Brazilian city councils push “Christophobia” laws targeting Carnival satire of Christian symbols, sparking national debate on faith and expression.
Newsroom (30/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) In city halls across Brazil, an unlikely battleground has emerged between religious conservatives and defenders of cultural freedom. As Carnival season approaches, local legislatures — dominated by conservative members — have introduced new laws to combat what they describe as “Christophobia,” a form of intolerance they claim targets Christianity during Brazil’s most exuberant celebrations.
From Salvador, the capital of Bahia, to the smaller neighboring city of Lauro de Freitas, these measures are beginning to reshape the legal and cultural contours of how religion may be represented in the country’s largest popular events. While supporters say they defend Christian dignity, critics warn of censorship and an erosion of artistic expression that has long defined Brazilian festivities.
Expanding Legislative Trend
The trend began modestly, with city councils introducing “Municipal Day to Combat Christophobia” ordinances — symbolic gestures meant to affirm religious respect. But in recent months, several municipalities have escalated the scope of these measures.
In Lauro de Freitas, a law enacted on Jan. 21 prohibits what it calls “disrespectful campaigns and costumes targeting Christians,” particularly in the context of Carnival. Examples include mocking depictions of Jesus Christ or costumes portraying nuns “with sensual connotations or sexual appeal.” Violations carry a fine of three minimum wages — about $940 — which doubles for repeat offenses. Offenders may also be barred from public contracts that involve municipal funds.
A similar bill is awaiting enactment in Salvador, proposed by councilman Cezar Leite of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party. Leite argued that “Christophobia” is becoming a widespread social problem, citing incidents where he says Evangelicals have been “the target of attacks and discrimination.”
Leite’s advocacy gained momentum following a 2024 controversy involving pop star Claudia Leitte, who changed a reference to the Afro-Brazilian deity Iemanjá in one of her songs to “King Yeshua” — Jesus. The singer’s Evangelical faith drew backlash online from adherents of Afro-Brazilian religions such as Candomblé and Umbanda. To Leite’s supporters, the incident became proof of an anti-Christian bias; to others, it revealed how religious tensions in Brazil often cut both ways.
Faith and Art Collide in Carnival
Salvador and other northern cities are home to some of Brazil’s grandest Carnival processions — cultural events interwoven with African traditions, Catholic imagery, satire, and social commentary. Carnival’s festive license for parody and inversion of authority often includes blasphemous or scandalous motifs — sometimes intended as social critique, sometimes as playful irreverence.
Conservative lawmakers argue those performances have crossed a moral line. In Belo Horizonte, councilman Pablo Almeida, another member of the Liberal Party, cited two examples from the 2025 Carnival: a video shared by the city government showing two people — one dressed as Jesus, the other as the devil — sharing a kiss, and another performance featuring a near-nude impersonation of Christ. Almeida told fellow legislators that Brazil faces “a growing wave of abuse and attacks on the Christian faith.”
While Belo Horizonte’s law does not explicitly mention Carnival, the debates around its passage spotlighted the festival as a source of controversy. Similar laws in São Paulo, Maceió, and Sete Lagoas also focus on establishing municipal “Christophobia Days,” with little specification beyond symbolic recognition. Yet in Bahia — Brazil’s spiritual and cultural heartland — the laws are taking sharper aim at Carnival itself.
A Divided Response From the Church
Religious leaders themselves are divided. Father Lázaro Muniz of Salvador, known for his work in interfaith dialogue, calls the new measures “too radical” and unnecessary in a city where roughly 70 percent of residents identify as Christian.
“It’s not as though everything Christian is being attacked,” Muniz explained. Rather than punitive laws, he advocates for educational initiatives that promote mutual respect among faith traditions. “If a reveler shouldn’t dress up as an orisha during a Carnival party, costumes carrying Christian symbols should be equally avoided,” he said, emphasizing common sense over enforcement.
Muniz acknowledges, however, that Carnival’s mix of excess and spirituality can create uncomfortable images. “Some people may see somebody dressed as a nun or as a priest — drinking or kissing during a parade — and think that person is truly a religious leader,” he added. “That’s the real source of scandal.”
Bishop Vicente Ferreira of Bahia’s Diocese of Livramento de Nossa Senhora takes a broader view, questioning the priority of such legislation. “Instead of bills like these,” he said, “we should be concerned about what truly wounds the Body of Christ — namely, the grave social injustice and environmental devastation caused by a system that places profit above life.”
Carnival as a Mirror of Brazil’s Soul
The dispute over “Christophobia” laws speaks to deeper tensions in contemporary Brazil: between a populist moral politics steeped in Evangelical conservatism and a cultural tradition rooted in creative freedom and syncretism.
Carnival — a feast born from Catholic roots but infused with Afro-Brazilian spirituality, music, and humor — often serves as a mirror reflecting Brazil’s contradictions. In that mirror, the same act that one group sees as blasphemy, another interprets as art or social critique.
As Salvador’s mayor weighs whether to sign the pending bill into law, the outcome may signal more than a local policy shift. It could define how far faith-based legislation can reach into the realm of artistic expression — and what that means for the soul of Brazilian democracy itself.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now
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