Our Lady of Aparecida, which means “Our Lady Revealed”, is the patron of Brazil. The Virgin of Aparecida has been associated with many miracles spanning centuries. She was found in 1717 by three fishermen in the waters of the Paraíba River. Her Basilica is the 2nd largest in the world, only after St. Peter’s Basilica, and around 10 million people visit her National Shrine every year. Her feast day is October 12, which is a national holiday in Brazil.

The devotion to Our Lady of Aparecida, also known as Our Lady of the Conception Aparecida, has a very special meaning. It came about when a group of fishermen, after several useless attempts, asked the intercession of Our Lady, but instead of a fish, they caught a small image of Our Lady of the Conception Aparecida made of terracota in the Paraíba river. The title of “Aparecida” derives from the verb “appear” since it was in a moment of great need that the fishermen found her they realized that this event indicated a sign of intercession of the Virgin. The image had a dark color and was blackened because of the type of material it was made from and from having been lost in the river.

This miracle occurred in the second half of October in the year 1717, when a count was passing by a city near the river, and the inhabitants decided to celebrate with a great feast in his honor. And although that time of the year was considered a bad season for fishing, the fishermen cast their nets in the Paraiba River, in an attempt to get some fish for the event. The fishermen Domingos Garcia, João Alves and Filipe Pedroso prayed, asking for the intercession of Our Lady. After several attempts, they went downstream until they arrived at the port Itaguaçu. When they were about to abandon their attempt at fishing, João Alves threw his nets another time and in place of a fish, they picked up the body of a statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, but without the head. Once again casting the net, they caught the head, which fit perfectly with the body of the statue.

After having recovered both parts, the image of the Virgin of Aparecida became so heavy that they could not move it. The fishermen then caught so much fish that they were forced to return to the port, because their boats almost sank. This was the first miracle attributed to Our Lady of Aparecida. This event reminds us of the passage in the Gospel where after having spent all night attempting to fish; Peter only achieved success in the moment that he casts his nets in the name of Christ.

The devotion towards Our Lady of Aparecida grew in Brazil, and she became the Patroness of Brazil. Yearly, approximately 10 million people visit her Basilica in her feast day, October 12. Her Basilica is the 2nd largest in the world, only after St. Peter’s Basilica. On July 4, 1980 Pope John Paul II, during his visit to Brazil, consecrated the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida and declared it a major Marian sanctuary in the world. The Basilica of Aparecida was also the scene of the fifth General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean, in May 2007, when Pope Benedict XVI inaugurated the conference and invited all of Latin America to the continental mission, to become each day more missionary disciples. And in 2013, Pope Francis visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida for the World Youth Day, where he dedicated a beautiful homage and prayer to Our Lady.