Great Feast of the Holy Ghost of New England returns Aug. 23. Here’s all the details
FALL RIVER – The Great Feast of the Holy Ghost of New England is arguably the biggest Azorean feast in North America and its organizers are hoping it will bring around 200,000 visitors, from near and far, to Fall River’s Kennedy Park from Aug. 23 to 27.
“This feast belongs to the whole community,” emphasized Herberto Silva, the president of the 2023 celebration. “We’re here to receive you.”
Serving for the first time as Great Feast president, the Lowell resident said he grew up with the traditional Holy Ghost rituals and religious celebrations in his hometown of Porto Judeu in the island of Terceira, Azores. Most recently, he was the president of the Holy Ghost Society of Lowell and also president of the Pawtucket-based Grupo Amigos da Terceira, where he hosted several annual Holy Ghost feasts.
As far as the Great Feast goes, Silva said he isn’t anticipating any big changes this year.
“We’re taking the opinions of people who have been serving here the longest because they know how this works,” said Silva, who was elected for a two-year term.
“Now, I’m not saying that next year, knowing how this works, we will not bring in some new things,” he added. “Let’s build on the ideas of our antecessors and put it into practice.”
Feast Vice-President Marcia da Ponte, the first woman to be elected to a top leadership role in the feast’s 37-year history, said the 2023 committee is working hard for the celebration to move back toward pre-pandemic norms and attendance levels.
“This feast was interrupted for two years,” she said. “What happened to other organizations is also happening to the Great Feast – we all must resume activity. This Great Feast belongs to all the brotherhoods and mordomos [someone who traditionally makes arrangements for the Holy Ghost feasts] of New England. We can’t do it alone, without them.”
She forewarned the Great Feast’s ultimate success greatly depends on their willingness to be a part of it.
“Our responsibility, as a committee, is to receive them and coordinate the activities,” she said. “But the desire to keep this feast alive also has to come from each one of them, with their participation.”
She noted the focus of this year’s committee is not so much on entertainment, but rather on the cultural and traditional aspects of the celebration.
“We have to keep in mind this is a religious and cultural celebration after all,” she said.
As for being the first woman in a leadership role, she said she has always enjoyed a good challenge.
“It’s a great responsibility, but I want other women to feel that we can do as well as the men,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for women to start participating.”
She hopes more women will follow in her footsteps.
“I promise I will not form an all-female committee in the future,” she quipped. “But it’s a great joy to know that behind each of these men here, there is a great woman.”
Great Feast to kick off with Holy Spirit Soup
The five-day celebration will kick off on Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 5 p.m. with the recitation of the rosary. It will be followed by the tradition of serving Holy Spirit Soup to the public, in honor of the generosity of Portugal’s Queen Isabel, who used to feed the poor.
“We’re preparing to serve about 1,200 people,” said Silva. “For the first time, the soup will be cooked Terceira island-style.”
The soup will be prepared by Clemente Rocha of Warren Soccer Club. Although it’s called a soup, it is served as pieces of meat, chouriço and potatoes with a broth used to soak bread cooked with mint leaves. Massa sovada (sweet bread) is usually added to the meal.
Zé Nandes of Canada and a group of musicians will perform Holy Ghost related songs.
Thursday will be Youth Night
The feast will resume on Thursday, Aug. 24, at 7:00 p.m. with a special illumination ceremony. Thousands of bulbs will be turned on and liven up the giant crown that sits in the middle of Kennedy Park — representing the Holy Spirit — and numerous other allusive decorations scattered all over the field.
Entertainment this year is being coordinated by Marc Dennis.
On Thursday night, the musical acts will be geared toward younger audiences with performances by the offspring of well-known local Portuguese singers: Mariah (Joe Gouveia’s daughter), Madison (Nadia’s daughter), Dimanne (Marc Dennis’ daughter), Liz Marie (Jorge Ferreira’s daughter), Nathan Pimentel (Diogo Pimentel’s grandson), Sandro G2 (Sandro G’s son) and Jordan Ferreira (Jorge Ferreira’s son).
365 pensões to be given out to the less fortunate
On Friday, Aug. 25, 365 pensões (offerings of bread, meat and other food items) will be blessed at 7 p.m. by Bishop José Augusto Traquina Maria of the Santarém Diocese, mainland Portugal.
After he sprinkles them with holy water, they will be donated to the less fortunate residing in the Greater Fall River area.
“We’re giving out one pensão for each day of the year,” said the Great Feast of the Holy Ghost Coordinator Joseph Silva. “This illustrates the true meaning of the feast, which has to do with charity.”
Friday’s entertainment component will highlight some traditional Portuguese music, including the performances of Folia da Irmandade de Nossa Senhora do Rosário from East Providence at 8 p.m. and Dispensa Mar e Terra USA Vila de Rabo de Peixe at 8:30 p.m.
Tyler Bowe and the Luís Neves Show will take the stage after that.
Bodo de Leite parade to feature multiple bands, folklore groups
The spirit of giving will also be vividly present on Saturday, Aug. 26, when the ethnographic parade of Bodo de Leite makes its way from the Gates of the City to Kennedy Park, starting at 9:30 a.m.
Initiated by Clemente Anastacio in 1989, the Bodo de Leite is arguably the most colorful and authentic portrayal of Azorean folk life and culture in New England.
Coordinated this year by Francisco Fernandes, it will feature a multitude of floats, traditional ox carts, at least four music bands, several folklore groups and hundreds of participants in traditional costumes recreating traditional Azorean village life.
It is common to see craftsmen creating traditional wares, street vendors hawking fish and vegetables and people distributing massa sovada and other foods and drinks along the route.
“We’re expecting a larger turnout than last year,” said the feast coordinator. “Everything is going well.”
In the afternoon, several folkloric groups will take part in a “Folklore Festival,” from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
It will be followed by auctions and a concert by a marching band.
On that evening, entertainment will be provided by Arlindo Andrade and Marc Dennis and his band Atlantys.
Solemn Procession takes to the streets Sunday afternoon
On Sunday, Aug. 27, the Mass and Crowning Ceremony will take place at St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral on Spring Street at 12 p.m., presided over by the Bishop of Santarém.
The choral group from St. Anthony’s Church of Lowell will participate in the Mass.
This will be followed by a Solemn Procession at 2 p.m. led by Bishop Maria and the other honored guests: Vice-President of the Regional Government of the Azores Artur Lima; the Azorean Regional Director of Communities José Andrade; and the Representative of the Portuguese Communities Francisco Resendes, publisher of Portuguese Times.
Featuring seven philharmonic bands and brotherhoods from all over the region, the procession will start at Spring Street and head to Second Street, Borden Street and South Main Street towards Kennedy Park.
The festivities will continue at Kennedy Park with entertainment starting at 6 p.m., provided by the Nossa Senhora da Conceição Mosteirense Band, Paulo Carvalho, and Jorge Ferreira.
Feast to culminate with banquet
The feast will come to a close on Monday, Aug. 28, with a banquet at White’s of Westport, starting at 6 p.m., with the presence of Brotherhoods, special guests, dignitaries and community members.
Tickets are $55. For more information or to reserve tickets, call 508-675-1368 or send an email to info@grandesfestas.org.
Lurdes C. da Silva may be reached at ldasilva@ojornal.com. To read more stories about the Portuguese-speaking community, in English and Portuguese, please visit ojornal.com.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Great Feast of the Holy Ghost returns Aug. 23. Here’s all the details
