The Municipality of Lagos once again paid tribute to the memory of Infante D. Henrique, in a ceremony that celebrated the 555th anniversary of his death and which took place on November 13th, in the square bearing his name.
Considering the importance and historical relevance of Infante D. Henrique, the Navigator, in the history of Portugal and the world, in particular in the Henriquina Phase of the Portuguese Discoveries (1415-1460), as well as its connection to Lagos, the municipality returned, this year, organizing a program, this time remembering the 555 years since his death.
It was a way of “valuing the life and work of D. Henrique, framing it historically and in the social, political and religious context, but also highlighting the various aspects of the material heritage existing in Lagos or with some relation to that period of the century. . XV'.
The protocol ceremony had the participation of a Section of Marines of the Portuguese Navy, and the presence of Captain-of-Sea-and-War Paulo Manuel José Isabel, commander of the Southern Maritime Zone, as a representative of the Portuguese Navy, and who once again associated with the celebration of this ephemeris.
Several were the guests who were also present at this tribute that took place next to the statue of the Navigator. Also present were students from the 4th and 9th grades, who participated in educational activities.
After paying homage to the Infante's memory, with the laying of a wreath of flowers, the Captain of the Port of Lagos, Captain Pedro Miguel Carvalho Pinto, took the floor, who, on behalf of the Portuguese Navy, began by thanking the invitation to “ participate in this tribute to such an important Portuguese navigator, and to whom we are well aware of how much we are indebted to”.
For this responsible, “the Infante is a figure that we must always have as a reference”, and “the best tribute we can pay him is to follow his example of entrepreneurship”.
Finally, he recalled that "our future is indisputably linked to the sea", referring that "this connection to the sea can decisively contribute to the development and promotion of the city of Lagos, so we know how to maintain it".
In her turn, Mayor Maria Joaquina Matos began her speech recalling that, once again, the municipality decided to pay this homage “simple and symbolic, but very important, and which we shall repeat every year”.
Recalling that it was the unique figure of Infante D. Henrique who "dreamed and projected the era of the Portuguese Discoveries that turned Portugal into a great empire", the president said that she understands as "the obligation of the Lacobrigenses to annually pay this tribute to someone who brought so much to Lagos , and to the world”.
His intervention ended with the reading of an excerpt from the book “Henrique, O Infante”, by João Paulo Oliveira e Costa, who stated at the beginning that “few historical figures have so profoundly marked the existence of Portugal in its configuration and in its relationship with the world and in a way as radical and transforming as the Infante D. Henrique”.
The program of commemorations also included a guided tour of the remains of the City of Lagos' 600th century Heritage – “Viagem a Tempo do Infante D. Henrique” – and a conference on the theme “The Infante D. Henrique and the Discoveries”, which took place at the Salão Nobre of the Old Town Hall, and which closed the cycle of conferences “XNUMX years of the Tomada de Ceuta”, which the municipality promoted since the beginning of the year.
The day ended with a guided tour of the Centro Ciência Viva de Lagos, which has the sea as its main theme.
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