THE Pope Francis’ death Last Monday (21) made a detail of his priestly life surfaced: his Devotion to Maria .
The veneration of Francis by the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, was even more evident with his will, which expresses the pontiff’s desire to be buried in Basilica of Santa Maria Maior in Rome. “I have always trusted my life and my priestly and episcopal ministry to the mother of our Lord, Saint Mary,” wrote the Pope.
The Basilica of Santa Maria Maior is considered the most important Marian church in the world. But it is not the only one: around the globe, there are several Catholic temples dedicated to the Virgin Mary, including addresses in Brazil.
Then, Meet 5 of the most important Marian churches in the world which attract millions of faithful annually:
Basilica of Santa Maria Maior (Rome)
THE Basilica of Santa Maria Maior (Santa Maria Maggiore) is in Rome and was chosen by Pope Francis as the place of his burial. Thus he will be the first Pope over a century to be buried outside the Vatican.
The Basilica has parts dating from the year 432 DC and the belfry is the highest in Rome, rising at 75 meters high. Its interior already accommodates seven buried pontiffs, the last being Pope Clement VIII, who died in 1605.
The place retains the one that is considered the most important Marian icon, the image Salus Populi Romani which shows Our Lady standing with the baby Jesus in her arms. The basilica also preserves the remains of São Matias and São Jerônimo and has a museum core with ecclesiastical objects, furniture, vestments, ornaments, paintings and prints. Learn more about the basilica and take a virtual tour of this matter.
Sanctuary of Fatima (Portugal)
About 1h30 from Lisbon, the Sanctuary of Fatima It is totally dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima And it became one of the main pilgrimage places for Catholicism in the world. The full area of the sanctuary exceeds 80,000 square meters and includes different buildings and activities that contemplate the whole history of Our Lady of Fatima.
The construction began in 1919 with the chapel of the apparitions. The works of the main church began in 1928, but ended in 1953. In 1930, the Church officially recognized the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima as authentic, and in 2017, Pope Francis CANONIZED Francisco and Jacinta, young pastor brothers who, along with the Plaintiff, claimed to have seen the apparitions of the Virgin Mary between May and October 1917.
The sanctuary also houses a museum to preserve and expose different material testimonies that report Fatima’s appearances. Check out a practical guide with visit tips in this article.
Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady Aparecida (Brazil)
Entirely dedicated to the patron saint of Brazil, the Sanctuary of Our Lady Aparecida It is the largest Catholic temple in Brazil and also the largest Marian sanctuary in terms of size in the world. According to local administration, about 9 million visitors passed by in 2024.
The sanctuary is able to welcome between 30 and 45,000 people inside. Three popes were already at: João Paulo II, in 1980; Benedict XVI, in 2007; and Francisco, in 2013 . Situated in the city of Aparecida (SP), in the Paraíba Valley, the sanctuary was started in 1955.
In the place there is the original image of Our Lady Aparecida found in the waters of the Paraíba do Sul River in mid -October 1717. visit to the image of Our Lady It is one of the activities almost mandatory to devotees who arrive at the scene. Check out tips on the sanctuary in this article.
Sanctuary of Our Lady Guadalupe (Mexico)
Located in Mexico City, it is considered the most visited Marian Sanctuary in the world, with data that point out the arrival of 20 million faithful annually. It is dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe and was built where it is believed that the appearances of Our Lady to the indigenous Juan Diego occurred in 1531.
The sanctuary is, in fact, a complex formed by several churches and chapels, including two basilicas: the old, dating from the 16th century, and the New, from 1974. The address also houses a museum with a collection that covers paintings, sculptures and objects, with a rich collection of works from the former kingdom of New Spain.
Pope Francis visited the sanctuary during an apostolic trip in 2016 and celebrated a mass on site.
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes (France)
In southwest of France, the city of Lourdes becomes a pilgrimage center annually for housing the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes erected at the venue of the Virgin Mary’s appearances Bernadette Soubirous canonized as saint in 1933.
The sanctuary occupies more than 50 hectares and brings together more than 20 places of worship, including three basilica and the Massabielle cave where the Virgin Mary is believed to have made a series of appearances to the young Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. From the cave still gushes the water from a source Catholics believe to be miraculous – pilgrims often drink and bathe there.
The nights from April to October are marked by processions that start in the cave. With candles in hand, pilgrims go to the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes singing and praying.
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The Post Papa Francisco and his devotion: 5 churches dedicated to Mary around the world Appeared First on CNN Brazil V&G.
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
