„Przegląd Religioznawczy – The Religious Studies Review‛, 2016, no. 4 (262) RENATA SIUDA-AMBROZIAK Institute of the America and Europe, American Studies Center University of Warsaw EWA STACHOWSKA Institute of Social Prevention and Resocialisation University of Warsaw Public Religion in the 21 st Century: a Comparative Study on the Catholic Church in Poland and Brazil Introduction Poland and Brazil seem to have very little in common – divided by the Atlantic, incomparable in terms of the size of the territory, population, economy, history and culture. It seems, however, that both countries and their societies have much more in common than is often realized. Starting with masses of Polish peasants, who emigrated to Brazil back in the 19 th century (during the so called ‚Brazilian fever‛) and influenced the culture and socio-economic development of the Brazilian southern states of Paran{, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul 1 ; through the, still majoritarian, religious affiliation in both societies (Catholic); up to the striking similarities in the history of the two nations since the second half of the 20 th century, with the respective non-democratic regimes (in Brazil – rightist, military; in Poland – leftist, communist), a painful transition to democracy (in Poland – 1989, in Brazil – 1985), and the crucial role of the Catholic Church in supporting, for decades, political opposition. 1 For more information on Polish immigration in Brazil, see, for example: M. Malinowski, Ruch polonijny w Argentynie i Brazylii w latach 1989-2000, Warszawa 2005; R. Siuda-Ambroziak, Entre ideales, estereotipos y realidad: Polonia, la identidad nacional y comunidades de ascendencia polaca en el Brasil contempor{neo, in: Ameryka Łacińska: historia – polityka – gospodarka – kultura, M. Drgas, J. Knopek, A. Ratke-Majewska (eds), Toruń 2014, p. 255-269; E. Budakowska, Etnicidade polonesa no Brasil a luz das pesquisas sociológicas, Warsaw 2014.