By Aparecida De Souza, October 10, 2019 — My name is APARECIDA (meaning “the one who appeared”).
APARECIDA is also the name of a very miraculous Saint in Brazil, where I was born.
When I was born, my mother was extremely young – not even 16 yet, but I was already the second one.
My parents lived on a farm, a very isolated place. There was a storm that night and my father had to go pick up my grandmother – my mother’s mother – to act as a midwife.
On the way back, they ran into a tree that had fallen, making the crossing impossible – my father was driving a horse-drawn cart.
The time came when my mother could not wait anymore. She saw herself in a very dreadful situation, not knowing what to do.
My mother was not a very religious person, but, for some reason, she thought about Our Lady of Aparecida and believed that she would be the one to help her and save me. So, she dropped on her knees and prayed, asking the Saint to help her and save my life.
If you save her, my mother promised, “I will call her Aparecida.”
When my father and grandmother got to the house the next morning, it was all over, and both myself and my mother were alright.
My parents had 8 children. I find that they all have pretty names like Nancy, Darcy, Pedro, Rose … “Why did you have to call me this ugly name?” I asked my mom.
She snapped at me and said that I should be thankful. “It is only because of Our Lady Aparecida that you’re alive.”
I believe, and I am thankful. I just like to kid. In reality, I am a Saint lover, as many Brazilians are.
Our Lady of Aparecida is the patroness of Brazil.