April 15 (Bloomberg) -- Jobless Brazilians are turning to St. Expeditus, a formerly obscure figure in Roman Catholic tradition who has become the object of cult-like devotion for help in urgent causes, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Brazilians.

Church officials expect 200,000 people to show up for ceremonies in Sao Paulo marking his April 19 feast day, 10 times more than for a turnout eight years ago, the Journal reported.

Though the phenomenon is bolstering interest in Brazil's Catholic Church as it confronts growing competition from evangelical Protestants, it's also prompted questions among Catholic leaders over who the man really was and what he represents, the paper said.

Brazil has about 125 million Catholics, or more than in any other country, the Journal said. According to legend, Expeditus, commanded a Roman legion in Armenia, converted to Christianity, and was beheaded by the emperor Diocletian in 303, the paper said.

(Wall Street Journal 4-15 Online)

To contact the reporter on this story: James Kraus in New York at jkraus2@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: April 15, 2004 02:08 EDT