The saint of the tourism: faith market in Nova Trento, Santa Catarina State.

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to discuss in a critical view the touristic meaning of Saint Paulina canonization, occurred on 19 May 2002. We argue the religious faith has been appropriated by a specific form of capital accumulation. In other terms, the religiosity has been transformed in a touristic goods. In this sense, we intend: a) to show general informations about the social and economic evolution of Nova Trento municipality; b) to describe the new characteristics produced by the economic use of the faith in this case; c) to understand in a theoretical form the meaning of appropriation, by the touristic capital, of the popular religiosity and the faith feelings.