by:  Karina de Freitas

October 12 is one of the most important holidays in Brazil. It’s National Saint’s Feast day which is also known as Children’s Day.

On this day many Brazilians go to church to pray for the “nossa senhora de aparecida” Our Lady of Aparecida’s day, Brazil’s Patron Saint. She is considered a saint of hope.  Many people believe she can make miracles happen if you really have faith in her. She is also the protector of the children.

“Furthermore the mysterious sainted lady is a sculpture. The Pope declared Our Lady of Aparecida the patron saint of Brazil in 1928, and today the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida is widely considered the second largest church in the world after St. Peter’s. It can accommodate 45,000 people and receives almost 7 million visitors a year.”(http://everydaysaholiday.org/childrens-day-brazil/)

A few weeks before October 12th, in churches, schools and malls, people start collecting food, clothes and toys to get ready to help the poor children. Also on this day factories and malls have the biggest sales. They make a lot of profit on Children’s Day.

Children’s Day is the day that all the states in Brazil help children. It is a day of hope and solidarity for most people. They try to help the poor communities and do good deeds like visiting children who have cancer and collecting money. On this day you will see shiny eyes and innocent smiles. It is the happiest day for children.

“Brazil was the first country to have a Children’s Day. We have been observing Children’s Day since 1920. In 1960 two companies started a campaign to sell more toys. Other toy manufacturers liked the idea and, as a consequence, business people in the sector had a meeting and decided to have October 12th as Children’s Day in Brazil, the same date originally proposed in 1920 by congressman Galdino do Valle Filho.”(http://www.learningfactory.net/special-dates/childrens-day)

The small and big cities have different ways to celebrate Children’s Day. Small towns usually have mass at the church in the morning and in the afternoon enjoy a barbecue. However, in the big cities they celebrate by having large parades. They close some of the streets so people can line up and see the priest passing through with the Saint on his hand. If they are able, some people prefer to make a pilgrimage to the basilica where the original statue is kept. It doesn’t matter where you are or how you celebrate, everybody enjoys this day, especially the children.