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Festivals of Holy Spirit |
Discover the Festivals of the Holy Ghost in the Azores |
Discover the Festivals of the Holy Ghost in the Azores, held
especially in Terceira and also in São Jorge and Pico, which attract
large numbers of visitors to the islands.
On the archipelago of the Azores, the famous Festivities of the
Holy Spirit take place from April to September and exhibit
different characteristics from island to island and from village to
village.
Brought from mainland Portugal by the first colonists, the
festivities of the Holy Spirit maintain their medieval origin as
regards their popular features and the color of the ceremonies.
The invocation of the Holy Spirit during natural disasters that have tormented the
archipelago and the fame of its miracles, the hard life and the isolation of the islands
contributed to the worship taking root and lasting, while it disappeared on mainland
Portugal.
The rituals have hardly been altered. An emperor is crowned in the parish church. With a
scepter and a silver plate as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, he presides over the festivities
every Sunday during the seven weeks following Easter.
On Whit Sunday, there is a great
feast in the town. The centre of the ceremonies is a small chapel, or ‘empire’, used for
the distribution of the soup of the Holy Spirit, with meat and vegetables. This is where
the crown, the plate and the scepter can be viewed on the altar.
The passing of time has given the festivities of the Holy Spirit individual characteristics
on each island, although some common elements have remained like the coronation of the
‘emperor’, the viewing of his insignia - the crown and the scepter - the procession of the
‘emperor’ and the ‘empress’ with their escort, the day of the feast when offerings of
bread, meat and wine are distributed.
Place:Azores
Date:Date to be announced.
Source:www.visitazores.travel
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