From the end of the XVIII century and beginning of the XIX century, a large number of British and French travelers docked in Brazil, interested in her natural riches and keen on knowledge about the Portuguese-Brazilian society. One of their main interests was the knowlege of the religious practices of the Brazilians who served to French Catholics as well to British protestants, as an index of civility reached by our society. In this way, their descriptions will be about the churches, their architectural construction and holy works, masses, processions and religious festivals, charitable works, the Catholic clergy, the sacraments such as wedding and baptism cerimonies, burials etc. Interpretations of the Portuguese-Brazilian society are included in these descriptions. The possibilities of development of the new Brazilian empire and the character of the Portuguese Catholicism transplanted to America.
Travel Literature; Religiousness; Travelers; Travel Rhetoric