August 15th, St. Mary's Day, is the reason for many celebrations in honor of Our Lady throughout the country. In Ferragudo, tradition dictates that Nossa Senhora da Conceição, patron saint of the parish, descends on the shoulders of her church to be boarded and walk in the estuary of the River Arade, at the head of an aquatic procession that, this year, brought together nearly 40 boats.
A sign of the times, this time most of the boats that participated in this procession were no longer fishing, but maritime-tourist vessels. While fishing declines, other activities linked to the sea are taking their place and even the religious traditions strongly rooted in the people of Ferragudo account for this.
The party starts with the transport of the image of Our Lady, from the parish church on the top of the hill, with a privileged view of the estuary, through the streets and then along Angrinha beach, to the pier next to the lifeguard station, in the riverside area of Ferragudo.
The procession also includes the image of São Gonçalo de Amarante, protector of seafarers and fishermen.
Before reaching the procession, whole families and some tourists have already boarded boats of all sizes and shapes, which dock at the pier.
With the strong north wind that was felt this Saturday afternoon, sweeping the waters of the Arade, the task of embarking was not easy, with extra arms being needed to keep the vessels stable and close to the pier.
Ladies in high heels, skirts fluttering in the wind, men with canes, parents with babies in their arms, children and the elderly, all entered the boats that transported them for free, to participate in the procession. Despite the cheers and laughter, no one fell into the water, not even the ladies perched on their party shoes.
To prepare the arrival of the procession to the pier and guarantee the safety of everyone, Luís Alberto, president of the Parish Council, at one point asked hundreds of people to stand behind the stalls. When he gave the order in Portuguese, only half a dozen people moved. But when he spoke in English, dozens moved around, giving an idea of the number of foreign tourists who watched this procession on the pier…and also how little the Portuguese attached to orders.
When the procession reached the pier, it was time to load the images, the standards, the lanterns and everything that gives body to the religious ceremony. But everything was well organized, with four boats marked with blue flags with the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4, to transport, respectively, the standards, São Gonçalo, Our Lady, priests and important figures of the land. After much shouting and again after much laughter, with the boats swaying in the waves raised by the ebb tide and the wind, people and saints boarded and the procession began.
First, the procession of almost 4th boats headed north, upriver, circling near the Ponte Velha de Portimão. In addition to the fishing boats, Ferragudo's lifeboat, boats for dolphin watching and sea trips, there was also the Santa Bernarda, a quasi caravel for sightseeing, and another larger vessel, which normally transports tourists along. from the coast.
Upstream, against the current, the boats formed a procession, with many whistles and loud horns in between.
Those who stayed on the pier watching the fluvial procession – and hundreds of people were left – saw the procession disappear in the distance, in the bend of the river. But soon after, the boats turned around and began descending the Arade, now at the mercy of the strong current of the ebb tide. And the speed increased. «Até vai lende!», said an old fisherman with a face tanned by the sea and the sun, using the typical expression of this part of the Algarve to express the speed of the boats.
Arriving close to the entrance of Barra do Arade, between the breakwaters, in front of Praia da Rocha and the castle of S. João, the procession turned around again and began the return.
After unloading people and images on the pier, once again without a hitch, the procession continued, once again ashore, to return the saints to the church, but not before Father Miguel, the young parish priest of Ferragudo, had blessed the boats.
The procession included the Maritime Scouts of Ferragudo, all dressed in white, and culminated with the Portimão Philharmonic Band, setting the pace with their music. In the streets, there were few quilts at the window, greeting Our Lady, but many hundreds of people watching and recording everything on their mobile phones and tablets. New Times.
Photos of: Elisabete Rodrigues/Sul Informação
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