The Federal Court of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil granted, on a preliminary basis, the right to a 14-year-old from Minas Gerais to take a public service exam only after sunset on Saturday, for religious reasons.

Israel Carvalho Caldeira, who enrolled in the 2025 Naval College entrance exam (CPACN), is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a Christian denomination that observes the Sabbath as a holy day, abstaining from secular activities between sunset on Friday and sunset on Saturday.

This practice is based on the biblical Ten Commandments, specifically the fourth commandment, which instructs: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8). For Adventists, this includes not carrying out professional or academic activities during this period, including exams and competitions.

The request was initially made to the contest organizers, but was denied based on the announcement, which did not provide for time exceptions. Therefore, the family appealed to the courts, with the support of the local church's legal department.

In his ruling, Federal Judge Thiago Lins Monteiro emphasized that preventing the candidate from participating would violate fundamental rights, such as religious freedom and equality among candidates.

The ruling cited a precedent from the Federal Supreme Court (RE 611.874), which recognizes the possibility of adjusting schedules in public service exams for reasons of faith, as long as they do not harm the public administration.

The injunction determined:

• That the candidate take the test on July 26th only after sunset, in a dignified and private environment;

• That he present himself at the official time, remaining incommunicado and under adequate supervision until the start of the test.

Story of Faith and Perseverance

The situation in Israel mobilized not only the family but also the religious community. After having her application denied by the contest organizers, the teenager's mother, Deise Cristiane, sought guidance from church friends and discovered that the Adventist Church has a legal team specializing in religious freedom.

"We didn't know what to do. That's when God sent us the right person. A friend told us about our church's lawyer who works on these cases," says the mother.

Lawyer Daniel Aragão, who works in downtown Belo Horizonte, says the request was made in a hurry.

"She contacted me and, even with the tight deadline, we filed the injunction on Wednesday (23). To our surprise, the injunction was granted the next day," he points out.

Israel, who dreams of a military career, prepared for the exam throughout the year. On the Saturday of the exam, he arrived early at the venue accompanied by his parents and lawyer, where he remained silent, unable to communicate, until sunset, when he was finally able to begin the exam.

"I'm so proud of my son. He's already a winner. So young, confined for hours, without contact, with limited food, but firm in his faith," the mother shares emotionally.

The family considers the decision a victory that goes beyond the test results. "We just prayed that he would have the chance to take the exam. The welcome from the legal team, the attention to every detail, the support from the church... it was as if God was saying to my son: you are not alone," they emphasize.

The original article was published on the South American Division Portuguese news site. Join the ANN WhatsApp Channel for the latest Adventist news.