Produção do espaço da cidade de Juazeiro do Norte-CE: uma leitura a partir das práticas religiosas

Abstract

This dissertation analyzes the production of urban space in Juazeiro do Norte (CE), Brazil, through religious spatial practices, with an emphasis on the pilgrimages and rituals performed by the pilgrims. The research is grounded in the theoretical framework of Lefebvre, particularly his conception that space is socially produced through the interaction between spatial practices, representations of space, and spaces of representation. In this context, the study seeks to understand how popular religiosity, especially surrounding the figure of Padre Cícero, acts as a spatial productive force, reshaping urban uses, meanings, and dynamics. The pilgrimages, as recurring manifestations deeply rooted in the Northeastern Brazilian imaginary, mobilize large flows of people and promote both temporary and permanent transformations in the city, as expressed in the urban landscape, economic practices, and social relations. The research also relied on semi-structured interviews with representatives of the public sector, religious institutions, and pilgrims, in order to capture different perspectives on the impacts and meanings of these practices. The results reveal that the urban space of Juazeiro do Norte is profoundly shaped by the presence of the pilgrims and the logics of faith. Thus, the city emerges as a lived space, socially constructed through religious practice, confirming that space is neither neutral nor given, but produced daily by human actions.