Easter traditions in Center of Portugal

Being Portugal a dominantly Catholic country, Easter time has a deep-rooted meaning with several celebrations taking place in all regions. Center of Portugal is no exception. From the coastline to the inland, namely in Ovar, Fundão and Idanha-a-Nova, locals live this time of the year with great devotion and spirit of community. A celebration filled with meaningful rituals, heart-felt religiosity and enduring traditions whose origins get lost in time.

Ovar

The city of Ovar, near Aveiro, known for its rich religious heritage and artistic quality, has celebrated the liturgical calendar, particularly Lent, with great devotion for centuries.

In the city historic center, Lenten traditions and devotions have contributed to a unique cultural legacy, especially through annual Lenten processions, the highlight of these religious celebrations. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, symbolising reflection on life's brevity and encouraging spiritual renewal.

The Chapels of the Passion in Ovar

Originally wooden structures, the Passion Chapels were rebuilt between 1748 and 1756 using stone and lime, funded by a tax on wine sales. Today, these seven 18th-century Rococo chapels form a unique architectural and artistic ensemble in Portugal, depicting scenes from Christ's Passion with intricate designs blending architecture, mural painting, sculpture, and altarpieces.

The chapels are located throughout the historic center:

Pretorium Chapel (inside the Main Church)
The Fall Chapel (Rua Alexandre Herculano)
The Encounter Chapel (Rua Alexandre Herculano)
The Cyrenean Chapel (Rua Cândido dos Reis)
Veronica's Chapel (Praça da República)
The Daughters of Jerusalem Chapel (Largo Mouzinho de Albuquerque)
Calvary Chapel (Largo dos Combatentes)

Lenten Processions
Ovar hosts several significant Lenten processions:

Procession of the Third Order (Ash Procession) – March 16 at 3:00 PM from the Main Church, organised by the Third Order of St. Francis and the Parish of St. Christopher.
Procession of the Transfer of Our Lady of Sorrows – March 29 at 9:00 PM, moving the image of Our Lady of Sorrows from Calvary Chapel to St. Anthony’s Chapel along the 14 Stations of the Cross.
Procession of the Passion – March 30 at 3:00 PM, following Christ’s journey from the Pretorium to Calvary, including the emotional Sermon of the Encounter between Jesus and Mary.
Ecce-Homo Procession – April 17 (Holy Thursday) at 9:00 PM, also called the "Procession of the Torches." It features three 18th-century images (Crucifixion, Christ with the Green Cane, and Christ Bound to the Column) carried in silence, stopping at the Passion Chapels.
Way of the Cross Procession – April 18 (Good Friday) at 7:00 AM, organised by the Secular Franciscan Order, visiting 14 crosses in the city center.
Burial Procession of Christ – April 18 (Good Friday) at 8:00 PM, organised by the Brotherhood of Christ’s Passion. It features two floats, Christ in the Sepulchre and Our Lady of Solitude, reenacting Christ’s Passion and returning to Calvary.

Lenten celebrations in Ovar offer a remarkable blend of tradition, devotion, and artistic heritage, making it a unique cultural and religious experience.

Fundão

The cycle of Lent and Holy Week traditions in Fundão, nearby Serra da Estrela, remain a central event in the Christian liturgical year.

During Lent—starting on Ash Wednesday and leading up to Palm Sunday and Holy Week—many villages in Fundão continue age-old traditions such as "Encomendações das Almas", "Cânticos dos Martírios", and "Ladainhas", devout songs of prayer and meditation that break the silence of the night. Some are sung by men, others by women, preserving a deep-rooted spiritual heritage.

In Lavacolhos, the unique "Procession of the Penitents" echoes ancient pagan rituals, while on Good Friday night, the "Burial Procession of Christ" is marked by the mournful cries of four women known as the Verónicas.

On the Saturday night before Easter, the "Festa da Aleluia" takes place, with all the church bells in Fundão ringing in unison to celebrate Christ’s Resurrection and the arrival of spring.

On Holy Thursday, also in Fundão, the Procession of the Lord of the Green Cane will once again leave from the Chapel of Mercy and silence will once again be present in all seven hermitages in the city of Fundão during the Passion of Christ.

Easter traditions also extend to family gatherings, where tables are filled with sweet cakes, olive oil cakes, roasted lamb or goat with garlic and rosemary, corn porridge ("papas de carolo"), and the beloved sweet rice pudding.

Idanha-a-Nova

In Idanha-a-Nova, in the region of Castelo Branco, Easter traditions are deeply rooted and gloriously celebrated.

On Good Friday night, the Burial Procession of Christ takes place, led by the Brothers of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia. Carrying the image of Christ, they proceed to the Chapel of St. Jacinto, where the figure is placed in a wooden chest serving as a tomb. Decorated with branches of laurel, large white flowers in vases, sour oranges and countless cabbages, memories of practices that propitiate the fertility of the land which, when Christianised, evoke the passage from the dead seed to the new plant, symbol of death and life, symbol of Christ's death and Resurrection. The solemn silence is dramatically broken by the striking of the chest’s lid, symbolising the stone sealing Jesus’ burial site.

In Monsanto, the Descent from the Cross is marked by a profound silence as Christ is removed from the cross and laid in a sepulcher. During the ceremony, the Song of Veronica is sung, unfolding a cloth that gradually reveals the image of Christ’s face, recalling the legend of Veronica wiping His face.

On Holy Saturday, the tradition of singing "Alvíssaras" is widespread, accompanied by tambourines and hand drums. However, in Idanha-a-Nova, hundreds gather at night in the church square, blowing thousands of whistles to mark the Easter Vigil Mass. At the end, people eagerly await the priest to throw almonds into the crowd, a cherished local custom.

In Segura, a special dish is prepared for the Easter meal: a sorrel purée served with fried river fish. The use of sour herbs is a symbolic reference to the Exodus story, reminiscent of the bitter herbs eaten by the Jews on the night before their liberation from Egypt.

Ordering of Souls in Monsanto

This is a religious practice that takes place on the Fridays of Lent, when women and men climb to the highest points of the village to chant and pray for the souls in purgatory.

"Encomendação das Almas" (Ordering of Souls) is the name given to a ritual associated with the cult of the dead practised by women during Lent and whose origins are thought to date back to the 10th century. The purpose of Encomendação das Almas is to help lighten the punishment of souls in Purgatory (‘Pregatório’, according to local colloquialisms) through prayers, so that they can reach perpetual rest. This ritual is usually carried out by women ‘encomendadoras’, who gather at strategic points during the night and, by chanting and praying, call on the rest of the community to wake up and accompany them.

This manifestation derives from the fusion of pagan and Christian rituals preserved over the centuries by popular culture. The wearing of black robes is in keeping with the mourning, compunction and gravity of the Lenten season. In some places, the designations ‘Excellency’ are used.

Ovar

The Chapels of the Passion in Ovar

Fundão

Idanha-a-Nova

Ordering of Souls in Monsanto

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