Pico, an island of the present, constantly carrying the past, which will help it prepare the future…
Today as always, the festivities of the Holy Spirit are experienced by the population of Pico Island with great tradition and devotion. People say this tradition was brought here from continental Portugal, which was in turn inherited from Germany.
These festivities report far back in history, to the 18th century and the reign of King D. Dinis, when his wife, Queen Isabel, crowned the very poor in special festive ceremonies.
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The feasts have undergone some change, in terms of the display and rituals which they involve, as well as the motivation to take part in them.
These feasts result from the great devotion of our people, who in hour of despair implore to the Divine Holy Spirit to intercede for them during an earthquake or to grant them some particular grace.
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We cannot forget that in the Azores, and Pico in particular, the seismic catastrophes that were inflicted on us, on different occasions, originated a significant migratory flow, as did escaping from the colonial war and the economic difficulties that our people endured.
They left their country, friends and family behind, and took with them a strong will to progress and achieve success, alongside great promises to the Divine Holy Spirit.
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Besides emigrants, today many people fulfil promises by offering dinners to hundreds of people.
Although on each island the ceremony has its own characteristics, faith and abundance reign.
The emperor (who hosts the event) begins all preparations many days before the endless hustle…
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It all begins with the purchase of the “soup” ingredients – meat, flour for the bread, which used to be baked at home, but is today, in most cases, prepared in the bakeries or in the parish houses, which are equipped with large kitchens. Friends, acquaintances and family come to help even without having been asked to. Otherwise, the Holy Spirit might just punish them.
In some parishes, S. Roque in particular, where there is an emperor, he/she receives the crown of Easter Sunday and, from that day and for the seven weeks following, everyday people gather around an altar, which was prepared in the best room of the house, to pray/sing the rosary.
 Today the flowers used to decorate the houses, churches, etc. are bought, whereas before everyone felt honoured to adorn the holy altar with the flowers they picked from their gardens. The altar smelled of basil and the green wheat shone.
All preparations were made weeks in advance, due to the expenses and much work it required.
Upon arriving at the location, one would immediately sight the smoking pots, long artistically decorated tables, where hundreds or sometimes thousands of people would sit down, amidst piles of “water and milk bread” and delicious “sweet rice”.
 The meal is composed of soup with boiled meat, followed by roast meat with potatoes and rice in some cases, and finally the ever traditional yet very relished “sweet rice”. Before dinner is served, the soups are blessed by the parish priest.
Many people attend the celebration mass. Solemn hymns are sung and the high point is the coronation, like in the times of the Emperors of Germany. In the afternoon, next to the church, anyone who passes by will receive the delicious “vésperas”, made from flower, milk and pig’s lard, and more recently from cow butter and eggs.
 The procession with the “vésperas” or “rosquilhas”, which in some places takes place in the early afternoon, is also quite memorable.
This is a gesture of sharing that is a distinct feature of the people on this Mountain-Island.
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Rural 'Adegas do Pico'
+351 292 642 583 
+351 292 642 583 
