This paper explores the role of social support and the symbolic efficacy of Messianic Church's therapeutic practices among Brazilian workers in Japan. Many of these workers face health problems related to the stress in the work environment, difficulties of communication and loneliness. This research is based on the ethnographic model. During the fieldwork period frequent visits and interviews were conduct with leaders and members of the group in different cities with large concentration of Brazilians. In this context, the Messianic Church finds a good environment to develop its support activities. Behind these activities, however, the group mobilizes the members to work for the diffusion of their ideals.
religiosity; Brazilian migrants; Messianic Church; symbolic efficacy; social support