Origins
On the morning of October 12, 1717, three fishermen launched their boats into the Paraíba River, which flowed towards their city. They had been tasked with bringing fish for the banquet, which would take place the following day, in the city of Guaratinguetá. It was by order of Count Assumar, Dom Pedro de Almeida Portugal, ruler of the captaincy of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, the demand for fish from the Paraíba River. The three fishermen, Domingos Garcia, João Alves and Filipe Pedroso, seemed to have no luck that morning.
After several unsuccessful attempts, they had almost given up when João Alves tried again. He threw his net into the waters of the river and slowly pulled it up. He had caught something, but it wasn’t fish, it looked like some kind of wood.
The Miraculous Fishing
When he took it out of the net, the piece of wood appeared to be part of a statue of the Virgin Mary, unfortunately, without a head. When casting the net again, this time, João Alves found another piece of wood in the mesh, rounded in shape, which looked precisely like the head of the same statue: he tried to put the two pieces together and realized that they fit together perfectly. As if attracted by an impulse, João Alves threw the net into the waters again, but it had become so heavy that he was unable to take it out, as it was full of fish. Then, his companions also cast their nets into the waters and the catch that day was truly abundant.
The first place of devotion: a humble little house
The next day, the three fishermen gathered the two pieces of the statue, cleaned them of river debris and Filipe Pedroso placed it in his humble home. Soon, the news of the miraculous catch spread throughout neighboring towns and, every night, a growing group of simple fishermen began to go and pay homage to the Virgin Mary and pray the rosary. They gave him the name “Aparecida”, which appeared.
Our Lady of Aparecida: Mother in simplicity
The chapel
As time passed, the crowd became so numerous that the fisherman’s house could no longer contain it. Therefore, a first oratory was built and then, in 1737, a larger chapel. There were many testimonies of graces and miracles achieved in that small sanctuary.
The Old Basilica
In 1834, construction began on a larger church – the current Old Basilica – completed in 1888 and the statue was transferred. In 1904, the image was crowned at the request of Pope Pius X. In 1908, the church received the title of Minor Basilica, sacred in 1909. In 1930, Pope Pius
Queen and Patroness of Brazil
In 1929, at the close of the Marian Congress, Our Lady of Aparecida was proclaimed Queen of Brazil, under the Invocation of Aparecida. On May 31, 1931, the image was taken to Rio de Janeiro, so that in front of it, Our Lady of Aparecida would receive official tributes from the entire nation, with the President of the Republic, Getúlio Vargas, also present. Our Lady of Aparecida was then acclaimed by everyone as “Queen and Patroness of Brazil”. In 1958, the city of Aparecida was elevated to an archbishopric, with its first archbishop being Cardinal Mota. In 1967, Aparecida received the Golden Rose sent by Pope Paul VI.
The Largest Marian Sanctuary in the World
The National Sanctuary of Aparecida
In 1980, the altar of the New Basilica, the largest Marian shrine in the world, was consecrated by Pope John Paul II, who granted it the title of Minor Basilica. In 1983, the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil – CNBB – officially declared the Basilica of Aparecida a National Sanctuary.
Today, the Sanctuary is a great evangelizing center, entrusted to the apostolic zeal of the Redemptorist Missionaries since 1894, responsible for pastoral care and administration, serving pilgrims and pilgrims who arrive from all parts of the country and abroad.
Visit of three Popes
Three Popes visited the National Shrine: John Paul II, in 1980, Pope Benedict XVI, when he opened the V Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Conference in May 2007, and Pope Francis in 2013, on the occasion of World Day activities of Youth, held this year in Rio de Janeiro.
Devotion of the Brazilian People
Devotion to the Immaculate Virgin Conceição Aparecida, over the years, became greater and greater, and many graces were obtained. The large influx of visitors — explains Father Valdivino Guimarães, a Redemptorist missionary — “is mainly due to the welcome, the infrastructure, the significant support from the media (including Radio and TV Aparecida, Revista Aparecida) and, in special, to the great devotion of the Brazilian people to Our Lady of Aparecida”.
My prayer
“O Mary, our Mother and patron saint of Brazil, You who appeared in the fishermen’s nets without their heads to symbolize the martyrdom of your enslaved children, free the Brazilian people from all slavery to sin, disease and moral ills. Be our mother and comforter, bearer of hope and sign of your Son Jesus. By Christ Our Lord. Amen!”
Our Lady of Aparecida, pray for us!
Other saints and blesseds celebrated on October 12th:
- In Rome, next to Via Laurentina, Santo Hedistomartyr. († date inc.)
- ANDm Anazarbo, in Cilicia, Türkiye, Santa little ladymartyr. († c. 304)
- Celebration of four thousand nine hundred and sixty-six martyrs and confessors of the faithamong them were the bishops Cyprian It is Felixdistinguished priests of the Lord. († 483)
- In Piacenza, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, Santo Opiliusdeacon. († cs V)
- In Rome, Saint Felix IVpope, who transformed two temples in the Roman Forum into the church dedicated to saints Cosmas and Damian and worked with great zeal for the Catholic faith. († 530)
- In the province of Nório Ripense, currently in Austria, São Maximilianwho is venerated as bishop of Lorch. († as VII)
- In Pavia, in Lombardy, region of Italy, Saint RotobaldoBishop. († 1254)
- In Áscoli, city of Piceno, currently in the Marches, region of Italy, São Seraphim of Monte Granaroreligious of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. († 1604)
- In London, England, Blessed Thomas Bullakerpresbyter of the Order of Friars Minor and martyr. († 1642)
- In Oviedo, Spain, Blessed Euphrasius of the Child Jesus presbyter of the Order of Discalced Carmelites and martyr. († 1934)
- In Ribarroja de Túria, a town in the province of Valencia, also in Spain, Blessed José González Huguetpresbyter and martyr. († 1936)
- In Massamagrel, in the province of Valencia, Blessed Valencia Pacificreligious of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and martyr. († 1936)
- In the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, Blessed Romão Sitko, presbyter and martyr. († 1942)
Source:
- A12.com
- Book “Daily Saints” – José Leite, SJ
- Book “Relation of Saints and Blesseds of the Church” – Prof Felipe Aquino
- Roman Martyrology
- Santiebeati.it
- Vaticannews.va
– Production and editing: Melody de Paulo
– Prayer: Rafael Vitto – Community