US] – these things end up escaping our control a little." |
| And if it rains, said Father Marcus, from the São Pedro Catholic church in Pedra de Guaratiba, whose parishioners are housing 250 pilgrims, the faithful will do what they did at other World Youth Days: "We are going to stay there." | And if it rains, said Father Marcus, from the São Pedro Catholic church in Pedra de Guaratiba, whose parishioners are housing 250 pilgrims, the faithful will do what they did at other World Youth Days: "We are going to stay there." |
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