Our Lady of Nazareth and the Nazarean Candles

# Our Lady of Nazareth

Our Lady of Nazareth is one of the most beloved Marian devotions in the Lusophone world, and its feast in Belém, Pará – the *Nazareth Procession* (Círio de Nazaré) – is one of the largest religious manifestations on Earth, attracting approximately two million people. This guide explores the origins of this devotion and its expression in Brazil.

## Origins in Portugal

The devotion originated in **Nazaret, Portugal**, linked to an image of the Virgin revered since the Middle Ages. The tradition recounts the story of Dom Fuas Roupinho (12th century), who was saved from a precipice by the intervention of Our Lady. From there, the devotion spread across the Atlantic with the Portuguese.

## The Nazareth Procession in Belém

In Brazil, the devotion took root primarily in **Belém, Pará**, where, around 1700, a caboclo named Plácido discovered a small image of Our Lady of Nazareth by an igarapé (a small river). This discovery sparked a massive devotion. The *Nazareth Procession* (Círio de Nazaré), held on the second Sunday of October, is a grand procession where the image is carried through the city by a multitude of devotees. Our Lady of Nazareth is the patroness of Pará.

## Meaning

The Círio is a living expression of popular piety: gratitude, fulfilled promises, and faith incarnate in the Amazonian culture. As with all Marian shrines, what is venerated is not the image itself but the maternal presence of Mary who leads us to Christ.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### When is the Nazareth Procession?

The second Sunday of October, in Belém, Pará.

### Where does this devotion come from?

From Nazaré, Portugal; it arrived in Brazil with the Portuguese and took root in Belém.

### See Also

– [Marian Shrines](https://locusmariologicus.org/santuarios-marianos/)
– [Recognized Marian Apparitions](https://locusmariologicus.org/aparicoes-marianas-reconhecidas/)