06 MAR - OUR MOTHER OF NAZARETH (PORTUGAL)

 The Shrine of Our Mother of Nazareth is found in the village of Nazare on the Atlantic coast 

    in Portugal. Indeed, the village is named after this miraculous statue of the Blessed Mother and the Christ Child that was brought to the area many centuries ago. 

    This miraculous image was carved by the hands of St. Joseph, the foster-father of Christ, while in the very presence of the Infant Jesus and the Mother of God. 

    Later, the faces and hands of the images were painted by St. Luke the Evangelist. This remarkable image is still preserved in a Church where it can be viewed by anyone, 

    and the story surrounding it is a fascinating one. The statue of Our Mother of Nazareth came from the Holy Land where it was one of the oldest images ever venerated by 

    Christians. Many notable figures came to visit Our Mother of Nazareth including Vasco de Gama, who came as a pilgrim before setting out for India. St. Francis Xavier, 

    the Apostle of the East, went on pilgrimage to Our Mother of Nazareth before leaving for Goa.




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