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The Month of March. Comenius Project. Portuguese Traditions. http:// comenius esccb .blogspot.com/. Lent. Due to its historical past and connection to the Catholic Church as early as Roman times, many of Portugal’s traditions are religious.
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TheMonthofMarch Comenius Project PortugueseTraditions http://comeniusesccb.blogspot.com/
Lent • Due to its historical past and connection to the Catholic Church as early as Roman times, many of Portugal’s traditions are religious. • The month of March usually falls into the time period that goes from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, which is called, in Western Christian tradition, “Lent”, or “Quaresma” in Portuguese. Theinsideof Braga Cathedralduringlentbyphotographer Filipe Pereira. • Many interesting traditions surrounding this season have appeared in our country, and we will now introduce you to some of those. • Comenius 2009/2010
Procession of the Penancing • This tradition takes place every Friday during lent in the Beira Baixa (a region in Portugal which is highlighted in the map), but it is very particular in a place called Paúl. • In Paúl, this procession has been done for over four hundred years. • It always takes place in the dead of night, with fifteen unmarried young men dressed in white sheets and wearing bramble crowns on their heads. • They walk around the town in complete silence, accompanied by other men who sing. Comenius 2009/2010
Procession of the Penancing Some of them carry crosses or whips, to make themselves suffer for their sins, and some drag weights behind them to symbolize their past.
Procession of the Senhor dos Passos • This procession is done everywhere in Portugal but we’re going to talk about its supposed birthplace, in Nazaré (a town in the area highlighted in the map). • In Nazaré, the procession is said to have begun in 1619, at a time when there was a shortage of cereal. Since then, it has never been interrupted except during the French Napoleonic Invasions. • The celebration opens with a church service, followed by the procession, which lasts for over five hours. Comenius 2009/2010
Procession of the Senhor dos Passos • A figure of Christ is carried on his cross for those five hours until they reach the Church of Nazaré, where he is taken down and “offered” to his mother. In Nazaré there is a figure of Lady Mary which is said to have been brough from Nazareth in Galilee. The clothing of the Christ is made throughout the year by the women of Nazaré, who work very hard on its embroideries.
St. Joseph Day in Póvoa • St. Joseph Day (also Father’s Day in Portugal) is celebrated all around Portugal, but it’s in Póvoa do Lanhoso (see map) that it is most important. • This celebration, on the 19th of March, started in 1895. Since then the celebrations have included a fair, called a “feira franca”, and a cattle show and competition for horses and cows. Throughout the years a fireworks show and folk dancing have been included into those traditional standards. • The party brings many outsiders to Póvoa do Lanhoso.
St. Joseph Day in Póvoa • This tradition and fair is one of the oldest in the region, and is not only held for cultural reasons, but also economical and comercial. Many horse trainers and merchants wait all year for this fair.
St. Joseph Day in Santarém • Also on March 19th, St. Joseph Day, the city of Santarém (capital of the district highlighted on the map) lights up with colour to celebrate its patron saint’s day. • This celebration includes bull fights and runs, Portuguese folk dancing and folk music, Spanish flamenco, music from university bands, some processions and church services.
St. Joseph Day in Santarém • In Santarém, thiscelebrationisconsideredrepresentativeofthewholeregionandclassified as oneofthemostsuccessfulunionsoftraditionalreligiousvalueswith secular merriment.
Traditions in the Month of March 2009/2010/2011
