Friend from Barquinha
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- None yet; perhaps the Portugese (2021?)
I thought forum members might find this intriguing, as it is an annually scheduled pilgrimage, of sorts, in rural central Spain and Portugal.
A small-boat convoy travels, over a month and a half while the weather is still not too hot, down the Tejo (Tagus) from eastern Spain through central Portugal. It carries a litter with the statue of The Lady of the Avieiros and the Tejo, and over the period from May 18 through June 30, traverses the riversides of 69 communities, with visits in the communities.
Here are the pictures from our community in Vila Nova da Barquinha, where it has just visited. This is from VNdB's Facebook page--though you don't need to be a FB user to see the photos. Just close the popup that asks you to log in, and you'll have access to the pictures.
Note that our bombeiros (firefighters) are quite involved in this. Note also that shared food and communal good spirits figure largely in ceremonies like this!
Here is a story from the local press about the pilgrimage:
Here is a modern-day example of the church coming to the people, rather than vice-versa!
Bom caminho!
[Edit: I've changed "firemen" to "firefighters." My bad; a lot of the volunteer fire-brigade members across Portugal, including here, are women, these days!]
A small-boat convoy travels, over a month and a half while the weather is still not too hot, down the Tejo (Tagus) from eastern Spain through central Portugal. It carries a litter with the statue of The Lady of the Avieiros and the Tejo, and over the period from May 18 through June 30, traverses the riversides of 69 communities, with visits in the communities.
Here are the pictures from our community in Vila Nova da Barquinha, where it has just visited. This is from VNdB's Facebook page--though you don't need to be a FB user to see the photos. Just close the popup that asks you to log in, and you'll have access to the pictures.
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Note that our bombeiros (firefighters) are quite involved in this. Note also that shared food and communal good spirits figure largely in ceremonies like this!
Here is a story from the local press about the pilgrimage:
Cruzeiro Religioso e Cultural do Tejo une comunidades ribeirinhas (c/vídeo) | Médio Tejo
O 10ª Cruzeiro Religioso e Cultural do Tejo iniciou no domingo, 26 de maio, em Tramagal, a quarta das 16 etapas em peregrinação fluvial com a imagem da Senhora dos Avieiros e do Tejo por 69 localidades ribeirinhas, desde Espanha a Lisboa, e até 30 de junho. A iniciativa aproxima as populações do...
Here is a modern-day example of the church coming to the people, rather than vice-versa!
Bom caminho!
[Edit: I've changed "firemen" to "firefighters." My bad; a lot of the volunteer fire-brigade members across Portugal, including here, are women, these days!]
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