Located in São Paulo state, this Catholic pilgrimage site draws millions to the Basilica of Our Lady Aparecida - Brazil's largest church and the world's second-largest basilica.
Over 7 million religious pilgrims travel to Aparecida each year to pray at the world's second-largest church. In this small town in São Paulo state, you can walk through the massive Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida, climb to its 70-meter-high dome viewing platform, and see the historic 40-centimeter clay statue of Brazil's patron saint. The town sits in the Paraíba Valley, halfway between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Inside the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
You can spend hours exploring this neo-romanesque basilica, which holds up to 45,000 people. Look up to see hand-painted biblical scenes on the ceiling and religious mosaics depicting Mary's life on the walls. The basilica opens daily from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with Sunday mass drawing thousands of worshippers. The main celebrations happen on October 12 during the Feast of Our Lady of Aparecida.
Getting to Aparecida
The town is 168 kilometers northeast of São Paulo and 240 kilometers west of Rio de Janeiro. You can catch hourly buses from both cities' main terminals. The journey takes about 2.5 hours from São Paulo and 3 hours from Rio. The town has modern fiber optic internet and 4G coverage, with many hotels near the basilica for overnight stays.
When to Visit
Plan your visit for winter (June to August) to avoid crowds and enjoy cooler temperatures around 22°C. December to February brings occasional rain. Morning visits to the basilica are typically calm, except during the October 12 feast day when millions gather to celebrate.
The Sacred Statue's History
The basilica's centerpiece is a 40-centimeter clay statue of Our Lady of Aparecida, now protected in a glass case. Local fishermen pulled it from the Paraíba River in October 1717. Years of candle smoke gradually darkened its color. In 1978, after vandals broke the statue into hundreds of pieces, specialists at the São Paulo Museum of Art spent months putting it back together.
