Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Saturday, 07-04-2015, Gaudium Press) The city of Rio de Janeiro will have the opportunity to receive the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Aparecida, who has been touring dioceses and archdioceses throughout Brazil, on the occasion of the 300 anniversary of the discovery of this statue in the Paraíba River.

The visit will be under the responsibility of the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Cardinal Orani João Tempesta, and a vast welcoming committee formed by bishops and other church authorities of the Archdiocese of Rio.

On Saturday June 4, at 9 am, Cardinal Orani will concelebrate a Mass. The ceremony, to be presided by Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis, will honour the 16th anniversary of the “Campanha dos Devotos”.

The Pilgrim Statue will remain in Rio de Janeiro until the 29th of August.

According to the press office of the Archdiocese of Rio, this pilgrimage is part of a missionary effort in the context of the Year of Hope.

“The archdiocese of Rio celebrates in 2015 the Year of Hope. As Jesus said: ‘As the Father has sent me, so I send you’ Following Jesus example, who has sent his disciples to proclaim and live the gospel, let us go out and do mission work” explained Cardinal Orani.

The preparations to receive the pilgrim statue of the Patroness of Brazil, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, are reaching its final stages and the faithful are getting ready to give her a warmly welcome. On July 5, at 9am, the celebrations will start, and later, at 11:30 am, a solemn Mass will take place at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro, presided by Cardinal Orani. (LMI)

From the Editor’s Desk at Gaudium Press, with information from A12