Jacobina Mentz Maurer

Jacobina Mentz Maurer (born June 1841 or 1842 in Novo Hamburgo - August 2, 1874 in Sapiranga) was a Brazilian religious leader. She led the Revolt of the Muckers that happened in a German community in Brazil.

Jacobina Mentz was the daughter of André Mentz and Maria Elisabeth Müller, German immigrants from Tambach-Dietharz, Thuringia, Germany. They arrived in Brazil on November 6, 1824 fleeing religious persecution (both left the Protestant church and established an independent religious community, and then they began to be persecuted by the locals). Their daughter, Jacobina Mentz, was born in Brazil and raised in what is today known as Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, in a rural community composed of religious German immigrants, with both Lutheran and Catholic members. Jacobina's family was responsible for building the first Protestant church in Southern Brazil. On April 26, 1866, Jacobina married João Jorge Maurer, also the son of German immigrants. In the same year, the couple moved from Novo Hamburgo to Ferrabráz, in what is now Sapiranga.

In 1868, João Maurer had a "divine vision", telling him to abandon the crop in order to be a doctor. Soon after he met healer Buchhorn, who taught him the secrets of medicinal herbs. These Germans lived in an isolated rural community without access to medical care. Therefore, many people used to consult local healers. In 1870, the couple started to receive at home people for meetings of Bible reading around Jacobina. Jacobina suffered from fainting attacks since she was 12 years old and people associated her sleepwalking situation with special powers. Soon, hundreds of people started to follow Jacobina and her teachings. Many people left the local Catholic or Lutheran churches and established a fanatical sect, with Jacobina being their leader. This situation worried the local priests and the members of the community who did not join the others. Then the community was divided into two: those who joined Jacobina were known as Mucker (German for "False Saint") and those who were against Jacobina known as Spötter (debauchee). Jacobina was treated as the manifestation of God. Later people started to see her as the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Conflicts between the followers of Jacobina (Muckers) and their enemies (Spotters) increased when people began to buy weapons. Policemen raided Jacobina's house and found the weapons. She was arrested during a crisis of lethargy and conducted to São Leopoldo, sleeping for 9 hours. To wake her up, the doctors used stinging needle and tip of knife. However, she only woke up when her followers started singing after 5 hours of attempts. Jacobina was released and received with great affection by the community.

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