Paper short abstract:

This abstract intends to present the relation between time/space and the act of paying promises.This research is based in anthropology's methods and theories, so, it makes the ethnography of the biggest Marian Sanctuary of the world which is located in Aparecida do Norte, a city of São Paulo,Brazil.

Paper long abstract:

"Our Lady of Brazil" - Nossa Senhora Aparecida, patron saint of this country - is an important personage in the life of millions of Brazilians. This saint is protagonist in the life of the people who pay promises. It is known that the words have agency, and verbs make actions. Therefore, when a devotee says: "I promise"; this sentence has power and force to make transformations, this sentence has the force to change the whole world, at least, the world of those who make promises. A promise changes the cycle of quotidian and the cycle of rituals. The time of calendar and the time of ritual go in parallel, until the moment when these two different times come together. This is the moment to pay the promise to Mary, the moment of Her party. But, it is important to say that Mary conduces both times. That is, who makes promise live life waiting the moment to pay it, so, Nossa Senhora is present in the ordinaries days. And, She is also present in the moment of ritual, the moment of party, the moment of processions. There is Her Sanctuary in a small city, which is the place to pay promises. Place that is lived and felt in different ways by each one. These is a performative movement: the verb (to promise) that make times (ordinary/extraordinary times) that make a place, sacred place, place to pay promises. Time to make promises, time to pay promises: times and place of "Our Lady"

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