State of Emergency in Brazil

If you are on a trip to Brazil, you will notice that on this day nothing is going as usual. It is the twelfth of October in Brazil and the stores remain closed, work is at rest. The Brazilians commemorate today "Nossa Senhora Aparecida", in English "Maria Apparition". Since 1980, the twelfth of October is a Brazilian national holiday in honor of the country's patron saint. It is celebrated in Brazil together with Children's Day. Pedro the First also chose this date for his accession to the throne in 1822.

The representational "Nossa Senhora Aparecida" is a clay statue of the Holy Virgin Mary. According to legend, it was discovered by three fishermen in the Rio Paraiba do Sul in October 1717. The men threw out their nets there to catch especially beautiful fish for the dinner of the Count of Assumar. They were unsuccessful for a long time and when they were ready to give up, the fisherman Joao Alves spotted the sculpture of the Virgin Mary. After the three had brought their find onboard, they made a rich harvest. The devotion to St. Mary grew and over the centuries many miracles were attributed to her.

The first chapel in the name of the statuette was built in 1745. It was the destination of many pilgrims, including the Emperor Dom Pedro the First and the Second. Princess Isabelle even gave the statue a diamond crown, which, together with a magnificent blue cloak, still adorns the Virgin Mary today. Since 1894 Redemptorist missionaries, originally from Bavaria, have preserved the relic. In 1930, Pope Pius the Eleventh officially declared the "Nossa Senhora Aparecida" the patron saint of Brazil. In 1978, an assassin attempted to destroy the portrait. To the joy of the Brazilians, however, it could be reconstructed in the MASP (Art Museum of Sao Paulo).

Today, the holy sculpture can be found in the national shrine of the same name in the state of Sao Paulo, on the way between the metropolis and Rio de Janeiro. This is the largest Marian shrine in the world, which John Paul II blessed during a papal journey. The scale of the building reflects the dedication of the Brazilians to their patron saint. Approximately twelve million visitors are registered there every year. The total area covers more than one million square meters, a fifth of which is covered with buildings. The Basilica of Aparecida has an area of around seventy thousand square meters. Inside, the "Nossa Senhora Aparecida" is exhibited on a plinth thirty-seven meters high. The hall is the venue for masses and can hold thirty thousand faithful. There is room for three hundred thousand other pilgrims in the outer areas of the cathedral. Thirty-three missionaries, one thousand five hundred officials, and eight hundred volunteers guarantee the smooth running of the Cathedral.

On the twelfth of October, the Brazilians celebrate their love for the national saint Mary with a pompous mass that is transmitted to a worldwide audience. But already at the beginning of the month, the "Festa da Padroeira do Brasil" (celebration of the patron saint of Brazil) begins. The festivities are organized in an effective advertising manner and resemble a pop spectacle. There are concerts with stars of the Brazilian music scene, a youth day, dance performances, and church services. The public is always there live. Since 1951 the National Shrine has had a radio station, which was supplemented by a television channel in 2005. In 2010 an online portal with Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube links was added. The website is a sales platform for devotional items, books, and an in-house magazine. Even the hotel for the pilgrimage can be reserved here.
Maria as the destination of the next Brazil vacation? On a rental car journey from São Paulo to Rio, you can easily make a stopover...

Source: a12.com