Our Lady of the Rosary 8

Atibaia, Brazil (1817)

 

In 1763, slaves who couldn’t attend St. John the Baptist’s, the main church in Atibaia, began building their own.

Completed in 1817, the church is often called Nossa Senhora do Rosario dos Pretos (Our Lady of the Rosary of the Blacks). This agricultural city is home to the oldest and most active congada tradition in the region. The five congada groups in Atibaia combine African and Portuguese religious practices, centered around devotion to St.

Benedict and Our Lady of the Rosary. On December 27, as they have for over 200 years, the congadas gather outside Our Lady’s church at dawn, dressed in brilliant uniforms of scarlet, green, blue, pink, or white, and carrying swords, banners, and musical instruments. The day begins with a serenade and ends with fireworks.

 

Text and image used with permission.
Source: "365 Days with Mary" by Michael O'Neill

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