Festival of Our Lady in Sorrow(Viana do Castelo)
Numerous representative processions of the religious traditions, ethnographic and social of the region of Viana do Castelo
A Portuguese religious, ethnographic and social national event.
Viana do Castelo´s worship of Our Lady in Sorrow dates from 1744, when fishermen first began to call upon her to make sure that the sea would not be rough. 20 August has become established as the day for the festival in her honour. In 1772, a royal order was issued authorising the holding of a free fair in the city. on 18, 19 and 20 August. Since then, the Romaria de Nossa Senhora da Agonia has become one of the most beautiful, colourful and grandiose popular festivals in Portugal.
The three days of festivities are enlivened by various processions, accompanied by a great deal of music, and people dress attractively in the most beautiful traditional costumes of the Minho region.
There is the parade of majordomos, accompanied by fireworks and musical bands, which greets the Festival Committee and the city's highest dignitaries, ending in the Praça da República, where the "zabumbas" beat their big bass drums and the "gigantones" begin to parade.
The latter figures are carnival giants, strange enormous figures that first came from Santiago de Compostela more than a hundred years ago to enliven the festival. Then there is the ethnographic procession, with huge floats recalling the traditional working habits of the people of the Minho, both on land and at sea, offering us a genuine living museum of ethnography.
There is also the historical parade, which mixes legend and reality to tell some of the stories that have marked the development of Viana do Castelo.
What the local experts say
Interview's main points
- What is the history, briefly, of the feasts of Our Lady of Sorrow?
These festivals have a very important role that is to preserve the identity of the Viennese people. It is a festival that has been held for many years, with the participation of many grandparents, great-grandparents, until today, which is a way to continue to keep the memory of the existence of our traditions.
2- How do these festivals contribute to an important tradition for the region and for Portugal?
In the procession there are many traditions that are represented, always with specific themes, but usually there are traditions of the countryside, the sea , the religiosity and the fact that we parade with the costumes that were our ancestors use to wear, that is a way to revive the traditions of embroidery, of the loom, of the good dress, of the good prayer, all the work that was done in the evenings, all this is a way to keep the traditions alive.
3 - what is the importance in terms of tradition of the city, the carnival giants, these strange enormous figures ?
The carnival giants announce the beginning of the feast,it is the preparation for joy, for the festivities, for the procession...
