Manaus Ágil tourism and culture of the AmazonThe Círio de Nazaré, in Belém (PA), is among the great festivities of the month of October.
Responsible for injecting R$ 15 billion into the economy of several Brazilian cities, religious tourism in Brazil moves about 20 million trips every year. In the month of October, of the 185 attractions and festivities registered in the Ministry of Tourism's National Calendar of Events, 49 are related to pilgrimages, cyclists, processions, pilgrimages, and masses.
The festivities of Saint Francis of Assisiwhose pilgrimage center is Canindé (CE), are among the great festivities at the beginning of the month. The city, located 110 km from Fortaleza, has the second largest Franciscan pilgrimage in the world, with one million faithful per year. Until this Thursday (4th), the Day of Saint Francis, they will cover more than 120 km under a strong sun to reach the largest Franciscan sanctuary in the Americas.
In October there is also the Círio de Nazaréin Belém (PA). During the religious festival, always held on the second Sunday of the month, more than two million faithful gather in the city. The religious celebration lasts two weeks and is for the people of Pará what Christmas is for the rest of Brazil. Due to its symbolism and importance, the feast of the patron saint of the Amazon was recognized by Unesco as an intangible heritage of humanity.
In the southeast, Aparecida do Norte (SP) is famous among religious tourists for being home to the National Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aparecidathe second largest in the world, behind only St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil, is also considered the largest Marian sanctuary in the world. With 143 thousand m² of constructed area, the basilica receives more than 12 million pilgrims per year.
