Faith boosts tourism in the Paraíba Valley

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Source: MAGANEWS.

Religious Tourism

Faith boosts tourism in the Paraíba Valley

See how the cities of Aparecida, Guaratinguetá, and Cachoeira Paulista have become three of the most important religious tourism destinations in Brazil

In 1717 three fishermen found the headless statue of  a black saint in the waters of the Paraíba river. They cast their nets again and found the head of the saint. For them, it had been a miracle. That same day they caught a lot of fish.  As the years passed, new miracles were attributed to the statue of the saint. The statue was kept in one of the fishermen’s houses. With each passing year the number of people visiting the region and the house to see the statue grew. All of these facts contributed to the growth of a small village, which later would become the thriving city of Aparecida. Religious trade developed over the years, with new hotels, bars, and restaurants being built. Today the city has 35,000 inhabitants and welcomes 7 million pilgrims a year. The city is about 170 kilometers from São Paulo.

Canção Nova in Cachoeira Paulista

Cachoeira Paulista has almost 30,000 inhabitants and is almost 25 kilometers from Aparecida. This is the home to the famous community Canção Nova. The community, which was founded in 1978 by Father Jonas Abib, spreads the catholic faith around the country. Canção Nova runs events, such as religious shows, youth festivals, and Masses. Canção Nova owns a TV channel and several radio stations. Various religious books, CDs, and products are sold through this community.

Vocabulary

1 faith – fé

2 to boost - impulsionar

3 Paraiba Valley – Vale do Paraíba (SP)

4 fisherman - pescador

5 headless – sem cabeça

6 black – negra (o)

7 to cast – arremessar / jogar

8 net - rede

9 pilgrim – romeiro / peregrino

10 to spread – espalhar / divulgar