A few days away from the start of the S. Gonçalinho Festivities, we’re going to tell you a little more about this tradition from Aveiro, so much a part of the region.
They would call it the São Gonçalo Festivities, patron saint of the city of Amarante (where he was born and died), but here, the people of Beira-Mar call the blessed saint São Gonçalinho, not out of pettiness but because of the immense affection they have for the saint who is not only known for curing bone diseases but also for being our matchmaker saint.
On the days when the festivities of São Gonçalinho, or “our little boy” as he is better known around here, fill the streets and canals of Aveiro, the Beira-Mar neighborhood is the scene of countless traditions and everyone, without exception, is invited to take part in them. These festivities are always held around January 10, as it’s called “Saint’s Day” – the day the saint died – and date back to the 18th century when the fishermen of the Beira-Mar neighborhood erected a chapel dedicated to São Gonçalo de Amarante. Initially modest, the festivities have grown in importance over the years.
The most characteristic and fun ritual is undoubtedly throwing the famous cavacas – typical sugar-coated sweets – from the top of the chapel and catching them any way you can! Either with upside-down umbrellas, fishing nets or, for the bravest, with their bare hands. In addition to this ritual, there are others that characterize these festivities, such as the handing over of the bouquet of artificial flowers to the stewards in charge of the following year’s pilgrimage, or even the Dancça dos Mancos, performed inside the chapel. This dance is performed by a group of men who, pretending to be lame and disabled, move around in a circle, limping and dancing to the sound of popular songs sung by themselves.
These are all traditions that bring hundreds of people together in the historic center. Here, promises are made to the patron saint of Beira-Mar and toasts are made to the city, to friendship and to the perpetuation of traditions.
Don’t miss the chance to go out, laugh, celebrate and enjoy one of the biggest festivities in the city of Aveiro, and of course, some sweet cavacas! 😊
You can see the whole program on the Mordomia de S. Gonçalinho facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/mordomiasaogoncalinho