Edir Macedo: Brazil's 'billionaire bishop'

A potent combination of business acumen and religious fervour has seen Edir Macedo's controversial church surge in popularity.

Few people in Britain have heard of Edir Macedo and his Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, says The Guardian. But he's here in the midst of us. The queue snaking a third of a mile towards Trafalgar Square at the launch of his new book, Nothing To Lose, told its own story.

Having sold a million copies in South America and parts of Africa, "the hugely controversial preacher" has hit Britain big time. There are now 27 branches of the Universal Church in cities across the country and counting. At the London event, 15,000 copies of the book were sold on the first day at £12 each.

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