Círio of Nazaré Procession Declared UNESCO Masterpiece of Humanity

12/05/2013 - 09h22

The Círio of Nazaré procession that takes place in Belém, state capital of Pará, in the Brazilian Amazon, on Wednesday joined UNESCO's list of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

The celebrations in honor of Our Lady of Nazaré are celebrated annually on the second Sunday of October.

They receive pilgrims from all over the country, who come to see a wooden image of the Virgin Mary transported from the Cathedral of the Sé to the Sanctuary of Nazaré, in Belém.

The festivities "are a mix of the sacred and the profane, thus reflecting the multicultural character of Brazilian society," said UNESCO in a statement.

The Círio of Nazaré celebrations were one of 14 Masterpieces recognized on Wednesday by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage at its eighth meeting, which is underway in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The meeting will continue until December 7.

Other Masterpieces on the list included the jamdani weaving tradition, native to the Dhaka region in Bangladesh; and shrimp fishing on horseback, as practiced in Oostduinkerke, in Belgium.

Translated by TOM GATEHOUSE

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	Paulo Santos-13.out.13/Reuters
	The Círio of Nazaré procession joined UNESCO's list of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity