RouteBelém

Círio de Nazaré: Two Million Pilgrims in the Amazon

The Círio de Nazaré — held in Belém every October — is the world's largest Catholic procession; two million pilgrims pull the rope attached to the image of Our Lady of Nazaré through the city in an act of devotion and gratitude

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1
Processional route
The Círio procession stretches 3.6 km through the historic center of Belém — from the Basílica de Nazaré to the cathedral; the route is packed with two million people; the sense of collective dedication and event magnitude is overwhelming
2
The miraculous picture
The image of Our Lady of Nazaré - a small ceramic statue found in the forest by a caboclo hunter in 1700 - is the object of the procession's devotion; the story of the image's miraculous resistance to removal is the basis of the festival
3
The Rope
The 400 meter long rope attached to the image's float is the most coveted position in the procession — pilgrims touch the rope to receive grace; the rope is torn into pieces after the procession and distributed as relics to the participants
4
Cirio Season
Círio is not just a procession – it is a season of 14 related events including the Trasladação (boat procession on Guajará Bay), Romaria Fluvial and Cirio das Crianças; the religious season dominates Belém for two weeks in October
5
Maniçoba and Festival Food
Círio is also a food festival - maniçoba (a stew of boiled maniva cassava leaves, which requires 8 days of cooking to remove toxins) is only eaten during the Círio season; it is Belém's most important traditional dish and its preparation is a community event
6
UNESCO recognition
Círio de Nazaré was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2013 – in recognition of its extraordinary blend of Catholic devotion, indigenous Amazonian traditions and the African-Brazilian religious syncretism of Pará