Throughout Its 300 Years, Image of Our Lady of Aparecida Has Been Attacked and Politically Exploited

10/10/2017 - 11h09

Throughout its 300 years, the image of Our Lady of Aparecida (Nossa Senhora Aparecida), principal Patroness of Brazil, has been stolen, knocked down, kicked around and used at will by governments trying to take advantage of the strongest and most important national religious symbol, from Princess Isabel to generals during the military dictatorship.

Surrounded by a bullet-proof dome, it reaches its three-century jubilee, which will be celebrated this Thursday (the 12th), in a sanctuary in the city of São Paulo that bears its name.

No amount of precaution is enough when dealing with Aparecida, which nearly disappeared four decades ago.

In 1978 the Saint was stolen. During the getaway, the thief allowed the image to fall to the ground and it was only put back together again with great difficulty using a special glue from Argentina.

She was promoted to Patroness Saint of Brazil in 1931, during the very unreligious government of Getúlio Vargas, who, however, saw an ally in the Catholic Church after the 1930 revolution.

Representations of the Mother of Jesus have gained local flavors. In Brazil it is the black Aparecida. The one from Copacabana, the guardian of Bolivia, has indigenous traits. Mexico venerates Our Lady of Guadalupe.

For Evangelicals, Mary of course exists, but is nothing of a Saint.

This religious segment which represented 1% of the Brazilian population in 1890 but has grown to 30% today, evokes one of the Ten Commandments which says ("Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image") to explain its rejection of the veneration of Catholic Saints and their images.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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	Rivaldo Gomes-10.jul.2013/Folhapress
	Our Lady of Aparecida (Nossa Senhora Aparecida), Patroness of Brazil