Our Lady of Nazareth of Belém

Marian vocation of Belém (Pará)

Tradition / Legend

Main data

Origin and history

Tradition / Legend

According to the tradition of Belém do Pará, a caboclus (indigenous mestizo), called Plácido José de Souza, found a small image of the Virgin of Nazareth next to a stream called Igarapé Murututuon the outskirts of the city of Belém. Every time Plácido took the image home, it "disappeared" and miraculously returned to the place of the find, which was interpreted as a sign that the Virgin wished to be venerated there.

This tradition of prodigious finding and the "return" of the image to the original place has fed popular devotion and is in the remote origin of Círio de Nazaré, one of the world's largest Marian romaneries, whose legendary elements coexist with later historical data.

Documented history

At the site of the finding, a hermitage dedicated to Nossa Senhora de Nazaré. The devotion was growing over time, associated with the city of Inside me and the Amazon region, to the point of becoming an identity reference for them.

The present temple, the Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth of the Exile (Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth of Desterro), began to be built in 1909 on the site of the finding of the image of the Virgin by Plácido José de Souza. The cornerstone was placed on 24 October 1909 by the then Archbishop of Belém, Santino María Coutinho. The urban growth of the city and the influx of pilgrims linked to the Círio de Nazaré they consolidated the sanctuary as a spiritual and Marian center of the region.

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The image and the sanctuary

The image

The accessible sources mention that this is a image of Our Lady of Nazareth found by Plácido José de Souza, but do not detail precisely, in the documents consulted, the material or all the iconographic features of the original size. A complete technical description (exact size, type of wood, polychrome, etc.) is not sufficiently documented in the sources used here; therefore, it is cautiously indicated: no consta in detail.

In general, devotion focuses on a Marian image with the Child Jesus, of a traditional type, venerated as Virgin of Nazareth. Other studies point out parallel to the Portuguese tradition of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, but fine data on the specific piece of Belém are not explained in the basic sources consulted. By fidelity to the rules, the formula is maintained: does not contain a detailed iconographic description documented in the above sources.

The sanctuary

The main temple is the Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth of the Exile (Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth of Desterro), commonly known as Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth, in the city of Belém, state of Pará, Brazil.

– Es un Catholic temple whose construction began in 1909. – Su arquitectura combina neoclassical and eclectic styles, siendo estos los rasgos predominantes indicados en la documentación. – Fue declared basilica en 1923. – El 31 May 2006 was elevated to the range of Mariano Archidiocesano Sanctuary, to be officially called Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Nazareth.

The basily--sanctuary is the spiritual and liturgical center del Círio de Nazaré and one of the main Marian shrines of Brazil, with an intense sacramental and devotional life, especially around the month of October.

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Sponsorship and coronation

Patronage

The sources consulted indicate that Nossa Senhora de Nazaré is the patron of the city of Belém, capital of the state of Pará, Brazil. The invocation is deeply linked to the religious and cultural identity of the city and the Amazonian state, and its annual feast marks one of the most important moments of the local and regional calendar.

There is no formal proclamation of patronage at the level of the sources used here. National from Brazil, or to other dioceses outside the archdiocese of Belém; it is clear that it is a patronage over the city of Belém do Pará.

Canonical coronation

In the sources of immediate access (reference articles and basic documents - sanctuary consulted) no appears clearly documented the date, act or pontiff or delegate responsible for a possible canonical coronation of the image of Nossa Senhora of Nazaré de Belém.

Since the rules ask not to state what is not clearly recorded and not to invent data, the following should be indicated: does not contain a documented canonical coronation in the sources used for this document.

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Party and devotion

The devotion to Nossa Senhora of Nazaré de Belém is expressed eminently in the Círio de Nazaré, traditionally held second octubre Sunday in the city of Belém, Parah. This Cirius is recognized as one of the world's largest Marian romanerieswith a huge participation of faithful and pilgrims from all over Brazil and from other countries.

The celebration of the Círio includes:

– Una great procession que lleva la imagen de Nuestra Señora de Nazaret por las calles de la ciudad, desde la Catedral de Belém hasta la Basílica Santuário. – Actos litúrgicos, novenas, misas y momentos de oración a lo largo de varios días, convirtiendo el evento en una verdadera prolonged Marian party. – Expresiones populares de piedad, promesas, exvotos y manifestaciones culturales propias de la región amazónica, en las que se entrelazan la fe católica, la tradición local y la dimensión familiar y comunitaria.

The sources consulted do not contain precise and verified figures of influx (millions of pilgrims) to cite a specific number, although it is common to describe it as one of the world's largest Marian concentrations. By rigor, it is maintained without exact numerical quantification.

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Link to the Rosary

In the documentation specifically consulted on the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Nazareth y el Círio de Nazaré, no consta an explicit and unique relationship of this advocation with the prayer of the Rosary (for example, official titles linked to the Rosary, canonically erected copradies of the Rosary directly linked to this image or particular magisterial provisions on the Rosary in this sanctuary).

However, in the pastoral and devotional praxis of the Church, the Rosary He usually accompanies the great Marian devotions, and there is nothing to suggest that the shrine of Nossa Senhora of Nazaré is an exception: around the Cirius and the ordinary life of the sanctuary, the Rosary is naturally integrated into novies, processions, vigil and prayer meetings.

Theologically, the advocation of Our Lady of Nazareth refers Mary in her mystery of Mother of Jesus in Nazareththat is, the hidden life of the Lord and the daily life of the Holy Family. The Rosari