Nossa Senhora das Candeias: devotion, syncretism, prayer and more!

Nossa Senhora das Candeias is the patron saint of the Canary Islands, known in Portugal as Nossa Senhora das Candelárias. She is also called Nossa Senhora da Purificação, Nossa Senhora da Luz dos Pinhais and Patroness of Curitiba.

In several cities in Brazil, his day is celebrated on February 2, with processions, prayers and pilgrimages to the sacred place. There are many reports of his miracles and blessings and his faithful are devoted and dedicated, growing in number every day.

Due to religious syncretism, she is associated in Afro-Brazilian religions with Iemanjá and Oxum, Mother of the Seas and Lady of Sweet Waters, responsible for the fertility and wisdom of women. In addition, she is sought after for solving love problems and revered by people who want to get pregnant. To learn more about this religious figure, check out our article!

The origin of Nossa Senhora das Candeias and her devotion begin on the feast of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the purification of Our Lady, made after forty days of the birth of the Child Jesus, following the Jewish laws. Check out the details of this tradition below!

The presentation of Jesus in the Temple took place when Mary and Joseph went to him for Mary’s purification and to present the baby to the priest, following the Jewish laws.

There was in Jerusalem a holy man named Simeon, who had received from God the promise that he would not die, before seeing the Savior of the World with his own eyes. Simeon, guided by God, arrived at the temple at the same time as the parents of Jesus and took the boy in his arms, saying:

According to the law of Moses, after giving birth, women were unclean and needed to wait a certain period before being able to return to the temple. If the child born was female, the term was eighty days. If it was a boy, forty days.

After that period, they needed to present themselves before the priest and offer a sacrifice with a lamb, two doves and two turtledoves to purify themselves. So Joseph and Mary presented themselves before the priest in the temple, fulfilling their duty to God.

Even though she was a direct descendant of David and a virgin before, during and after childbirth, Our Lady had the humility to submit to the laws, offering sacrifice and purifying.

It was in the year 1400, on a beach in the Canary Islands that Nossa Senhora das Candeias made her first appearance. The natives of the island, scared, tried to attack it, but they couldn’t, because their hands were paralyzed in the attempt.

After that, they kept his image in a cave, where, after several years, the Royal Basilica of Candelaria, the main Marian Sanctuary in the Canary Islands, was built.

Devotion to Nossa Senhora das Candeias began in Portugal, in the 15th century, after a man named Pedro Martins discovered a light with the image of the Virgin Mary on a site in Lisbon, in the city of Carnide.

In that place, a church and a convent dedicated to Nossa Senhora das Candeias were founded, making her devotion grow. Over the years, this cult was spread to other countries, with the navigations of the Portuguese, arriving in Brazil.

According to tradition, the invocation of Nossa Senhora das Candeias is done exclusively by the blind. Father Antônio Vieira affirmed this when he said:

The syncretism of Nossa Senhora das Candeias made her known as Oxum in Umbanda and Iemanjá, in Candomblé in Bahia, being Mother of the Seas and Lady of Águas Doces and Cachoeiras. She became associated with fertility, prosperity, beauty and motherly love. Check out more below!

Nossa Senhora da Candelária is one of the names associated with Nossa Senhora das Candeias. According to a writing by Friar Alonso de Espinosa, two shepherds found an image of Our Lady carrying a child in her arms. That image seemed to come to life.

Startled, one tried to scare her away with his arm, but it was paralyzed. The other had his arm paralyzed too, trying to touch her with a stick. The two ran into the city and told the king what had happened.

So, upon hearing the report, the king and his entourage left to check the image and decided that it should stay in the palace. By touching the image to try to transport it, the two shepherds were healed. After these events, the king ordered that a chapel be erected in dedication to her.

In the Christian religion, Nossa Senhora das Candeias is also known as the Patroness of Curitiba, being called in that city of Nossa Senhora da Luz dos Pinhais. Its date of celebration is on September 8, this day being a public holiday in the city.

Its origin tells the story of a slave named Pero Martins, who, after many trials, prayed to Holy Mary and received his release from her. At his request, Pero found an image of Our Lady hidden in a place indicated by a light.

Still obeying the requests of Maria Santíssima, Pero built a small church in that place dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Luz and, since then, started the devotion to her.

Nossa Senhora das Candeias is also known as Nossa Senhora da Purificação, due to the day that Mary purified herself in the temple, having taken the Child Jesus to be consecrated to God. Even in the special circumstances of the pregnancy, Jesus’ parents obeyed Jewish laws and did their duty.

On that day, with great humility, Mary presented her sacrifice of purification (a lamb, two doves and two turtledoves) and her son to God. This was recognized as Savior of the World by the priest Simeon and the prophetess Anna, both guided by divine inspiration to meet them in the temple.

Oxum in umbanda is an orixá known as the mother of fresh water, rivers and waterfalls. She is responsible for the protection of women, fetuses and newborn children. She represents female power and wisdom, fertility, motherhood and beauty.

Thus, she is represented by a beautiful and elegant woman, who carries a mirror in her hands. This mirror reflects your good or bad intentions. Known for taking care of the balance of female emotions, sensitivity and delicacy, she is revered by women and also called the orixá of love.

The orixá Oxum was syncretized in Bahia as Nossa Senhora das Candeias and in the South as Nossa Senhora da Conceição.

Iemanjá in the candomblé of Bahia was syncretized with Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes, the way she was invoked by Europeans, before starting their journeys by sea, asking for protection and light.

Thus, Iemanjá is known as the mother of all orixás, responsible for the fertility and prosperity of her faithful, who, on the day of her commemoration, offer her flowers, food, drinks, mirrors and chains, throwing them into the sea or placing them them inside a small boat.

Also called the Queen of the Sea, Iemanjá is portrayed holding a mirror that represents care, zeal, observation and fatherly love. In addition, she also holds a metal fan called an abebe. In the center of this fan, there is a portrait of a mermaid.

Our Lady of Luz dos Pinhais was responsible for indicating the origin of the capital of Paraná and, because of this, was called the Patroness of Curitiba. According to history, explorers made a camp on the banks of the Atuba River and, in it, built a temple to Nossa Senhora da Luz.

However, they realized that every morning the image had its eyes turned to a certain field. The explorers went to the place with the aim of conquering it, ready for a possible war, but the indigenous residents there received them peacefully and ceded the land to them.

Thus, this place was considered the origin of the city of Curitiba. There, they built a church dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Luz, calling her the patron saint of the city.

Ceres in Greco-Roman mythology is known as the goddess of fertility, maternal love and plants. Considered the protector of agriculture, harvest and grains, she is also greatly revered by women, especially those who wanted to get pregnant.

Thus, she is portrayed as a woman who carries a scepter and a basket of flowers and fruits. On her head is a crown made from ears of wheat. Therefore, her resemblance to Nossa Senhora das Candeias may make some question whether the two are not the same person.

There are some ways to connect to Our Lady of Candeias, to receive her blessings and miracles. Check out the main ones below!

Festivities in honor of the Saint are celebrated on the 2nd of February. On that date, many faithful make processions and pilgrimages to the sacred place, the Nossa Senhora das Candeias Sanctuary.

The feast of Nossa Senhora das Candeias, idealized by Father Cícero, is celebrated on the 2nd of February. This is the day when Mary purified herself in the Temple and presented the Child Jesus, being recognized as Savior of the World by Simeon and the prophetess Anna.

This celebration is held in cities like Candeias (Bahia) and Juazeiro do Norte (Ceará). The party program begins with a procession of lights, in which people carry lamps through the streets and revere Our Lady.

Thus, the procession is followed by praises, adorations, prayers of the rosary, confessions, payment of promises and masses. It is a festival considered very important for its faithful, who participate in it with great faith and reverence.

The Nossa Senhora das Candeias Sanctuary is known as a sacred place, a pilgrimage church. It was recognized as a Sanctuary in 2014, having its Altar anointed with oil. Thus, the Church was listed by the City Hall of Candeias, due to its historical and cultural importance.

Several reports of miracles performed using the water from the Fonte dos Milagres, located close to the Church, have caused pilgrimages to the sanctuary to increase over the years. According to custom, pilgrims sing the blessed of Our Lady, while walking three times around the…