What is it about Rio de Janeiro in Brazil?

Of late it has entered into the limelight due to the Olympics, which will be held there in 2016, and fascinating to us are its spiritual regards. Call them also "dynamics":

It is in Rio where lay Catholics have built a chapel for "Mary, Undoer of Knots" -- fending off a nightclub that was across the street (complete with nude dancers and pagan deities) to wage a global Marian campaign. After much prayer the church group was able to take over the nightclub's land.

It is where 500,000 foreigners flock to the annual carnival -- ending on Fat Tuesday, and even more risque than its competitor, the Mardi Gras in equally dynamic New Orleans.

It is now where (speaking of pagan gods) they will have the next summer Olympics.

It is also the location for the world's most famous statue of Jesus -- standing 130 feet, so tall, on a mountain next to Rio, that it is often surrounded by clouds.

We recall a couple of years back when the statue was struck by lightning.

Are there forces that are pairing off here? Is it the new great open battlefield?

It is the country with the most Catholics -- 140 million (more than twice as many as in the U.S.) -- and where evangelicals are waging a war to attract them.

There is a priest here who attracts tens of thousands to Mass! Indeed, the cleric, Padre Marcelo Rossi, once drew 2.4 million to an event, and so many attend his weekly liturgy that his church is building a new sanctuary with a capacity of 60,000 inside and room for another 40,000 outside. It's expected to be ready sometime in 2010.