FESTIVITIES OF SANTA JOANA
The Municipal Holiday of the city of Aveiro, is celebrated tomorrow, May 12, in honor of our Patroness Princess Santa Joana. Thus, the Municipality of Aveiro (CMA) presented the program of the Celebrations of this Holiday that take place from the 5th to the 16th of May, highlighting, as usual the Solemn Session of the Municipality of Aveiro, the inauguration of the Great Exhibition “Santa Joana Princesa 550 years in Aveiro” and the Procession in honor of Santa Joana de Aveiro, on the municipal holiday 12th of May, Thursday.
For those who don’t know, we leave you here a little bit of the life story of our Patroness, Princess Santa Joana.
Princess Santa Joana was born in 1452, daughter of D. Afonso V and his wife D. Isabel. At the age of three, she was orphaned by her mother, along with her newborn brother, D. João, who would later come to be known as the Perfect Prince. Growing up in an unstable family environment, from which some disagreements with her father arose, she soon showed an interest for religious life. She then sought refuge in convent life, despite family protests.
She was Regent of the kingdom in the absence of her father, when he and her brother left for North Africa, in 1471. In September, of the same year, when they returned, D. Afonso V, the African, agreed to D. Joana enter a convent. After visiting some religious institutions, namely the convents of Odivelas and Santa Clara, in Coimbra, she ended up deciding on the Monastery of Jesus, in the village of Aveiro. She entered the aforementioned convent in July 1472, where she became professed in 1475.
After the death of her father and the birth of D. Jorge, the result of an adulterous relationship of D. João, in 1481, the new Monarch asked that the bastard be entrusted to D. Joana, in the Monastery of Jesus. Four years later, in 1485, she received from her brother the “landlord of Aveiro” with “all income and royal rights”, which reverted to her own use or that of the convent. Her presence profoundly marked the history of the Monastery itself and, consequently, of the then village of Aveiro.
She died at the age of thirty-eight, on May 12, 1490, a date that centuries later became a municipal holiday in the city. Considered by the people as their great protector, on April 4, 1693, the cult of Princess Santa Joana was confirmed by Pope Innocent XII (beatification) and, in 1965, she was officially considered patron saint of the city and Diocese of Aveiro.
We leave you here with some of the activities and festivities that will still take place this week:
On May 14, at 7pm, is scheduled the inauguration of the qualification of Estrada Dique, which connects Marinha da Troncalhada to the area where the Clube Naval de Aveiro and Sporting Clube de Aveiro facilities are located, close to the Municipal Environmental Interpretation Center (CMIA), which is a place for contemplating biodiversity and a unique landscape over the Ria de Aveiro.
Also on May 14, we will have the Open City – Aveiro 2027 activity with the presentation of various events by the different Aveiro cultural agents, in various spaces of the city and throughout the day. This activity is part of the candidacy of the city of Aveiro to the European Capital of Culture.
From the 13th to the 15th of May, the Manuel Firmino Market will once again host the Aveiro Craft Beer Fest, May Edition, which will bring together 20 brewers with more than 140 novelties and its own program.
On May 15th, the Congress Center of Aveiro hosts the “Encontro com a Dança” with the presentation of seven dance groups.
As usual, from the 6th to the 12th of May, the Convento de Jesus will be open for worship with visits to the Monumental Circuit dedicated to Santa Joana de Aveiro.
Check out the entire Program here and don’t miss our city’s festivities!
