According to the Map of religions, recently published by the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), the number of people who declared themselves to be umbandistas represents 0.23% of Brazil’s population. In ...

A mounted knight is displayed on the altar in Rita Coccaro's home. Penn State University/MCT Rita Coccaro is the high priestess of the Umbanda Temple of Caboclo Virgin Forest, if “temple” is not too ...

Researchers from the federal and state universities of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN and UERN), working together with religious leaders, created a website to preserve historical records of Umbanda places ...

RIO DE JANEIRORIO DE JANEIRO — Rosa Cardoso has practiced the Afro-Brazilian religion of Umbanda almost all of her 89 years, yet she hasn’t stopped hiding her faith from the rest of the world. The ...

Followers of Afro-Brazilian religions have been displaced by New Year’s revelers. But they still find ways to make their offerings to the ocean. Carrying offerings to the sea on Friday in Rio de ...

AP Photo/Felipe Dana-In this photo taken on Nov. 25, 2011, Umbanda worshippers participate in the ‘Exu’ and ‘Pomba Gira’ ceremony at an Umbanda house of worship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Intolerance ...

Join us this April 27 for an exclusive event for donors. Our experts will share analysis and recent data, and answer your questions about projections for 2026. The Cabocla Jurema Umbanda Temple ...

Marriages celebrated under Umbanda and Candomblé religious rites are now officially recognized in the Brazilian State of Rio de Janeiro as per Law 11.058/25, penned by legislator Átila Nunes of the ...

Things that bump and grind in the night. Tom Quinn travels to Portugal to gain first hand experience By Tom Quinn It wasn’t until I was standing on a corner in Lisbon last week that I realized how ...