Brazil Charismatic priests try to stem Catholic flight

Priest Marcelo Rossi leads a mass at Mae de Deus church in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 9, 2013. In a scene out of a pop music concert, mass at Sao Paulo's huge Mae de Deuschurch features spirited singing, dancing and shouting led by priests of Brazil's rising Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement.

05 June 2013

AFP - In a scene out of a pop music concert, mass at Sao Paulo's huge Mae de Deus (Mother of God) church features spirited singing, dancing and shouting led by priests of Brazil's rising Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement.

About 6,000 faithful are seated and thousands more are standing, all waiting for the master of ceremonies and face of the movement -- 46-year-old rock star Catholic priest Marcelo Rossi.

With his broad smile and movie-actor good looks, the 6'4" (1m90) former gymnast and his musicians warm up the crowd.

Every Thursday evening and Sunday morning, Rossi says mass in this cavernous, 20,000-seat sanctuary inaugurated late last year and which can accommodate an overflow crowd of up to 100,000.

http://www.france24.com/en/20130605-brazil-charismatic-priests-try-stem-catholic-flight