The Archipelago of the Azores – situated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, 760 nautical miles from Lisbon and 2,110 nautical miles from New York – is one of the greenest places on earth.
It has magnificent forests, tranquil pastures, enchanting flowers and serene lakes, surrounded by the heavenly blue of the sea.
There are nine islands: Santa Maria, Sao Miguel, Terceira, Graciosa, Sao Jorge, Pico, Fajal, Flores and Corvo, with an overall population estimated at 245,374 in 2009.
The population of the islands is largely of Portuguese descent. Most are Catholic, as evidenced by the number of shrines and churches dedicated to God and the Virgin Mary, and the islands’ most characteristic festivals are religious.
The most important festivals celebrate the Holy Spirit. Each village has its own Impero do Spirito Santo, which are small shrines or chapels decorated with locally inspired paintings in vivid colours, many depicting locally-grown flowers such as azaleas and hydringas
The festivities cover a long period, from Whitsunday to the end of summer. The main aim is to distribute alms to the needy.
On Trinity Sunday, a week after Whitsunday, lots are drawn to choose the mordomes or stewards, who will be responsible for the feast the following year.
The first to be elected is given the insignia of the Holy Spirit – the crown and the sceptre – which he keeps at his house until Low Sunday, when the festivities begin.
The coronation takes places at the parish church. The crown is placed on the head of an adult or child, the imperado (emperor) who carries the insignia in a procession to the house of another mordomo who will keep it throughout the following week.
The ceremony is repeated every Sunday until Pentecost, when the insignia is displayed at the Impero do Espirito Santo. After Mass, a procession leaves the church with the emperor, his empress and their retinue. It goes towards the village square, where local crafts including embroidery, lace, pottery and basketwork are displayed on decorated carts.
Men come out of the club or town hall carrying huge baskets full of bread in the shape of doves, which they distribute to one and all.
Earlier in the morning, open fires would have been lit to heat the meat and the soup – sopos do Espirito Santo – made with big chunks of beef and chicken.
When I was there, we all sat down in a local club and enjoyed the meal – traditional Holy Spirit soup in which the parishioners dipped big pieces of the bread, plus boiled herbal meat and spicy chicken served with potatoes and cabbage. There must have been around 300 people seated and we ate in a festive atmosphere, with music and singing.
The festivities usually end in the afternoon with street bullfights, when a roped bull is pulled into the streets for the braver young villagers to display their daring.