Festival Worshipers
Holy Spirit Festival
Ponta Delgada
April 2008
approaching with bare knees and feet
The Portuguese festival marks the legendary miracle of Queen Isabel. The 13th century Portuguese queen was carrying bread secretly in her mantle to feed Portugal's poor when her husband, King Dinis, stopped her.
When he demanded to know what she was carrying, Isabel replied, "Roses, my beloved husband and king," despite their scarcity. When she opened her mantle to prove the claim, the loaves of bread had been transformed into roses.
Today she is known as Queen St. Isabel because of her devotion to the poor, whom she helped sustain during her reign.
The Feast of the Holy Ghost is celebrated annually. This feast originated centuries ago with the sixth Queen of Portugal, Isabel. It is a Catholic celebration that proclaims the faith of the Portuguese and their devotion to the Holy Ghost, the member of the Holy Trinity now referred to as the Holy Spirit.
For each of the seven Saturdays leading up to the feast, known as Domingas, a different historical or religious figure is honored. The highlight of the entire event is a three-day festival that begins on the Friday night just before the Seventh Dominga, the "Blessing of the Meat and Bread," in which a portion of beef and bread -- the "Pensao" -- is blessed by a priest and distributed to each member present. Following the tradition of charity and feeding the poor, a bowl of soup or stew is served to everyone. On Saturday night, participants decorate religious statues in preparation for the Sunday Mass. A woman is chosen to represent Queen Isabel, and she and her court join a procession. At the end of the Mass, the priest crowns the Holy Ghost Queen.
the festival church adorned with many lights
entering the church
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