One-ton statue of Lucifer, ban and legal dispute: what happened to the temple in RS two years later

The land has five hectares of open area in the rural area of the city. The monument representing Lucifer is five meters high (including the pedestal), weighs one ton and cost R$35,000, paid for by members of the order. Master Lukas de Bará da Rua states that the statue must have special lighting if it is inaugurated. The image of Lucifer was produced in cement by a studio and, according to the religionist, it portrays the duality of the human man and the skeleton, with feet and wings, representing the spirit of divinity. Master Lukas claims to have dreamed of the image to create it. The project had the support of an engineer. "For us it is something sacred. I have a 21-year history within the religion. We have done awareness work, to demonstrate the strength that our religion has", he comments.

? For some religions, such as Christianity, the figure is associated with the devil. On the other hand, for Master Lukas de Bará da Rua, one of the representatives of the N.O.L.T, Lucifer represents the bringer of light. The majority of members of the order follow the Quimbanda line, but there are followers who dedicate themselves exclusively to demonolatry, with no connection to this religious tradition. ? Access the g1 RS channel on WhatsApp Although a court decision determined the reopening of the administrative process, the granting of the license to operate the temple still depends on the presentation of new documents required by the city hall. Anyone who carries out activities in the closed space, located approximately 15 km from the urban area, may receive a daily fine of R$50,000. Obstacles with the city hall

The closure occurred in August 2024, when the inauguration of the temple was prevented due to lack of a license. Since then, the case has turned into an administrative and judicial dispute between the religious group and the municipality. The battle for the functioning of the temple takes place on two fronts. In court, the writ of mandamus filed by representatives of the religious group was sent to the Court of Justice of Rio Grande do Sul in June 2026. At the administrative level, the city hall reopened the analysis of the permit request and began to require new documents to continue the process. ? In September 2025, the Court ordered the reopening of the administrative process that had been closed by the city hall. The decision was obtained through a writ of mandamus presented by representatives of the order after the municipality interrupted the analysis of the permit application on the grounds that there were duplicate applications for the location.

? Writ of mandamus is a legal action used to protect a right when it is threatened or violated by an illegal or abusive act by a public authority.

However, the Court understood that the process should be analyzed again at the administrative level. The decision did not automatically grant the operating license. According to Master Lukas, during the inspection by Gravataí city hall, the need for a new feasibility study and other documents was highlighted to continue with the license request. New requirements Statue of Lucifer, in Gravataí André Ávila/ Agencia RBS The City of Gravataí informed that, to continue the internal analysis of the permit request, it requested a Technical Responsibility Note (ART) regarding the statue installed at the site. "We have the engineer checking this documentation now and we will take it forward", highlights Master Lukas. ? ART is a document issued by a qualified professional, such as an engineer, which records who is technically responsible for a work or structure. The document serves to prove that the project was analyzed by a specialist and meets the required technical requirements. Master Lukas maintains that these demands had not been made when the original request was filed: "If they had requested this two years ago, we would have already delivered. But, in the first viability, they did not ask for anything like that", he states. According to the city hall, the presentation of the technical analysis of the structure is necessary for the process to continue until the decision on granting the permit is made. The municipality also explained that those responsible for the space presented two separate licensing requests for the location. The first sought to be classified as a religion of African origin. Subsequently, a new request for classification as a religious temple was filed, while the previous request still remained in processing. According to Master Lukas, first, the group tried to frame the temple as "terreiro people". Then, as an institution. Both requests were initially denied. Infographic - Temple with statue of Lucifer has been closed for two years Marcelle Governatori/arte g1 Repercussions and threats Statue of Lucifer, in Gravataí André Ávila/ Agencia RBS In conversation with g1 in December 2025, Master Lukas stated that the city hall's refusal is not just bureaucratic and the case has become "religious persecution". "We are in Brazil and the State is secular. So, we have freedom of worship. And we don't have public funds here. It's a private space. We work, we dedicate ourselves, we invest to have our space. It's not a space open to the public", he says. At the time, the report contacted the city hall, which did not comment. At the time of the space ban, the controversy gained national repercussion. In the beginning, according to Mestre Lukas, there was a lot of intolerance: the group received death threats, messages saying they would set the place on fire and even cut their necks. However, over time, the attacks diminished and messages of support appeared: "The City Hall thinks they are holding us back.