PORTUGUESE EASTER TRADITIONS

Easter traditions in Portugal are closely linked to Catholicism, especially outside the big cities. From the north to the south of Portugal, here are some of the traditions you'll find. If you can't experience them, you can, at least, count with the flavours and aromas that fill them: from almonds and chocolate to savoury and sweet Folares, among other typical delicacies.

• Visita or Compasso Pascal (Easter Visit): the most traditional procession in the country. Parishioners travel through villages and houses, handing over Christ's cross to announce his resurrection. Participants kiss the cross. It's important to have a table full of seasonal delicacies to offer to the Procession. It's also common for the procession to hand out sweet easter almonds.
• The Butler's Dinner (Jantar do Mordomo): if you're from the Minho region or know the area, this is a tradition that happens in Fontão. The "Butler of the Cross" is elected by the inhabitants and must pay for the Easter meal for the whole village: around 600 people.
• Blessing of the Lambs in the Alentejo (Bênção dos Borregos): traditional at the Easter table, Lambs were not only eaten but also taken to church to be blessed and protect the abundance of the livestock. At the moment, the symbolism is only to bring good relations and prosperity to the community.
•  Burial of the Cod (Enterro do Bacalhau): symbolic, ironic, and iconic, this celebration began during the period of the Inquisition, it was banned during the Estado Novo and was revived after it ended. During the Counter Reformation, the Church completely banned the consumption of meat during Lent, except for those who bought the bull. This favoured only the wealthy, while the rest of the people could only eat fish. Cooked in a thousand ways, cod was the most affordable option. At the end of Lent, the people, in revolt, created a ritual in which the cod was judged and buried.

Some other processions, such as the Burrinha (Little Donkey) and the Enterro do Senhor (Braga), simulate biblical figures and episodes and/or try in some way to re-enact the mourning inherent to Easter. In the Algarve, the typical Procession of Flowers (Procissão da Eucaristia) is one of the most beautiful: torches and flowered carpets mark the Easter celebrations in the small town of São Brás do Alportel, near Faro.

Filled with splendour, if you don't have the opportunity to visit Portugal and take part in these activities, you can count on us to fill your table this Easter. Find everything you need here!