Lady of Aparecida Day (Brazil)
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.
Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day
Unduvap Full Moon Poya commemorates the arrival of Arahat Sanghamitta Theri in Sri Lanka with the sacred Bodhi tree sapling from Bodh Gaya and the establishment of the Bhikkhuni Sangha. The Sri Maha Bodhi, planted in Anuradhapura in 288 BCE, still stands today as the world’s oldest recorded tree, symbolizing Sri Lanka’s enduring Buddhist heritage and the recognition of women in the monastic community.