This devotion has also spread throughout the Portuguese-speaking world and is now more vibrant in Brazil than in its country of origin. The prime example is the Círio de Nazaré in Belém do Pará, the largest expression of Catholic faith in South America, with over two million people taking to the streets of the capital of Pará each year to pay homage to the Queen of the Amazon.
In Portugal, in addition to the very cradle of this devotion – the town of Nazaré and its Sanctuary – there are also dozens of churches, celebrations and candlelit processions dedicated to this Marian invocation. This shared spiritual heritage, which unites peoples and generations in the spirit of peace and hope, deserves to be preserved and promoted.
Sítio, the epicentre of the cult of Our Lady of Nazaré
The Sítio is situated at the top of the Nazaré promontory and its history is inextricably linked to that of the devotion to Our Lady of Nazaré, even in terms of settlement, which developed around the Sanctuary and the cultural and charitable activities of the Confraternity of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, including the hospital, which continues to provide an important service to the community, and venues such as the bullring and the historic Chaby Pinheiro Theatre.
In addition to the sites directly linked to the devotion to Our Lady of Nazaré, the area offers other points of interest that are well worth a careful visit, such as the Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo, a magnificent 17th-century fortification, or Joaquim Manso Museum, dedicated to Nazaré and its relationship with the sea, displaying millennia-old and historical evidence of human presence on this coast, dating back to prehistoric times, the history of the town and the cult of Our Lady of Nazaré, fishing vessels and fishing gear, local work and festivities, and traditional costumes.
The Chapel of Remembrance is situated on the hill of Sítio, from where one can see the view over Nazaré beach. According to legend, this is the spot where the Virgin Mary appeared to the mayor, D. Fuas Roupinho, in the year 1182. It originally had four open arches, which were eventually closed off in the 17th century.
Is the miracle true?
According to the historian Pedro Penteado, the veneration of Our Lady of Nazaré in Sítio is based on an unfounded historical account: the miracle which, in the 12th century, is said to have prevented D. Fuas Roupinho from falling into the sea.
It was not until the 17th century that any record of the supernatural intervention appeared. Nor would there have been a shrine in the 12th century, when that event is said to have taken place. The veneration of Our Lady of Nazaré dates back only to the 14th century. However, its spread was supported by the crown and even reached Brazil, where it gave rise to one of the country’s largest festivals and the most important festival in Belém do Pará – the Círio.
In his book Peregrinos da Memória - O Santuário de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré 1600-1785, the historian has no doubt about it: it was Friar Bernardo de Brito who, around 1600, changed the course of the sanctuary’s history by putting the story of the miracle into writing.
With the sign and the account written by Bernardo de Brito, the groundwork was laid for the transformation of the chapel into a sanctuary. Pedro Penteado notes in his book that it is difficult to know whether there was any earlier oral account of the origins of the image. However, he adds, “until the appearance of that monastic chronicler’s account, the image of Our Lady of Nazaré had never been publicly linked to the miracle of the knight”. Indeed, it is likely that the image was seen “merely as the little Virgin of the Milk, cradling her son against her left breast”.
During pilgrimages, the brotherhoods played a special role; their aim was to promote the worship associated with the pilgrimage, and they came to be known as ‘círio’ (of which three still exist, in Santo Isidoro – Mafra –, Penela and Olhalvo). It was through the name ‘Círio’ that the festival dedicated to Our Lady of Nazaré came to be known in Brazil.
