In Portugal at Easter many centuries-old traditions are held throughout the country, two particularly traditional events are the processions of holy week in Braga and holy week in Castelo de Vide The former displays rigorous observance of Christian ritual, while the other is of Christian expression influenced by Jewish culture.
Easter is huge Braga - North of Portuga- Go to Braga at Easter and enjoy the festive atmosphere during the Semana Santa (Holy Week). Attend the Ecce Homo Procession on Good Friday, led by the Farricocos (barefoot men in tunics with hoods), one of the most peculiar parts of the religious tradition.If you're in the Castelo de Vide region in the south, you'll experience a very different Easter celebration, one with Jewish origins. In the morning of Easter Eve, the region's shepherds invade the town centre to have their flocks of sheep blessed. At night, during the Vigília Pascal (Paschal Vigil), people ask for forgiveness in secret, reminiscent of the Jewish Yom Kippur. At the end of the mass, all those present bring cowbells that ring the Cortejo da Aleluia (Procession of Alleluia) through the town.
Many of these celebrations do not form part of the Roman Missal, such as the processionsof the Lord Ecce Homo, Burial of the Lord and the Resurrection. While the festivities in Braga display rigorous observance of Christian ritual, the one in Castelo de Vide is of Christian expression significantly influenced by Jewish culture.
The celebrations include Palm Sunday (one week before Easter Sunday), Maun Thursday (the day of condemnation and crucifixion), Good Friday (the day on which the cross was deposited and the burial), Holy Saturday (ascension to heaven) and Easter Sunday (resurrection of Christ).
Holy Week religious ceremonies are celebrated with great fervor in Braga and the city has one of the oldest dioceses dating back from the 3rdcentury. Easter is a splendid time since the city is all decorated with Holy Week motifs and the street altars, the “Passos”, are filled with flowers and lights, complementing the sumptuousness of the churches.
After saying a prayer with the family, the "Judge" offers the cross for each family member to kiss Jesus feet. The families will offer food to the visitors and give a symbolic amount of money to help the local church. By the end of the day, and after visiting all the homes, the Cross returns to the Church for a final celebration.
This is also the time of the year to eat pão de ló, a traditional spongy yellow cake, with a bit of a lemon, that gets better when cooked in a traditional wood oven and served with some cheese and Porto.
The “Ecce Homo” (This is Man) Procession, on Thursday night, is one of the most emblematic rituals featuring the Farricocos, barefooted men dressed in purple tunics, hooded and carrying torches that illuminate the village. They remain in the street while the Procession passes by, slowly and silently, as a mark of religious mourning.
Castelo de Vide - Alentejo- intermingles Catholic and Jewish traditions that are still kept even if the initial religious meaning is no longer there. The most symbolic tradition takes place on Easter Sunday with the Blessing of the Lambs with shepherds taking over the center of the town along with their flocks so they can be blessed before being sold.
Many other cities in Portugal have their own way of celebrating Easter as, for example, in Portalegre where they burn down several straw figures symbolizing Judas and all the evil figures that deserve punishment (last year, the Crisis and IMF were in the list…). Or Obidos, which is another hidden gem in Portugal, perfect to visit during Spring and Easter where the celebrations last for two weeks and include a torchlight procession within the medieval castle wall depicting the Passion and the death of Christ.
The hunt for chocolate eggs, eating “folar” and offering almonds… That’s how Portuguese enjoy Easter. So, not that exciting? How about buying Judas? Right, if you travel to historic Portuguese villages you can take part in centuries-old traditions. The Enterro do Bacalhau(Cod Burying) and Queima do Judas (Burning Judas), are two of them that would make the Easter Bunny hop a bit faster.
On Holy Saturday (the one before Easter Sunday), some celebrate the rite of Burning Judas, originally a pagan spring rite representing the end of the old year and the arrival of the spring. The tradition still remains in places like Montalegre, Vila do conde or Travassô (Águeda) and has the symbolic theme of evil being cast out and purification through fire.
In this Christian representation version, the traitor Judas is condemned to the fire, as his will is read out loud to the people. This will includes a set of advices and social criticism about the county and the country.
Enterro do Bacalhau “The Cod Burial”
On the same Holy Saturday, but a couple of miles down the road, Constantim (Vila Real), Góis and Pampilhosa (Fatima) enjoys another ritual: The Cod Burial, a popular end to the fasting of Lent. As no one could eat meat during this time, people would eat cod - as it is easy to preserve without any special care. With the end of the Lent and the finishing of this restriction, people would bury the cod and satisfy their desire for meat.
This ritual is experienced in many ways. While some regions a huge cod made of cardboard is buried and submitted to a “real” trial - with executioners, judges and lawyers - in other regions people "hang up" the Cod spine - suspended in a branch of a tree - as symbol of the end of the fasting. The Cod Burial has no usual time, as it only happens depending on the people’s will.
The legend of the Easter “Folar” is so old, that its original date is unknown…
Once upon a time, in a remote Portuguese village, lived a young woman, named Mariana, who wanted to get married at an early age.
She prayed many times to her devout Saint Catherine, and soon two admirers showed up: A rich nobleman and a poor farmer, both young and handsome. Since she was debating between those two, she decided to ask, once again, for Saint Catherine’s guidance.While in prayer, Amaro, the poor farmer, knocked on Mariana’s door and asked her for her decision, by Palm Sunday. Minutes later, the nobleman also showed up, with the same request. Mariana, who was already confused, became completely lost, without knowing what to do.
In the Palm Sunday, a neighbor warned Mariana that she had seen both the nobleman and the farmer, fighting. Mariana ran to the place where the two were contending, and, after seeking for Saint Catherine’s intervention, pronounced Amaro’s name and chose the poor farmer as her spouse.
When finally Holy Saturday arrived, Mariana was extremely worried, fearing that the nobleman would show up on the wedding day, to kill Amaro. One more time, Mariana prayed to Saint Catherine and, this time, the Saint’s image smiled back.
The day after, Mariana was putting flowers on the Saint’s altar, and as soon as she got home, she found, on a table, a large cake with whole eggs, surrounded by flowers, the same she had put on the altar. She ran to Amaro’s house, realizing that he had also received a similar cake. Thinking that it was the nobleman’s idea, she went to his house to thank him. Curiously, the nobleman had also received the same kind of cake. Mariana was then convinced that it had been Saint Catherine’s doing!
Originally called “folore”, the cake became known, in time, as “folar”, and turned into a symbol that celebrates friendship and reconciliation. During Palm Sunday, it is customary the godchildren to present their godmothers with a bouquet of flowers, and, in return, on Easter Sunday, they offer them the “folar”.
Jayme H. Simões is a Portugal–U.S. communications consultant who writes about the realities of moving, living, and retiring in Portugal, based on first hand experience.
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