Celebrity Brazilian healer ‘John of God,’ once featured by Oprah, surrenders on sexual abuse charges

He calls himself “John of God” and dwells in the Brazilian village of Abadiania, an otherwise unremarkable countryside transformed into a fanciful spiritual tourist mecca for his believers, where everybody wears white and waits in line for a moment with the celebrity healer they’ve all come to see.

Zahira Lieneke Mous was among them. The Dutch dance choreographer made the pilgrimage four years ago, seeking to heal sexual trauma she said she had suffered in the past. She had read books about “John of God” and watched YouTube videos about his alleged powers and saw his 2010 interview with Oprah Winfrey, an episode that brought the faith healer international fame. The series, since removed from Winfrey’s website, was titled, “Do You Believe in Miracles?” Mous believed she did.