Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida
Encyclopedia
The town of Aparecida
, in the SE region of the State of São Paulo
, Brazil
, houses two basilicas dedicated to Brazil's Patroness Saint, Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida, or "Our Lady of the (Immaculate) Conception who Appeared,"
a reference to the appearance of the head, then the body of a statue of Mary in the Paraiba river to fishermen who were having a hard time catching fish for a dinner to the emperor who slept over in their village. After they found and fixed the image of Mary, a miracle would have been happened and their fish net could not contain so many fish. Other miracles are reported to have been granted by God through the invocation and intercession of the Virgin, including one to an enslaved African-Brazilian boy. Perhaps because of his origin and the fact that the statue had been darkened by clay, Lady Aparecida is often portrayed as Black with Portuguese features, since the original statue was probably brought from Portugal.
The "basilica velha," or "old basilica" is a modest small church with colonial tendencies in style, built between 1760 and 1770 and restored from 1824 to 1834.It was established as a minor basilica
by Pope Saint Pius X
in 1908. The "basilica nova," or "new basilica," took years to be built and was already being used for services, ceremonies, and pilgrimage in the late 1960s and beginning of the 1970s. During his first visit to Brazil in 1980, Pope John Paul II dedicated the temple to God Almighty under the invocation of Lady Aparecida and the date of the appearance of the image of the Virgin, October 12, became a national holiday observed yearly ever since. The date is also celebrated as Marian holiday under the invocation of "Nossa Senhora de Nazare'," or "Our Lady of Nazareth" in the city of Belem, capital of the northern state of Para'.
The much larger building of the new basilica became necessary due to the popular devotion to Lady Aparecida, under whose intercession many Brazilian Catholics claim to have received favors and pay her homage by visiting the temple. They often bring ex-voto offerings or fulfill vows such as by approaching the shrine of the Madonna, or its replica, on their knees. Thus, in 1955 construction of the new basilica started. Acclaimed church architect and fresco painter Benedito Calixto
, who has painted among other things, the frescoes and the ceiling of the Lady of Mount Carmel basilica in São Paulo, designed a building in the form of a Greek cross, 173 m (567 ft) long and 168 m (551 ft) wide; the dome reaches 70 m (229 ft) and the steeple rises to 105 m (334 ft), placing it also amongst the largest churches in the world, holding up to 45,000 people. The 272,000 square meters of parking hold 4,000 buses and 6,000 cars.
The building was consecrated by Pope John Paul II
while still under construction, on July 4, 1980. The Pope created the church as a Minor Basilica
and named it the most important National Marian Shrine in Brazil.
The New Basilica is now the second or third largest Catholic place of worship in the world, depending on definitions of size. St. Peter's Basilica
in Vatican City
is the largest and the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro
in Ivory Coast has been mentioned as the second largest but consists mostly of empty, unused space.
In 1984, Lady Aparecida was officially declared as "the largest Marian Temple in the world." According to the official site of the basilica, in 1999 the number of pilgrims was 6,565,849.
Pope Benedict XVI
visited the Basilica of the Shrine of the Aparecida on May 12, 2007, during his Apostolic Journey to Brazil on the occasion of the 5th General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean. The Pope awarded the Shrine a Golden Rose
on that occasion.
Aparecida
Aparecida is a Brazilian city and municipality in the state of São Paulo. It is located in the fertile valley of the River Paraíba do Sul on the southern bank. The population in 2004 was 35,754 and the area of the municipality is 121.232 km²...
, in the SE region of the State of São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, houses two basilicas dedicated to Brazil's Patroness Saint, Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida, or "Our Lady of the (Immaculate) Conception who Appeared,"
Our Lady of Aparecida
Our Lady of Aparecida is the patron saint of Brazil, venerated in the Catholic Church. A dark-skinned Marian image, Our Lady of Aparecida is represented by a short, clay statue of the Virgin Mary, currently housed in the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, in the town of...
a reference to the appearance of the head, then the body of a statue of Mary in the Paraiba river to fishermen who were having a hard time catching fish for a dinner to the emperor who slept over in their village. After they found and fixed the image of Mary, a miracle would have been happened and their fish net could not contain so many fish. Other miracles are reported to have been granted by God through the invocation and intercession of the Virgin, including one to an enslaved African-Brazilian boy. Perhaps because of his origin and the fact that the statue had been darkened by clay, Lady Aparecida is often portrayed as Black with Portuguese features, since the original statue was probably brought from Portugal.
The "basilica velha," or "old basilica" is a modest small church with colonial tendencies in style, built between 1760 and 1770 and restored from 1824 to 1834.It was established as a minor basilica
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
by Pope Saint Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
in 1908. The "basilica nova," or "new basilica," took years to be built and was already being used for services, ceremonies, and pilgrimage in the late 1960s and beginning of the 1970s. During his first visit to Brazil in 1980, Pope John Paul II dedicated the temple to God Almighty under the invocation of Lady Aparecida and the date of the appearance of the image of the Virgin, October 12, became a national holiday observed yearly ever since. The date is also celebrated as Marian holiday under the invocation of "Nossa Senhora de Nazare'," or "Our Lady of Nazareth" in the city of Belem, capital of the northern state of Para'.
The much larger building of the new basilica became necessary due to the popular devotion to Lady Aparecida, under whose intercession many Brazilian Catholics claim to have received favors and pay her homage by visiting the temple. They often bring ex-voto offerings or fulfill vows such as by approaching the shrine of the Madonna, or its replica, on their knees. Thus, in 1955 construction of the new basilica started. Acclaimed church architect and fresco painter Benedito Calixto
Benedito Calixto
Benedito Calixto de Jesus was a Brazilian painter. His works usually depicted figures from Brazil and Brazilian culture, including a famous portrait of the bandeirante Domingos Jorge Velho in 1923, and scenes from the coastline of São Paulo...
, who has painted among other things, the frescoes and the ceiling of the Lady of Mount Carmel basilica in São Paulo, designed a building in the form of a Greek cross, 173 m (567 ft) long and 168 m (551 ft) wide; the dome reaches 70 m (229 ft) and the steeple rises to 105 m (334 ft), placing it also amongst the largest churches in the world, holding up to 45,000 people. The 272,000 square meters of parking hold 4,000 buses and 6,000 cars.
The building was consecrated by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
while still under construction, on July 4, 1980. The Pope created the church as a Minor Basilica
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
and named it the most important National Marian Shrine in Brazil.
The New Basilica is now the second or third largest Catholic place of worship in the world, depending on definitions of size. St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
in Vatican City
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
is the largest and the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro
Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro
The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro is a Roman Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, the administrative capital of Côte d'Ivoire . The basilica was constructed between 1985 and 1989 at a cost of $300 million...
in Ivory Coast has been mentioned as the second largest but consists mostly of empty, unused space.
In 1984, Lady Aparecida was officially declared as "the largest Marian Temple in the world." According to the official site of the basilica, in 1999 the number of pilgrims was 6,565,849.
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
visited the Basilica of the Shrine of the Aparecida on May 12, 2007, during his Apostolic Journey to Brazil on the occasion of the 5th General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean. The Pope awarded the Shrine a Golden Rose
Golden Rose
The Golden Rose is a gold ornament, which popes of the Catholic Church have traditionally blessed annually. It is occasionally conferred as a token of reverence or affection...
on that occasion.