A bit of history to start with...
Santo António, Fernando de Bulhões by his baptismal name, was born in Lisbon between 1191 and 1195, in Rua das Pedras Negras, near the Sé Cathedral. In the house where he was born and where he spent his childhood, the Church of Santo António is today located (in the crypt, one of the Saint's bones is still preserved).
Santo António is the Saint Patron of the city of Lisbon.
A contemporary and friend of St. Francis of Assisi, Santo António is one of the most popular saints of the Catholic Church, and his image is found in various churches in Portugal, Italy, Brazil and also in the south of France.
On 13 June in Lisbon, it is customary to celebrate Santo António: "o Dia de Santo António" is a public holiday in the Portuguese capital. This date refers to the date of his death on 13 June 1231 near Padua in Italy.
It was therefore the city of Padua that received the Saint's body and buried it in the church of Santa Maria Mater Domini. The following year, the city decided to build a basilica in his honour, and the small church where the Saint's body rests was included in the construction. Eight centuries later, the Basilica of Saint Anthony is still a tourist attraction in Padua. During the inauguration ceremony of the Basilica, the tomb of Santo António was opened and it was found that his tongue was in an excellent state of preservation, even 40 years after his death. As a symbol of his preaching skills, the Saint's tongue was removed and placed in a reliquary, where it is still on display to the faithful today.
Santo António became very popular with the Portuguese after the "miracle" that occurred at his canonisation in the Vatican in 1232, when the bells of Lisbon began to ring inexplicably, without human intervention.
Traditions in Lisbon around Santo António's Day:
The streets are decorated with colourful garlands, the shopkeepers in the different neighbourhoods put basil plants ("os manjericos") in their windows. In the popular tradition, it was the custom for young men to buy a small pot of basil (also known as lovers' herb) to give to their sweetheart. The fact that spring and summer conditions are ideal for growing basil has contributed to the popularity of this plant. In each pot of manjerico there is a small piece of paper with a popular proverb referring to love. According to tradition, whoever receives a manjerico must take care of it and not let the plant die until the following year's festivities, when it is replaced by a new one.
Participate throughout the month of June in the "Arraiais" (popular parties/gatherings with food and music) organised by neighbourhoods such as the Arraial de Benfica, Mercado de Sapadores, Vila Berta, dos Navegantes at Parque das Nações... and many others.
On the evening of 12 June, the climax of the celebrations, it is typical to :
Eat good grilled sardines ("as sardinhas") served on a generous slice of bread or "broa" (traditional dense cornmeal bread with a thick crust), "caldo verde" (thick cabbage soup with slices of sausage - "chouriço"), accompanied by beer or wine for the drinks part.
Walking through the streets of Lisbon, dancing and singing "Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa" (It smells good, it smells like Lisbon). Popular music will be omnipresent that evening!
Attend the "marchas populares" ("people's parades", lasting 2 hours) of the different Lisbon neighbourhoods on the Avenida da Liberdade. The first parade dates back to 1932. From the beginning, the idea was to encourage Lisbon's neighbourhoods to show their best, from costumes to music, and to prove the unity of the Lisbon soul. In the first march, only the neighbourhoods of Alto do Pina, Campo de Ourique and Bairro Alto were present. With the 1974 revolution, the following years became less favourable for festivities that some considered too closely linked to the Salazar regime. The year 1980 marked the return of the "marchas" on the Avenida da Liberdade, but without competition. The prizes and the jury returned in 1981. Each district of Lisbon dresses up according to a chosen theme and marches along singing an original song composed for the occasion.
Watching the selected couples of the "casamentos" (weddings) of Santo António". According to a Portuguese tradition from the 17th century, a woman desperate to find a husband threw her statue of Santo António out of the window and, with a good shot, hit the head of a soldier who was passing by in the street at the time. After being rescued by the woman herself, legend has it that the soldier fell in love with her and they eventually married. In line with this tradition, the Lisbon City Council (Câmara Municipal de Lisboa) organises the annual "casamentos de Santo António". This is a wedding ceremony of several couples who pass by the Santo António church and go to the Sé Cathedral of Lisboa where all the weddings are held simultaneously. These weddings take place on the morning of 13 June and the bride and groom - chosen throughout the year from thousands of applications received - receive, in addition to the wedding ceremony offered by the City Council, various gifts for their future home. The bride's dress is also given away and in ancient times Lisbon's dressmakers competed with each other to win the title of the most beautiful dress.
Among the famous Portuguese Patron Saints' festivals, it is worth mentioning also:
In Porto and in Braga, São João (Saint John) is celebrated on the night of 23 to 24 June. The sound of the famous little plastic hammers hitting the heads of passers-by can be heard throughout the city. A magnificent firework display is fired from the Douro River. The summer solstice coincides with this date.
On 29 June, São Pedro (Saint Peter) is celebrated in the regions of Sintra and Évora.
Happy celebration of "Santos Populares" 🇵🇹
