Monday of the Second Week After Easter Nossa Senhora da Penha, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
Monday of the Second Week After Easter Nossa Senhora da Penha, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
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Perched on a 500 foot rock across the bay from the state capital, Vitória, the monastery of Our Lady of the Crag got its start in 1558, when Franciscan missionary Pedro Palácios arrived, bringing from Portugal a painting of Nossa Senhora das Alegrias, Our Lady of Joys—the first oil painting in Brazil. In 1569, the statue of Our Lady of the Crag arrived from Lisbon. The shrine is named after a famous one in Fr. Palácios' homeland of Salamanca, the Black Virgin of Peña de Francia. Over the years, the Brazilian sanctuary, too, became a magnet for pilgrims. Its Hall of Miracles displays many ex-votos left in thanks for healings and other blessings. In 1570, Fr. Palácios began the tradition of the Festa da Penha, starting on Easter and culminating eight days later, a celebration that now attracts some 600,000 participants.