At dawn on April 21, 2025, on the second day of Easter, Pope Francis, who was born in Argentina in Latin America, died. This information caused great commotion in Brazil as well. The Lord God decided that the further visit of the Częstochowa Icon in South America, Brazil and Argentina was connected with the mourning and funeral ceremonies of the Holy Father Francis.
At 3:00 p.m., a solemn Mass with the Icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa was celebrated in the National Shrine of St. Expedite on the occasion of the Jubilee of Hope 2025, presided over by Bishop Dom Benedito Gonçalves and Fr. Umberto, as well as several diocesan priests.
The National Shrine of St. Expedito is located in the city of Santo Expedito in the state of Sao Paulo, in the microregion of Presidente Prudente.
St. Expedito was a Roman legionary who was martyred during the persecution of Christians by the Emperor Diocletian for refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods and for publicly destroying an imperial edict that ordered everyone to offer this blasphemous act.
As a martyr of the first centuries of Christianity, he is the patron saint of difficult, especially urgent and urgent cases, and also patron of those experiencing financial and material problems. His cult is very widespread among Brazilian workers.
National Shrine of St. The expedition in Brazil is the second largest after the Sanctuary of Our Lady in Aparecida.
That same evening, the Icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa was hosted by the parish of Our Lady of Carmo in the Maristella district of Presidente Prudente. The icon arrived for the Holy Mass at 7:30 p.m., which was celebrated by Fr. Edcarlos Amorim, who celebrated the 18th anniversary of his priestly ordination that very day.
Once again, the ceremony was broadcast on television together with PASCOM (Pastoral of Communication – Communication of the Catholic Church in Brazil).
After the Holy Mass the Act of Entrustment of the protection of the civilization of life and love into the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary was renewed. The Rosary and the Litany of Loreto were recited.