Millions of people moved by faith took to the streets of Belém this Sunday (12) in the 223rd edition of the Círio de Nazaré. The procession brought together an estimated number of 2.5 million pilgrims and covered 52.3 kilometers.
In addition to Belém – which hosts the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) in November – the metropolitan cities of Ananindeua and Marituba also welcomed the faithful in what is considered the largest Catholic procession in the country.
Flávio Américo, Círio’s marketing director, thanked the federal government and the Ministry of Tourism for their support: “It is very important for the development of religious tourism”. And he continued: “I’ve been running Círio for 26 years and it’s a different emotion. Each Círio is different.”
The procession generated, as every year, beautiful images of devotion and faith. The saint’s passage along Avenida Nazaré towards the basilica caused commotion, with many people trying to get closer to the image, others waving and white paper being thrown from the buildings.
A motorcycle pilgrimage brought together around 50 motorcyclists. Among them, singer Gaby Amarantos. The tributes to indigenous peoples, with the presence of minister Sonia Guajajara, were also one of the highlights of the party.
Student Evelyn Silva was among the pledges on the rope. A resident of Benevides, in the metropolitan region of Belém, she had already walked through the procession to thank her for passing the nursing course.
“Last year I made another promise because I wanted to pass in medicine. And then when I hadn’t even finished the first semester of nursing, I passed medicine. And so I’m paying off my promise now”, says an emotional Evelyn.
Women collectors from the EcoCírio project were also present, combining faith and sustainability. Paula Silvano was one of them. “We already have that great faith, which is the biggest religious festival we have in Brazil. We wait for her (Our Lady of Nazareth) to pass and for the pilgrims to begin our work. It’s an emotion, a joy”, reveals Paula.
EcoCírio has the support of the Ministry of Women, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Sebrae, through the Pro-Catadoras and Pro-Catadores de Reciclagem Popular Program.
The initiative encompasses 10 cooperatives and around 200 waste pickers who work along the entire route of the processions and in public gathering areas, ensuring that tons of waste have the correct destination. Last year, 140 tons were collected in the two days of the procession – Trasladação and Círio.
The director of Work and Income Security at the National Secretariat for Economic Autonomy and Care Policy of the Ministry of Women, Liliani Nascimento, highlights that EcoCírio is part of a broader agenda to value waste pickers and strengthen the care economy, themes that will be debated at COP30.
