The National Sanctuary of Aparecida, located in the state of São Paulo, solemnly inaugurated the Basilica's west facade on Saturday (the 12th). This facade is the last of four sections of the temple to receive mosaics as part of the 'Biblical Journey' project, which began in 2019.
The new facade is dedicated to the Apocalypse and depicts themes such as the end of times, the second coming of Christ, and the Day of Judgment. Among the scenes presented is the 'Judgment of Nations'—an excerpt from the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus separates those who helped the needy from those who did not. The composition also features the image of Christ as the Lamb.
The opening ceremony was accompanied by music, performances, and moments of prayer. At the conclusion of the event, all four facades of the sanctuary were sequentially illuminated while pilgrims lit lanterns on their mobile phones. The event ended with a fireworks display.
After the completion of the work, the four sides form a single narrative sequence: the north side displays episodes of the Exodus; the south side shows the Easter of Christ; the east side presents scenes from the Book of Genesis and the creation of the world; and the west side concludes the narrative with the depiction of the Apocalypse.
The mosaics were created by the Aletti Center from Rome, which was also responsible for decorating the other facades. The work was executed using small colored stones and conforms to the style that has already become a distinctive feature of the sanctuary.