The Beneméritos of Saint Iphigenia

On the Tise of a Black Devotion in Alto da Cruz de Vila Rica, 1733-1832

Abstract

This paper analyzes the involvement by pardos in the devotion of an African saint, Saint Iphigenia, in the Irmandade do Rosário dos Pretos do Alto da Cruz, in Vila Rica. The analysis is based, in particular, on documents of the confraternity’s treasury, and a record book entitled Livro dos Brancos, as well as the life trajectories and social networks of pardos who belonged to the brotherhood. We noticed that the investment in the celebrations of this brotherhood reveals that the Alto da Cruz sodality chose the invocation of Santa Efigênia as the main symbol of their sociability. Pardos, who we refer to as beneméritos [patrons], played a decisive role. The important presence of free and freed pardos in the worship of Iphigenia highlighted their social ascension and prestige in the black community at the same time bringing a sense of social autonomy and mobility, without the stigma of slavery, to the way the devotion to the saint was perceived.