Our Lady of Nazareth
Feast day: October 7
Patroness of the Amazon, whose image was found in Belém in 1700 and is venerated in the world's largest Catholic procession.
Devotion to Our Lady of Nazareth in Pará dates to the 17th century, when Jesuits introduced the cult of Our Lady of Nazareth from Portugal to the region.
In 1700, according to tradition, the caboclo Plácido found a small wooden image — about 28 centimeters — on the banks of the Murutucu stream in Belém, where the Basilica Shrine stands today.
The image depicts Mary seated with the Child Jesus on her lap, in Baroque style. Restored in Portugal in 1774, its return to Belém in procession marked the first Círio, celebrated annually ever since.
The Círio de Nazaré, on the second Sunday of October, gathers millions of pilgrims. The Basilica Shrine, begun in 1909 in neoclassical style, is among Brazil's largest Catholic churches.
In 1953 Pope Pius XII authorized the canonical coronation of the image. Our Lady of Nazareth is patroness of Pará and the Amazon, a symbol of the faith of the people of Belém.
Dedicated prayer
To the Patroness of the Amazon, we ask protection, grace, and the joy of walking under Mary's mantle in faith.
Read prayer →