The weekly celebration brings together up to 30 thousand people and is one of the most deeply rooted religious traditions in the capital of Pará.
On May 5, 2026, a historic ceremony took place in the Parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Belém, capital of the State of Pará (Brazil): Governor Hana Ghassan signed the law that officially recognizes the Perpetual Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of the State of Pará .
The novena has been celebrated every Tuesday at the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in the Telégrafo neighborhood of Belém, since 1947. Over nearly eighty years, it has become one of the most heartfelt and popular religious events in the Amazon region, bringing together between 20,000 and 30,000 people throughout the day, in a continuous flow of faith that spans generations.
The May 5th ceremony was attended by civil and religious authorities, priests, members of the Archdiocese of Belém, and thousands of faithful. Governor Hana Ghassan emphasized the profound significance of the recognition: “It strengthens our identity, our culture, what we are. It’s very important to value what strengthens us. The novena represents the faith of the people of Pará. It’s wonderful to be part of it as governor and as someone who truly believes in the power of faith.”
Legislative recognition took shape through Bill No. 151/2025, presented by State Representative Fábio Figueiras and unanimously approved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Pará (ALEPA) on April 7. The representative framed the measure within the region’s great religious traditions: “The novena is already an event that all Catholics recognize as one of the greatest in our region. It is a tradition passed down from father to son. Like the Círio de Nazaré, this novena is also a great event of the Catholic faith and could not fail to be recognized.”
From a pastoral perspective, the recognition was received with great gratitude. The parish priest of the Shrine, Father Cleidivan Brito CSsR, expressed the joy of the Redemptorist community: “I believe you have all witnessed firsthand the joy all the devotees felt with the signing of this law. We are especially happy because this recognition is very fitting.” The parish priest also recalled the deepest meaning of the novena: “It is the means by which devotees draw closer to Jesus Christ, to entrust to Him their needs, their prayers, their dreams, and their achievements. The entire population of this land has their lives marked by the novena, even those who only pass through.”
This recognition adds to the one already granted by the City of Belém in 2025, consolidating at the state level a tradition that has marked the spiritual rhythm of the city and the entire region for almost eighty years.
This devotion, whose mission of spreading throughout the world was entrusted to the Redemptorists by Pope Pius IX, continues to be alive and well in the hearts of the Brazilian people. This historic moment also confirms this: devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help continues to grow, renew itself, and find ever greater recognition.
Scala News / Articles in the local press: dol.com.br, diariodopara.com.br
