Saturday, May 22, 2004

First I want to thanx every friend who came, I really like reading your comments (they were really sweet), so thank you so much*Big hugs*
Since everyone agree and want to know the story I’m going to tell you, but it’s a really long story, I tried to make the more short I can, but still will be a little long so if you don’t want to read it just skip this part^^’’
I want to say first that this is a catholic tradition and this tradition is called “Senhor Santo Cristo”, which means Lord Holly Christ (I know it doesn’t sound good on English but in my language sounds much better^^’’)
Let’s begin shall we?
[First this is a catholic Tradition it’s a worship to an Image of Christ, this not I repeat Not made by me, cause it’s a long story and I didn't know how to make in a good understandable English^^’’]
The story of the worship of Senhor Santo Cristo begins at the convent in Caloura, Água de Pau, on the island of S. Miguel. It is traditionally known that Caloura was the first place on the island to have a nunnery. Its foundation was possible mainly because of Jorge da Mota´s daughter's piety, who were from Vila Franca do Campo.
In order for such a task to take place it was necessary that someone go to Rome to appeal for the respective Apostolic consent. Therefore, two nuns from S. Miguel went to the Eternal City requesting the desired document from the Pope. Their mission was carried out so well that the Pope not only issued the eagered consent but also gave them an Image of the Ecce Homo. Back at the Valley of Cabaços, the unique Image was put in a niche where it remained only a few years.
Because the area was secluded and too exposed to pirate raids, one day, the small monastery was abandoned by the nuns, some of which went to Santo André in Vila Franca do Campo, and the others to the Esperança Monastery,, in Ponta Delgada that had recently been founded by Donor Captain Rui Gonçalves da Câmara´s widow.
Nevertheless, the Image of Senhor Santo Cristo was not forgotten at the Valley of Cabaços. A Gallician nun, Mother Inês de Santa Iria, brought it with her to Ponta Delgada.
The first procession
The island of São Miguel was intensely shaken by numerous and powerful earthquakes in 1700. Since they had been going on for many days and didn't seem like they were going to stop, the Table of Mercy and many noblemen of the city decided to go to the main gate of the Esperança Monastery, to take the Image out in a procession.
On the afternoon of April 13, 1700, all the brotherhoods and religious orders were brought together. Also, all the noblemen and huge crowd gathered with tremendous faith to try to appease the divine indignation by contemplating the holy Image.The procession, in which everyone went barefoot, had begun; as soon as the Image was seen at the main gate, the crowd expressed their immense commotion through tears and sighs, proof of their undeniable sorrowful hearts.
The most qualified noblemen carried the litter for conveying religious images with the Santo Cristo. As the procession went along, the respectable Image would enter every church where the choir would sing the psalms "Miserere mei Deus". Despite the protection and caution with which they carried the Image, after leaving the Jesuit church and on the way to the church of the Santo André Order, the Image fell off its frame and hit the ground to great amazement of all those who watched on. It was considered a mysterious fall because it didn't fall through one of the sides but through the front of the frame.
The crowd panicked with this strange incident. Some wounded their chests with stones; others kissing the ground believing that it had been sanctified on account of the contact with the Image, asked for the Lord's mercy. With penance instruments they gave themselves strong, pitiless blows, staining the earth with the blood of their veins; these in a loud voice publicly announced their faults, considering themselves the cause of the Lord's indignation. In between their tender sighs and uproar, they asked God to stop demonstrating his just vengeance.
It was then that they realized that the Image had not been damaged with the fall except for a bruise on the right arm.
At the Santo André convent, the Image was washed and cleaned and then put on its frame again with the utmost caution. The procession continued, between tears and sobs, which impeded the panicked people to continue their prayers, until nightfall when the Image was returned to the Esperança Monastery.
And the divine wrath was appeased…
On a volcanic island where seismic activity is frequent, devotion to the Holy Ghost and to the Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres, , is the people's only refuge. The devotion that Mother Teresa da Anunciada, , respectable nun from the Nossa Senhora da Esperança convent, , so intensely felt for Christ profoundly impressed the people's souls. Hence the worshipping of the Lord expanded and grew stronger throughout the years by way of the procession and the Image.
Today it is the major, grandest and most devout procession in all of Portugal.
In the heart of every Azorean throughout the world, there is an altar of eternal cult towards the Senhor Santo Cristo, where their prayers permanently light mystic candles of imperishable devotion and feeling of want.
Thus the presence of thousands of Azoreans from the United States, Canada and, naturally, from the other islands, every year to participate in the great feast of the Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres, authentically expressing devotion and faith. Weeks before the procession, the Esperança monastery and the 5 de Outubro Square are festively prepared and decorated. Thousands of multi-colored lights, masts and flags, flowers of all types and colors bestow the area with a festive air.
The feast goes on for many days. There are many religious services and concerts. On the Saturday afternoon there are people who go around the Square on bare knees, or else carrying wax-tapers as an act of thanking God for the mercy he has bestowed upon them at an afflicted and suffering moment.
Then, on the Sunday, thousands of people go in the procession. Opening it is a banner bearing a golden crown with thorns, then two long lines of men wearing sleeveless garments over their clothes, many of which carrying thick, votive candles, others going barefoot as an act of going through with their promise to the Lord. In between them are numerous bands. Next come juvenile associations carrying bright banners, children dressed as angels, students attending the seminary, the clergy from S. Miguel and some others who are invited, all coming before the respectable Image of the Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres. It is carried on a wooden frame that is lined with velvet and gold, on a throne of beautiful silk and cloth flowers made in the XVIII century.
Following the Image are the Catholic Church's dignitaries, representatives of the religious orders of S. Miguel and thousands of women carrying out their promises.
Closing the procession are the supreme civil and military authorities, social and sportive representations and associations.
Almost at nightfall, the procession retires after five hours of going through the main streets of Ponta Delgada.
The treasure of the Senhor Santo Cristo is mainly composed of the following jewels: the Aureole, the Crown, the Reliquary, the Sceptre and the Ropes.

Fruit of the mysteries of faith, signs of gratitude because of the miracles that help the mortals continue living, the Ex-Libris of the treasure, the AUREOLE, is the richest piece of the collection of relics. Photographed and documented upon by international art specialists at a meeting in Valladolid, Spain, it was recently considered the most valuable piece of its kind in all of the Iberian Peninsula.
The AUREOLE, made of platinum gold, weighs 4,850 grams and is inlaid with 6,842 precious gems of all types: topazes, rubies, amethysts, sapphires, etc. In addition to its artistic value, this jewel is full of theology related symbolic elements. The first being the Holy Trinity, represented by a triangle in the center of the piece that bears three letters with the following meaning: "I am what I am" and also "The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit". From this triangle the aureoles beam towards the extremities of the piece. The second element is Christ's Redemption, represented by a lamb upon a cross and by the Book of the Seven Seals of the Apocalypse. The third is the Eucharist, symbolized by a bird, the pelican, by the chalice and by the ciborium. The last symbolic element of the AUREOLE is Christ's Passion portrayed, in detail, by the Crown: going from the tunic to the rooster of the Passion and also the crown imbedded with thorns made up entirely of emeralds.
If the AUREOLE is the most valueable piece of the treasure, the CROWN is the most delicate. Made of gold, weighing 800 grams, it has 1,082 precious stones, all minutely wrought, where even the thorns are composed of very small gems that become even smaller towards the ends.
The RELIQUARY is, on the other hand, the most enigmatical piece of the treasure. It is the only piece that is permanently fixed on the Image's chest where it retains the Holy Cross, which is believed to be a splinter of the real cross on which Jesus was crucified.
The SCEPTRE, the fourth piece of the treasure, is made up of 2,000 pearls that form a corncob, 993 precious stones laid throughout the stem and base made up of golden lace, where the Cross of Christ is set.
Finally, the ROPES that are 5,20 meters long, are the fifth piece of the main body of the treasure. They are composed of two rows of pearls and precious stones that are coiled around a golden thread.
These jewels are of an inestimable value but have yet to be duly evaluated. The Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres jewels, as well as the collection of cloaks worn by the Image, can be seen at the Nossa Senhora da Esperança convent.
Well here it is but if you are more interested to know more detais go to this site http://www.virtualazores.com/santocristo/aprimeirai.html, this was the site that I take a part of the history you can find more things here^^, I’m sorry if that was long, but for you to understand how amazing is this it had to be long, I hope you enjoyed and I will leave you with a pic of the image that I take, see you soon...

Shadowlight out...

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