The Archbishop of Paraíba has denounced a prosperity gospel sect as the "commercialisation of faith" after its members inaugurated a 5,000-seat temple in one of the poorest states in Brazil, writes John Medcraft.

The temple, built by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, complete with television and radio studios and parking for 520 vehicles, was opened last Sunday in the Paraíban capital of João Pessoa, in the drought-prone north-east of the country.

The Archbishop of Paraíba, Aldo di Cillo Pagotto, told the national daily Folha de São Paulo on Tuesday it was "impossible to remain silent" as he saw so many former Catholics whose lack of guidance in a community of faith had left them vulnerable to "religious groups who captivate people by inducing them to show their faith by giving their money". A former church treasurer told The Tablet that pastors had monthly financial targets to meet, and he knew of money collected being deposited in personal bank accounts. While Brazil is the largest Catholic country, with some 138 million faithful, it also has the highest number of Pentecostals, 24 million, of any country.