Our Lady of Aparecida Day honors Nossa Senhora Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil. The day commemorates the 1717 discovery of a small clay statue of the Virgin Mary by fishermen in the Paraíba River, which became a symbol of hope and faith. Over centuries, devotion to Our Lady of Aparecida grew into one of Brazil's most cherished traditions. Millions of pilgrims visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of Aparecida, one of the largest churches in the world, to pay tribute.

When is Lady of Aparecida Day?

Lady of Aparecida Day in Brazil is celebrated on October 12 every year.

The following is the list of Lady of Aparecida Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Lady of Aparecida Day?

The devotion to Our Lady of Aparecida began in October 1717, in the small village of Guaratinguetá, in the Paraíba Valley of São Paulo state. Local fishermen were struggling to catch fish in the Paraíba River as they prepared for the visit of a regional governor, Dom Pedro de Almeida e Portugal, Count of Assumar.

Three fishermen, Domingos Garcia, João Alves, and Filipe Pedroso, prayed to the Virgin Mary for help. Casting their nets, they first pulled up a small clay statue of a headless figure from the river. When they cast their nets again, they found the missing head. After retrieving and cleaning the statue, they continued fishing, and to their astonishment, their nets filled with fish.

The fishermen took this as a miracle, and word of the event spread quickly. The little dark-skinned clay statue, later recognized as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, came to be affectionately called Nossa Senhora Aparecida, meaning "Our Lady Who Appeared".

The statue was first kept in the home of Filipe Pedroso, where neighbors gathered to pray. Reports of miracles and healings attributed to Our Lady of Aparecida multiplied, and devotion to her spread across the region. In 1745, a small chapel was built to house the statue, and by 1834, a larger church, the Old Basilica, was constructed to accommodate growing numbers of pilgrims.

In 1904, Pope Pius X authorized the canonical coronation of Our Lady of Aparecida, officially recognizing her as a sacred symbol of devotion. Later, in 1930, Pope Pius XI declared her the Patroness of Brazil, cementing her status as a national spiritual figure.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, built to replace the older church, began construction in 1955 and was completed in 1980. That same year, Pope John Paul II visited Brazil and consecrated the new basilica, recognizing it as one of the largest Marian shrines in the world. In 1980, the Brazilian government officially established October 12 as a national holiday dedicated to Our Lady of Aparecida, blending religious reverence with cultural celebration.

Today, millions of pilgrims visit the Basilica of Aparecida each year, especially on October 12, walking, cycling or even traveling long distances on foot to express devotion and gratitude.