The Month of MarchThe Month of March Portuguese Traditions Comenius

Project

http://comeniusesccb.blogspot.com/

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.

The inside of Braga Cathedral during lent

by photographer 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

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

Some of them carry crosses or whips, to make themselves

suffer for their sins, and some drag

weights behind them to symbolize their

past.

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

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 (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.

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.

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.

In Santarém, this celebration is considered representative of the whole region and classified

as one of the most successful unions of traditional religious values with secular merriment.

2009/2010/2011