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FESTIVITIES IN PRAISE AND HONOUR OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT (Toronto, May 11 - 18, 2003) The cult of the Holy Spirit among the Azorean people dates back to the first settlers in the archipelago, who brought it with them from mainland Portugal where it was supposedly introduced by Saint Elizabeth, Queen of Portugal, consort to the poet king, Denis of Portugal. Thus, throughout the centuries, these festivities have come to manifest the psychological, moral and recreational characteristics of a suffering, but also merry and playful people, anchored in faith and religiosity. The cult has survived the five centuries of history of the Azorean islanders and has been propagated by the Azorean diaspora. It is closely linked with the calamities, that from time to time, have assailed the nine islands of the archipelago; the inclemencies of strong gales and cyclones; epidemics and famine that have harvested thousands of lives, and the volcanic eruptions that have destroyed the region's towns and villages with incandescent lava and ashes, not to mention the incursions of Moorish pirates to the islands to pillage and obtain fresh supply of slaves. In the light of this scenario, the Azoreans have sought refuge in their faith in the Third Person of the Holy Trinity in order to overcome their harsh hardships. Here, in the city of Toronto, as is common knowledge, the local nuclei of Holy Spirit Brotherhoods (Irmandades do Espírito Santo) customarily organize these festivities at Pentecost in accordance with the traditions of their insular homelands, maintaining erstwhile the specificity of each locality.
Integrating the wave of celebrations that abound in Toronto at this time of the year, this year's festivities in praise and honour of the Holy Spirit as organized by the Holy Spirit Brotherhood of the Church of St. Sebastian took place between May 11 and 18. Faithful to the traditions of the Island of Terceira, as most of its membership hails from the island, guests were served the traditional soup, a rump beef (sopas e alcatra) and rice pudding (papa ou arroz doce). The altar to the Hoy Spirit was richly adorned with silk lilies created by the skilful hands of Maria Alice Meneses, Paulina Borges and Francisco Mouro, as were 5,000 paper cups in three different sizes. Twenty-five thousand pins and many hours of hard work were put into the altar by Eduarda Silva, Fatima Sousa, Maria Costa, Agueda da Silva, Fatima Mouro, Isabel Oliveira, Paulina Borges, Maria Alice Meneses, Fatima Costa and Maria Joao Lourenco.
It should be noted that the altar displays a dove alongside a fallen inkwell with spilt ink. This particularity aroused our curiosity. So we inquired as to the reason that lay behind this peculiar ornamental feature. According to Francisco Mouro, the symbology dates back to the Restoration of the Portuguese Monarchy (1640). The good news of the liberation of Portugal from the Castilian yoke was spread on the Island of Terceira by one Francisco Ornelas da Camara, from Vila Praia, who immediately proclaimed his loyalty to the cause of our monarch, Joao IV, and who, thus, liberated the island from the *Phillipine occupation. Later, envious parties were to calumny this citizen and patriot, accusing him of treason. False testimony led to Francisco Ornelas da Camara to be condemned to prison despite his professing to be innocent of the crimes of which he had been accused. Being devoted to the Holy Spirit and one of the founders of the Quatro Cantos Shrine in the town of Angra do Heroismo, he called upon the Third of the Holy Trinity as witness to his innocence. As at the time court sentences were only homologated in the Portuguese mainland, it so happened that as the judge was about to put his signature to the sentence, a dove entered the courtroom and came to rest upon the desk just as the judge was about to dip his quill into the inkwell to sign the document. The dove then flew into the inkwell overturning it, and frustrating the judge's intent. The occurrence caused such an impression on all those present that they took it to be a divine act by his Protector, the Holy Spirit, of which the dove is a symbol, to attest to his innocence. The sentence was immediately commuted and Francisco da Camara Ornelas acquitted of the infamy, thus escaping a bitter and sorry end. The historian from Island Terceira, Franscisco Ferreira Drumond, refers to these events in "Anais da Ilha Terceira" (Annals of the Island of Terceira), published round 1850, and which writers, Gervasio de Lima and Rev. Fr. Luis Cota Vieira were later to confirm.
The event was entirely sponsored by two sisters, Maria Joao Lourenco and Fatima de Sousa as thanksgiving for blessings bestowed on them. They were supported in their endeavour by a relative in Terceira, who helped raise funds through the sale of two calves.
The two devout sisters' children Vanessa Lourenco, James de Sousa and Jonathan de Sousa were crowned during the ceremonies with the Crown of the Holy Spirit. At 51 Armstrong Avenue, residence of one of the sister, the front room was occupied by a altar to the Divine Holy Spirit of celestial beauty, the work of the family, friends and faithful and from where, on Sunday May 18, a cortege of over 240 people and the St. Agnes Church Band set out to the St. Sebastian's. At the church, Monsignor Eduardo Resendes, parish priest at the Christ The King Church in Mississauga, presided at the coronation ceremony and Mass.
Dinner, of the utmost importance in these proceedings, was served in the St. Sebastian Church Hall, which was filled with guests who socialized and enjoyed the delicious soup, sweet bread (massa sovada) and rump beef typical of the Island of Terceira, magnificently prepared by Delio Silveira.
Cerimonials and Symbology The legacy of the Holy Spirit cult is deeply ingrained in our people in these parts, including the youth who have inherited our culture and religiosity from their parents and grandparents. The mission of, not only perpetuating, but also handing down these values to ensuing generations is indeed a most praiseworthy one. The Azorean immigrant, upon immigrating to these far-off lands, has carried with him the all the cultural wealth of his homeland, not in his suitcase, but in his very spirit.
This event was in thanksgiving for blessings received. In conformity with the old customs of the Island of Terceira, invitations were issued to family and friends to partake in the celebrations.
Preparations commenced with the erection and decoration of an altar to the Holy Spirit to house the Crowns, symbols of the supremacy of Divine over Temporal power.
In a display of faith, the cortege leaves the sponsor's home and makes its way to the church where the Coronation and Mass are celebrated.
Upon arrival at the church, the priest presides at the Coronation where previously designated persons are crowned and temporal power deposed and transferred to members of the people who, by their humble condition, come to symbolize the supremacy of Spiritual power over the Temporal. - "The meek shall inherit the earth".
In accordance with the tradition of the Island of Terceira, whenever dinner takes place outside the place of residence, the crowns are transported to the site and placed on a special pedestal.
At dinner, guests are served the traditional soup, rump beef and rice pudding (papa doce or arroz doce - rice is the symbol of fertility and prosperity).
Cavacos - The day after the festivities helpers are invited to share leftovers. This is called cavacos.
Translator's Note: The young Portuguese monarch Sebastian I disappeared mysteriously on the battlefield at Alcacer Quibir in North Africa without leaving an heir. After many disputes among the unfortunate king's blood relatives, Phillip I of Spain took the throne and thus began a period of Spanish occupation which was only to end in the reign of Phillip III in 1640 with the Restoration of Portuguese sovereignty in the person of Joao IV of the House of Braganza. Translated from the original Portuguese text
by Carlos Morgadinho
. Photography by Francisco Mouro and Jose Ferreira |
