Whether bowing piously in prayer, wooing evangelical pastors, or fighting off memes linking them to Satanism, Jair Bolsonaro and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have turned Brazil’s polarizing presidential race into a holy war.

Religion is playing a growing role in politics in Brazil, where 59 percent of people say it is an important factor in their choice, according to polling firm Datafolha.

The South American giant of 215 million is the world’s largest Catholic country — more than half of its population — and also has a booming, politically powerful evangelical congregation estimated at nearly a third of the electorate.

Bolsonaro, a conservative Catholic, has maintained close ties with evangelicals and has made religion a central part of his re-election campaign, which is running under the motto “God, Country, Family and Liberty.”

Lula – also a Catholic but usually quieter about his faith – has meanwhile become increasingly vocal about religion, fighting off a disinformation campaign accusing him of conspiring to close churches and trying to address evangelical fears about the divisive Issues of abortion and “gender ideology.”

“Bringing religion into the debate makes the candidates’ job easier. It’s a way of increasing voters’ rejection of the opponent by using issues with strong emotional appeal,” says political scientist Leandro Consentino of Insper University.

Bolsonaro, just behind Lula in the polls, has a huge lead among evangelicals: 65 percent to 31 percent.

The 67-year-old ex-Bundeswehr captain has been close to the Protestant community for a long time.

Baptized in the Jordan River in 2016 by a prominent Pentecostal pastor, he has close ties to leaders in some of the country’s largest megachurches and, as president, has fulfilled his promise to appoint a “terribly evangelical” judge to the Supreme Court. Presbyterian minister Andre Mendonca.

But perhaps his greatest asset is his telegenic, devout evangelical wife, Michelle.

From the moment Bolsonaro officially launched his campaign in August – when the first lady led an enthusiastic crowd in reciting the Lord’s Prayer – Michelle, 40, has criss-crossed the country for him.

She describes the election as a “spiritual war between good and evil” and brands Lula “the devil”.

Bolsonaro also has key supporters in influential pastors like top TV evangelist Silas Malafaia, who has denounced Lula as a “liar” and an “alcoholic” to his 10 million followers on social media.

Bolsonaro “successfully brought the campaign to his home court” by making religion a central issue, says political scientist Adriano Laureno of the Prospectiva consultancy.

“If we were talking about the economy instead, Lula would probably be in a more comfortable position.”

But Lula, 77, won’t go down without a fight of biblical proportions.

The charismatic ex-union leader is more popular with Catholics than Bolsonaro – 57 percent versus 37 percent – but is struggling to win over more conservative evangelicals.

He was forced to back down after saying in April that abortion should be a “right”.

The statement sparked an outcry in a country where polls show 70 percent of the population opposes abortion in most cases.

Lula also faced a virulent disinformation campaign from Bolsonaro allies, with viral social media posts accusing him of mortal sins ranging from a conspiracy to close churches to a pact with Satan.

Since coming first in the first round of voting on Oct. 2 by a narrower-than-expected 48 to 43 percent, Lula has been fighting fire with fire.

Using social media tactics once seen primarily by the far right, his allies have circulated posts linking Bolsonaro to Freemasonry, Satanism and cannibalism.

Lula, who was courting evangelicals, meanwhile, signed a “declaration of commitment” to them during a campaign rally that became a prayer meeting in Sao Paulo last week.

“My government will not take any action against religious freedom,” Lula wrote, assuring social conservatives that he is against abortion — which is banned in Brazil except for cases of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is in danger.

Then, eyes closed and hands clasped, Lula listened as a progressive pastor commended him for not using religion “to deceive people.”

For its part, the national Catholic bishops’ conference condemned those who “exploit faith to win votes” – without naming names.