Alckmin attends Aparecida Mass after election dispute over Brazil’s patron saint

Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin attended a Mass honoring Our Lady of Aparecida at the Basilica of Aparecida in São Paulo state on Monday, a public holiday celebrating Brazil’s patron saint.

He was joined by his wife and political allies, including Health Minister Alexandre Padilha.

The Mass came after the saint became part of a dispute during the presidential campaign.

Candidate Flávio Bolsonaro said that, if elected, one of his first acts would be to declare Brazil belongs to Jesus Christ, but he did not explain what that would mean for the country’s secular state.

His campaign described the proposed act as symbolic.

A rumor then spread that he planned to remove Our Lady of Aparecida as Brazil’s patron saint.

Bolsonaro accused the Brazilian bishops’ conference of helping the Workers’ Party spread that claim, without providing evidence; the conference denied the accusation.

Before the Mass, a church official said Our Lady of Aparecida would remain Brazil’s patron saint.