APARECIDA | DOCUSERIE
- second largest church in the world -
"The Cathedral Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady Aparecida (Portuguese: Catedral Basílica Santuário Nacional de Nossa Senhora Aparecida) is a prominent Roman Rite Catholic basilica in Aparecida, Brazil."
Catedral Basílica Santuário Nacional de Nossa Senhora Aparecida is the second largest church in the world, after St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
Aparecida is located 168 km northeast of São Paulo and 240 km west of Rio de Janeiro.
The tower reaches a height of 109 m (358 ft).
The main church hall can accommodate 30,000 people, which can expand to 300,000 during external celebrations.
The grounds contain a shopping mall, medical clinic and restaurants.
Parishioners come from all over the country to ask for miracles .
There is a tradition of lighting a candle the size of a relative or friend who has died.
On May 16, 1978, a person identified as a member of a Protestant sect took the statue from its niche on the Basilica after the last Mass of the day. He was chased by guards and some of the church goers.
