Processions a Plenty

Yesterday the relic of Our Lady of Nazaré was transferred from the basilica in Belém to the suburb of Ananindeua where she spent the night. I skipped the procession and mass during the heat of the afternoon and instead went to Auto do Círio, at night in Cidade Velha, the original part of the city. In the plaza between the old fort and the Catedral da Sé, various groups acted out the different stories associated with the legend of Círio and re-created the weekend’s events, such as the various processions and the carrying of the cord, which takes place on Sunday. The best I can describe the event is that it had a low-key Brazilian Carnivale atmosphere structured around passion journey plays. Like an idiot I forgot my camera, so I don’t have any photos of people in costumes. People participating in the plays wore all kinds of weird costumes, many seemingly unrelated to Círio. For example, one person dressed as a clown.

This morning there were more romariais, or processions. The relic moved from Ananindeua to the fluvial suburb of Icoaraci where it embarked on a big boat and sailed the ten nautical miles from Icoaraci to Belém. Accompanying the relic’s boat were some fifty large boats and maybe another fifty smaller boats, all decorated with balloons and flowers. I watched the arrival of the Romaria Fluvial (boat procession) from Estação das Docas, a redeveloped area of the port. A helicopter dumped rose petals before the relic disembarked.

NS de Nazaré arriving on the big white ship. The relic is on a pedestal with yellow flowers.

After the Romaria Rluvial, the Romaria dos Motociclistas began. Along with hundred of people on motorcycles, the relic went up Avenida Nazaré, a major street of Belém, to Colégio Gentil, which is next to the basilica. Later this afternoon there will be yet another procession transferring the relic to Catedral da Sé.

Romaria dos Motociclistas