Brazil: The Society of St. Pius X Consecrated to Our Lady of Aparecida

Our Lady of Aparecida – whose sanctuary is in the state of São Paulo – is venerated as the patron saint of Brazil. The story of this devotion began in the year 1717, when some fishermen caught a headless statue in their nets. Casting their nets again, they found the head: it was a statue of Our Lady. This sign from Heaven confirmed the discovery: the fishermen threw their nets in yet again and caught so many fish that it was considered a miracle.

Devotion to the statue of Our Lady spread like wildfire among the people of the region, for many graces were granted to those who prayed before it. As the numbers of the faithful grew, the project of building a large church was begun in 1834. In 1929, Our Lady of Aparecida was proclaimed Queen of Brazil.

In this year 2017, the centenary of the apparitions of Fatima and the 300th anniversary of the miraculous finding of the statue of the Blessed Virgin, the pilgrimage organized by the Society of St. Pius X to the sanctuary of Aparecida was held with the most fervent Marian devotion.

Two hundred and fifty enthusiastic pilgrims walked over 15 miles, singing and praying the Rosary all the way to the Old Basilica of Aparecida, where the Society was able, for the first time ever, to celebrate a solemn high Mass. The new superior, Fr. Juan Maria de Montagut, in union with the religious communities present, solemnly consecrated the District House in Brazil to Our Lady of Aparecida.

After the ceremony, the hymn Sancte Pie Decime, so dear to the Society, rang out under the arches of the basilica to the great joy of the pilgrims who had come to honor the Queen of Brazil.