Popular catholicism in Fazenda Souza: benzedeiras practice as cultural heritage

This production aims to articulate the questions related to religion and religiosity to cultural heritage, demonstrating the dynamics that surround them and, especially, the fundamental role of religious issues in the identity construction of Fazenda Souza Community, Caxias do Sul District - RS. For the study, they discuss concepts related to Intangible Cultural Heritage, available mainly by Iphan to questions of popular Catholicism worked by Cavalcante and Chagas (2009). The construction of the Fazenda Souza s collective memory (Halbwachs, 1990), addressed through the methodology of Oral History, was also considered. The present study case analyzes the benzedeiras practices, with their healing and faith relationships evident in local community.