Welcome to the official website of the Centro Espírita Beneficente União do Vegetal (UDV) in the United States
The União do Vegetal (UDV) is a Christian Spiritist religion that originated in Brazil and is now practiced by over 17,000 people in six countries. The UDV has received numerous civic awards for its community and environmental service and is recognized as a church under the laws of the United States.
União do Vegetal literally means “the union of the plants.” Adherents drink a tea within their religious services that is made from two plants indigenous to the Brazilian Amazon. The tea, known as Hoasca, is revered as sacred by UDV members. It is a sacrament serving to heighten spiritual understanding and perception, and bring the practitioners closer to God.
We invite you to explore these pages and to learn more about our faith and the people who practice it.