chapels were built for the statue and the miracles continued - today, the day is a public holiday and the statue is contained within Basílica de Nossa Senhora Aparecida, one of the largest basilicas devoted to the worship of virgin mary. 

our lady of aparecida is represented everywhere by a dark-skinned clay statue of the virgin mary, and devotion to this  statue spread rapidly, both for its black madonna status and for the many miracles being attributed to her.

special masses and events draw crowds across rio de janeiro to all major churches on this date, with the most important mass being held at the metropolitan cathedral (cathedral metropolitana de são  sebastião).