- Location
- Aparecida, Brazil
- Period
- Current basilica begun in 1955
A brief timeline
The devotion dates to 1717 and grew through chapels and the Old Basilica. Work on the new shrine effectively began in 1955, and the image was transferred there in 1982. John Paul II consecrated the basilica and granted it the title of minor basilica in 1980.
Architecture and art
A cruciform plan and vast wings receive large pilgrim groups while keeping the altar and the image’s shrine as focal points. Contemporary sacred art, tiled surfaces, and the tower give the complex a distinctly Brazilian language.
A living church
Recognized by Brazil’s bishops as a National Shrine in 1983, Aparecida is an evangelizing center served by Redemptorists. Pilgrimage, Reconciliation, and Eucharist show how Marian devotion directs the faithful toward Christ.
If you visit, remember that this is first a place of worship: check the official liturgical schedule, keep silence, and respect the local community.