José Vítor das Neves Lourenço, known from Messines, president of the Parish Council of São Bartolomeu de Messines between 2005 and 2009, died yesterday at the end of the afternoon, aged 68. The former mayor was also secretary and member of other executives in this parish in the municipality of Silves.
An active citizen, he always fought for his native land, actively participating in almost all local associations and not rarely as its leader.
He was born in the same parish, where he was born on 15 June 1953, in Messines de Baixo, into a humble family. With a singular path, he rose his pulse in life.
Very young, he worked in rice weeding in the Sado Valley, having immigrated shortly afterwards to France, the jump, across the north of the country. Returning to Portugal, he actively participated in the construction of a democratic country, militating in the Socialist Party.
Small businessman in the field of civil locksmithing, he gained prestige and some income, without losing, however, the humility, honesty and tolerance that characterized him.
His mandate as president of the Parish Council of São Bartolomeu de Messines was marked not only by the paving of numerous rural roads, but above all by the cultural aspect that he imprinted on him, since, in his understanding, «culture is the greatest and greatest wealth heritage of a people».
The tribute to the «Penedo Grande» Theater Group, the evocation of the local figure of «O Remexido», but also the tribute he paid to 22 personalities, natives or residents of the parish, in the exhibition «Notáveis Messinenses: Experiences and Contributions» (2009 ), to date the biggest cultural event held in the parish, were the high points of his presidency.
The exhibition brought together personal assets from different individuals, regardless of their party colors or educational qualifications, side by side stood out from Messina with prominence at the local, regional and national level. After all, and in his opinion, «people are the most precious heritage of any location».
The greatest names in national historiography graciously collaborated in the exhibition's catalogue, equal to the honored personalities. By the way, and as he himself emphasized in that work, «São Bartolomeu de Messines is a land of enterprising and memorable people, people who are chasing a dream, committed to defending their ideals. (...) Making our fellow countrymen known is our duty, it is our responsibility». The event gained great prestige, due to its high quality and uniqueness, as it was promoted by a Parish Council.
A man of values and causes, he actively supported the movement that opposed the installation of high-voltage lines in Vale Fuzeiros, in 2007. In an article in Lux Magazine, at the time, it is definitive: “the president of the Parish Council of São Bartolomeu de Messines assured that the fight against the installation of very high tension lines “will not stop as long as there is a customer in the parish who moves against the work””.
He was also responsible for the creation of the event “Semana Gastronomica de São Bartolomeu de Messines”, which was held annually until the pandemic.
In recent years, he worked at the municipal company Portimão Urbis, from which he moved to the Municipality of Portimão, where he felt unwell for about a year and a half. In the following days, an oncological disease was diagnosed. Nevertheless, he maintained an almost normal life until very recently. After all, great men are not let down by worldly adversities.
As for us, we lost a friend, with an easy smile and always with a story to tell. A friend and a frequent reader of our works, and often constructive criticism. A friend of his friend, he allowed us to come into contact with families and estates that greatly enriched and enrich our work on the history of São Bartolomeu de Messines, in particular, and of the Algarve, in general.
He left too early, but with a journey full of activity in favor of the community and the other, after all, as he recognized in his message in the aforementioned catalogue: «São Bartolomeu de Messines is a land of remarkable citizens who honor and extol it». And, without a doubt, José Vítor is also one of those greatest Messinenses of this unusual land. Thank you José Vítor.
The funeral ceremonies will take place tomorrow, the 8th of July, at 10:00 am, at the parish church of São Bartolomeu de Messines, after which the funeral procession will leave for the new cemetery.
“Requiescat in pace”.
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