BETWEEN FAITH AND THE PATH: CYCLING AS PILGRIMAGE IN THE DEVOTION TO OUR LADY OF NAZARETH

Abstract

This article analyzes cycling as an expressive operation of faith, devotion, and pilgrimage within the context of celebrating and honoring Our Lady of Nazareth (Nossa Senhora de Nazaré). This practice is particularly prominent during October, when the faithful travel long distances - such as 220 km - toward the place of worship in the capital city of Belém, Pará. The practice is understood as a form of gratitude, promise-fulfillment (promessa), and resilience, where the body, effort, and sacrifice take on symbolic and spiritual dimensions. Along the route, one also observes the presence of other devotees who, through gestures such as offering food, providing massages, and offering hospitality, express their faith by caring for others. Additionally, the study incorporates the reflections of Paula, Paula, and Klemz on football and faith, analyzing supporter groups and the Círio de Nazaré as an experiential context of belonging and collective spirituality in Belém do Pará. Drawing on the contributions of Victor Turner, Émile Durkheim, Michel de Certeau, Leonardo Boff, and Viktor Frankl, this paper discusses pilgrimage and mass manifestations as practices that articulate body, community, popular culture, meaning, and transcendence. It is argued that cycling and collective devotions, in this context, constitute spiritual experiences that strengthen faith, promote a sense of purpose in life, and express values of solidarity, human appreciation, and cultural identity.