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The Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida, also known as the National Shrine of Our Lady of Conception Aparecida, is located in the city of Aparecida, in the interior of São Paulo State, Brazil. It is the second largest Catholic temple in the world, only smaller than St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.2 It was solemnly sacred on July 4, 1980, by John Paul II when he first visited Brazil. In another of his visits, passing by Aparecida, he blessed the Shrine and, in 1984, the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, elevated the New Basilica to National Shrine. It is located in the center of the city, having access to "Passarela da Fé", which connects the present and the old basilica, both visited by pilgrims.



In the mid-1940s, missionaries of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, known as Redemptorists, realized the need to erect a new temple for the veneration and devotion of the people to Our Lady of Conception Aparecida: a larger space was needed, could handle more people. Out of this need came the idea of ​​building not just any larger church but a basilica.



Benedito Calixto Neto was the architect hired to prepare the project, which was ordered in the form of a Greek cross. In 1945, the then Cardinal of Sao Paulo, Mons. Carlos Carmelo de Vasconcelos Motta took to the Vatican the project of the then future basilica, which was judged as brilliant by the examining committee.



Also known as "New Basilica", it is built on top of Morro das Pitas, had its earthmoving started in 1952 and finished in 1954. It began to be built on November 11, 1955, by the Nave Norte, and went on to build the "Tower". Brasilia, which had its metal structure donated by the then president, Juscelino Kubitschek.After the tower was completed, the works went to the central dome, then, as early as mid-1972, to the Chapel of Velas and Nave Sul, and then to the West and East ships, and the intermediate wings, finally.



The tower of the basilica is 100 meters high, with 18 floors and its project was elaborated by Benedito Calixto de Jesus Neto.



There is a walkway, called "Footbridge of the Faith", which connects the old church and the basilica to which is 392 m long, where there are faithful that this stretch run down on their knees.



The National Shrine of Our Lady of Conception Aparecida is visited annually by approximately ten million pilgrims from all over Brazil.

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