Traditions & Festivals

Portuguese traditions give Portugal a unique quality. The modern world has not made the Portuguese like everyone else. The old ways of doing things are deeply rooted in the people. The farming calendar and the church festivals shape the Portuguese year. The agricultural towns celebrate their wonderful produce while the big cities celebrate their history and achievements.

Spring

Holy Week Festival

Farricocos in Eccce Homo Procession

Portuguese traditions in spring are about renewal - rebirth - flowers and food.Easter is of course the main spring festival and is the most important religious festival in Braga in the Minho region, with numerous processions throughout Holy Week. One week before Easter the town comes alive with festivals associated with Holy Week Celebrations, Semana Santa. The whole city is transformed being decorated and taken over by impressive processions such as the Penitence at the Cathedral. On Good Friday is the Ecce Homo Procession, which is led by the Farricocos (barefoot men in tunics with hoods), one of the most peculiar parts of the Portuguese 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.

Easter is the perfect time to try specialties of Portuguese cuisine. After the fasting of Lent, the best delicacies are eaten, such as roast kid, lamb stew, meatballs, buns, chocolate and almond eggs. Just a few of the delicious dishes you can try.

Summer

Festival of Saint Anthony

Festival of Saint Anthony

Summer is the period for celebration; music, dance, romance and homecoming. One of Portugal's most popular and lively festivals is the Festival of Saint Anthony. It is held from 14-29 June in Lisbon in honour of Portugal's secondary patron saint. Folkloric groups of different districts parade through the streets and accompanied by music.

As St Anthony is the matchmaker saint, it is still the tradition in Lisbon to celebrate multiple marriages (200 to 300) and still following the tradition, if you are attracted to someone, one can declare himself in the heat of the festivities by offering to the loved person a manjerico (a flower-pot with a sweet basil plant) and a love poem.

Festival of Saint John

The Festival of Saint John, also known as São João Festival, is the biggest festival on the Porto calender, and one of Europe's liveliest street. This festival is held on 23 and 24 June in honour of Saint John, the city's patron saint. The huge festival attracts enormous crowds every year, with music and dance all night long.

Furthermore, you will see images of people chasing each other with a toy hammer which is also wishing and blessing each other good luck.

Autumn

Our Lady of Fátima

Nossa Senhora de Fátima(Our Lady of Fátima) takes place from 12-13 October as shown in the previous entry post. Below is a YouTube video which shows more about the event:

All Saints' Day

All Saints' Day which is on 1st November, is a public holiday in Portugal. It is a celebration of all Christian saints, known and unknown, and especially for those saints who have no special feast days of their own. This is observed worldwide by Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Protestant churches. During this day, Portugal, churches ceremonies are held in memory of the patron’s saints of chapels, churches and parishes. Later on the day, people will bring flower arrangements to the graves of dead relatives and light candles as a symbol to enlighten their way into Heaven.

Saint Martin's Day

Roasted Chestnuts

Although not an official holiday, Saint Martin's Day is celebrated all over Portugal on 11 November. As the saying goes: 'No dia de São Martinho, vai na adega e prova o vinho' ('On Saint Martin's Day go to the wine cellar and try the wine'). This day is commonly associated with the celebration of the maturation of the year’s wine, being traditionally the first day when the new wine can be tasted. It is celebrated, traditionally around a bonfire, eating the magusto, chestnuts roasted under the embers of the bonfire (sometimes dry figs and walnuts), and drinking a local light alcoholic beverage called água-pé (literally “foot water”), made by adding water to the pomace left after the juice is pressed out of the grapes for wine.
For more information of this festival click here: http://www.algarvebuzz.com/sao-martinho-saint-martins-day-chestnut-festival-in-portugal/

Restoration of Independence Day

1st December marks the restoration of Portugal's independence from Spain in 1640, whereby the majority of Portuguese remember on this day honor their historical heritage from monarchic times when Portugal used to be one of the most important countries in the world. It is also a day used by monarchic sectors in Portugal to remember the monarchic history of the country and the importance that they had in the building of the Portuguese nation.
Immaculate Conception Day

The Immaculate Conception Day celebrates the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. It is celebrated on December 8, after the Nativity of Mary, which is celebrated on September 8. Daily Catholic masses are held on this day as a celebration of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, and she is remembered by most Portuguese as Our Patron Saint. For more information, click here: http://aglobalworld.com/holidays-around-the-world/immaculate-conception-day-portugal/

Winter

Christmas

In Portugal, the tradition of giving gifts is a big part of the most Christmas celebrations. On Christmas Day, the feast is known as 'Consoda', where extra places are set at the table for the souls of the dead. It is believed that gifting food to ancestor's souls will make them bless the household with good fortune for the coming year.

Portuguese burn Cepo de Natal or the Christmas log, which is a piece of oak that burns on the hearth all through the day on Christmas. On 5th of January or Epiphany Eve, children keep their shoes along windowsills and doorways and fill them with carrots and straw to lure the horses of the Three Wise Men to their household during the night. The Three Kings (not the Santa) then leave gifts and treats for the children in their shoes, which they usually find in the morning and consist of candied fruits and sweet breads.