Oi, deus salve a casa santa oi ia,
Aonde deus fez a morada, oi ia meu deus
Aonde mora o cálice bento, oi ia
E a hóstia consagrada, oi ia
Oh, God save your holy house/church, oi ia,
Where God made his dwelling, oi ia my God
Where does the blessed chalice live, oi ia
And the consecrated host, oi ia
Louvação that blends Catholic religious imagery with Afro-Brazilian traditions. The "oi ia" is a common call-and-response element in capoeira music, where "ia" often serves as both a rhythmic element and potentially references Iemanjá or other Afro-Brazilian spiritual traditions. This type of religious capoeira song reflects the historical syncretism between African spiritual traditions and Catholicism that developed during the colonial period in Brazil. Enslaved Africans often incorporated Catholic imagery into their cultural practices as a form of cultural preservation and sometimes resistance.