OUR LADY OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

Day 262: January 29

Our Lady of the Impossible (Nossa Senhora dos Impossíveis), Serra do Lima, Patú, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil



On January 29, 1758, Colonel Antonio de Abreu Lima Pereira and his wife Paula Moreira Braga, residents of Apodi and owners of the mountain, built a chapel and brought the statue of Our Lady of the Impossible directly from Portugal. About 30 years later, the same Colonel then donated the chapel to the Bishopric.

We do not have any certain data that tells us what miracle or grace Colonel Antonio de Lima obtained to undertake such an endeavor, but oral tradition tells us of a hunting party right near the place where the sanctuary stands today.

As the hours passed, the Colonel lost track of time and suddenly found himself in the dark in the woods. No longer able to orient himself, frightened, he made the famous vow to Our Lady of the Impossible: if he returned home safe and sound, he would build a sanctuary in her honor in that very place.

By-and-by he found his way back without incurring any wild animal or other danger, and he was soon home. It was therefore this reason why he decided to build a chapel in honor of the Madonna dell'Impossibile (Our Lady of the Impossible) in that very spot.

In 1920, the administration of the sanctuary was entrusted to the Missionaries of the Sargada Family, whose founder was Don Giovanni Battista Berthier. In exchange for the management of the Sanctuary, the Missionaries had to rebuild and expand the sanctuary, also building a road capable of facilitating the arrival of pilgrims.

The works began in 1948 and lasted six years. The square, an embankment and the road were built. Currently, the sanctuary that holds the title of Basilica, is considered the thirteenth most important in all of Brazil and is one of the seven wonders of the state of Rio Grande do Norte and one of the greatest places of religiosity in the northeast of Brazil.

The title "Our Lady of the Impossible" was attributed to her in function of the three things humanly impossible, for every human being and it is only possible with God who "did great things" in Our Lady, namely:

1. the fact that she was conceived without original sin;

2. that she is a Virgin and at the same time a Mother;

3. that she is the Mother of God.

The Holy Mother of God has given her devotees many graces, both materially and spiritually, and her shrine has become a "house of prayer" where pilgrims can confess, participate in Holy Mass and receive the Body of Christ.

There are two important dates at the shrine, one on January 1 and the other on November 21, dates on which pilgrims flock with great enthusiasm to participate in the events organized for the occasion by the parish.


St Justin Russolillo Writes...

"Come to the Divine Union, which consecrates your Virginity with the Divine Maternity, O Mary! Glory to you in the grace of the Holy Spirit, O Mary, Glory to the Holy Spirit in you and in the fruit of your womb, O Mary."

(Justin Russolillo, Spirit of Prayer, trans. Louis Caputo, Vocationist Fathers, Newark, 1996, p. 155)

Comments

Post a Comment

Hot Picks

OUR LADY OF MELIAPORE

Image
Day 47: June 26 This is the shrine in the East Indies, where Saint Francis Xavier often retired to pray during his eleven years with the people of India. The Blessed Virgin Mary was Francis’ constant source of strength and inspiration. The image before which Saint Francis used to pray is called Mylai Matha in Tamil, or Our Lady of Mylapore in English. It is an ancient statue about three feet tall, Our Lady of Meliapore can still be venerated at the church. The church of Saint Thomas of Mylapore – spelled somewhat differently from the above – contains Mary’s shrine. According to tradition, the Apostle Saint Thomas came to India in 52 AD. Due to his success making converts to the True Faith, he was persecuted and finally martyred in the year 72 AD. Saint Thomas is buried at the shrine of Our Lady of Meliapore, and there are relics of Saint Francis Xavier. There was a church known to be in Mylapore going back to the 1st century, and built by St Thomas. According to tradition, there was a ...
Read more

Marian Year 2025-26

Image
  MARIAN YEAR The year 2026 marks the first centenary of the apparition of Our Lady to St Justin Russolillo, the Founder of the Vocationists. As the feast of Our Lady of Divine Vocations falls on May 11, the year preceding to that year (May 11 2025 – May 11 2026) has been declared to be celebrated as Marian Year by the Vocationists. The reason behind this year-long celebration is, as Pope Pius XII decreed prior to the Marian Year in 1953 on the occasion of the first centenary of the definition of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Mother, “that the faith of the people may be increased and their devotion to the Virgin Mother of God become daily more inflamed.” As Rev. Fr. Louis Caputo SDV rightly points out, “the life of Fr. Justin here on earth began with the…apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary…, it developed in the shadow of Mary and ended in union with Mary.” The birth of Justin was preceded by an announcement by the Blessed Virgin Mary to Fr. Sa...
Read more

OUR LADY OF DIVINE VOCATIONS

Image
The Devotion to Our Lady of Divine Vocations The devotion to Our Lady of Divine Vocations has its foundation on the Marian Apparition that St Justin Russolillo had on May 10, 1926. He was praying breviary near a hut made of straws called pagliarella. St. Justin describes it in his diary (Book of the Soul) "May 10, 1926, first day of the Rogations. It was given to me the certainty that the Blessed Trinity has given the Blessed Lady the Office of the Immediate Superior of the Society of Divine Vocations and therefore of all the offices, mansions, studies, works, spheres and everything. She is the authority of the Society. Glory and thanks to God and Mary. Therefore, the established practice of having one person always present and on guard in the room dedicated to Our Lady to honor and venerate her perpetually." After the Marian Apparition, St Justin rushed to the rectory of St George's parish in Pianura where he used to be the parish priest. He asked Fr Luigi Diodato to pre...
Read more