Yesterday, I was caught off guard by the sound of a marching band. I ran to the window and saw something I’d never seen before: a procession with a marching band (that part I had seen before) with a series of couples and young women in elaborate gowns carrying crowns (that was new to me!). Naturally, I grabbed my camera and hurried to get photos. I inquired what the occasion was, and got a brief explanation. In essence, it’s a tradition of our Portuguese-speaking community (from Portugal and the Azores, not Brazil), related to Pentecost, celebrated by the parish of Our Lady of Good Voyage. I found a more detailed explanation here in an old article of the Gloucester daily Times. [Update: a fellow GMG blogger gave a great explanation just before I posted this!] So, here are some photos, for those who, like me, have never seen it before!
Portuguese Crowning Procession
Posted on by Matthew Green
Published by Matthew Green
I am a translator, origami artist/teacher, and photographer, a blogger, former philosophy professor, and I love to sing. You can see my photos on Flickr and buy prints of some of them on Fine Art America. You can find me on Instagram, Twitter (@mehjg), and in various and sundry other social media sites on the web. View all posts by Matthew Green
Great tradition, great photos!
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Thanks!
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Reblogged this on Perpetual Learner.
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that’s the beauty of Gloucester…Tradition! Multi-ethnic celebrations.thanks,Fr.Matthew Charlene
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Thank Father Green
It great to see the Portuguese people and there club still do this. We been in Florida sence 1967 and really miss them. Great pictures .
Capt Joe Santos
Palm Beach Florida
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