| Country | Angola |
|---|---|
| Province | Icolo e Bengo |
| Municipality | Quiçama |
| Area total | 2670 km² |
| Population as of | 2014 |
| Population total | 8166 |
| Time zone | WAT (UTC+1) |
| Coordinates | 9°31′S 13°58′E |
Muxima is a town and commune in the municipality of Quiçama, Icolo e Bengo Province, Angola.[1] The village, located by the Kwanza River, was occupied in 1589 by the Portuguese who erected a church and the Fortress of Muxima in 1599. Muxima means "heart" in Kimbundu and is the site of a Marian shrine.
Church
The church Nossa Senhora da Conceição, more well known as Nossa Senhora da Muxima, was first established in colonial Portuguese Angola in 1599.
It became a popular pilgrimage site after an alleged Marian apparition in 1833, and now receives over 1 million pilgrims annually.
During a Mass in October 2013, an act of vandalism caused some damage that was later repaired.[2] In April 2026, Pope Leo XIV visited the shrine to pray the rosary.
References
- ^ "City councils of Angola". Statoids. Retrieved April 6, 2009.
- ^ "Grupo de vândalos invadiu a Muxima". Jornal de Angola. Retrieved October 28, 2013.