ℰ𝓃𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 ℳ𝑜𝓊𝓇𝒶

23 y/o ♱ Portuguese woman ♱ Catholic ♱ Mass of the Ages ♱ Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Fátima, pray for us 🕊️

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“Ceifeira” (Reaper)

Alentejo, Portugal (1944–1946)

📷 Artur Pastor

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Ouro Português Tradicional – Traditional Portuguese Gold II

The Arrecadas of Viana are today one of the greatest symbols of traditional Portuguese jewellery and of the cultural identity of the Minho region. Their history is long and deeply rooted in the traditions of the North, going back well before the period when Brazilian gold began to arrive in Portugal and fuel the production of ornaments. However, their origin reaches deep into ancient times: they are considered descendants of the so-called Castro earrings (“arrecadas castrejas”), worn from the Iron Age to the Bronze Age period, within the hillfort (castro) culture of north-western Iberia, and found in those settlements and necropolises. These pre-Roman communities were influenced by the Mediterranean peoples, especially the Phoenicians and the Punics, who introduced new techniques and decorative motifs. Gold was worked with filigree, granulation and geometric patterns, producing pieces that quickly became symbols of prestige and identity—among them, the quarter-moon earrings, torcs and bracelets stood out.

In those early times, they were not merely ornaments, they carried a strong symbolism associated with the sun, the moon and fertility. The castro elites wore them not only to adorn the body, but also to assert rank and power, serving both as a sign of belonging to a community and as a mark of social prestige, embedding them in a world of beliefs that saw gold as incorruptible matter and therefore endowed with protective properties. Over the centuries, the crescent form, linked to the moon and protective powers, endured in the material memory of the region. With the Roman presence and later with the Christianisation of the region, the magical and religious meaning of the arrecadas shifted, but the semicircular form survived in popular jewellery.

In the city of Viana do Castelo, from the early modern period onwards, the arrecadas and other type of earrings became central to the local women’s attire. Now they are adorned with distinctive features such as the “window,” the “pelican,” or the “bambolina” (little doll, in Italian) in their crescent-shaped form with the respective little bells, always in an odd number, which are believed to have the virtue of warding off evil spirits. Within Minho society, the arrecadas acquired a very particular value. They were an indispensable part of the bride’s adornment and a symbol of family wealth, passed down from generation to generation as a precious heirloom. For example, at fairs and in important transactions, Minho women displayed them in abundance to demonstrate that they did not sell out of need, but out of prosperity. The absence of earrings, on the contrary, was associated with poverty or misfortune. These arrecadas were typically given on key occasions in life, such baptism, first communion, and marriage, and they were part of the Vianesa costume, worn in religious festivities and pilgrimages such as the Romaria de Nossa Senhora d’Agonia.

Over time, these jewels crossed social and cultural boundaries. What had been born of popular Minho craftsmanship was gradually adopted by the privileged classes, in a rare reversal of the usual trend. Today they continue to be recreated by goldsmiths of Viana do Castelo, preserving ancestral techniques while also being reinvented in contemporary forms. More than mere ornaments, they are living fragments of Portugal’s history, testimonies of a dialogue between Castro antiquity, baroque filigree, and the immense pride of the women of Minho.

The earrings in the bottom left corner:

Arrecadas from Carreço (Viana do Castelo), dating from the iberian Iron Age period (5th to 2nd centuries BC). Acquired in 1905, and currently displayed at the National Archaeological Museum in Lisbon

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Portal principal da igreja de S. Pedro de Rates | Main portal of the church of St. Peter of Rates (Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal)

The portal features five archivolts resting on colonnettes with profusely decorated capitals. In the tympanum, it displays the figure of Christ Pantocrator, set within a mandorla and flanked by two figures (prophets) trampling two other figures, most likely Judas and the heretic Arius. The voussoirs of the archivolts depict apostles and angels, while the capitals display mythical animals, mermaids, distorted human figures, masks, and other motifs.

The iconographic programme of the main portal, although drastically reduced, remains one of the most comprehensive examples of the Romanesque art in portuguese territory.

Photo by Vítor Ribeiro

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Portal Sul da igreja de S. Pedro de Rates | South portal of the church of St. Peter of Rates (Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal)

The portal on the south side façade features a double archivolt, colonnettes with historiated capitals, and, in the tympanum, a bas-relief of the Agnus Dei.

Photo by Vítor Ribeiro

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Igreja de São Miguel | Church of Saint Michael (Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Portugal)

The Church of Saint Michael, is the traditional name of the Main Church of Freixo de Espada à Cinta, a town whose name literally means sword on the belt of an ash. It is situated in the Bragança district, part of the Trás-os-Montes region in Portugal.

The construction of the church began began in the 13th century during the reign of King Sancho II. However, due to financial constraints and other pressing matters of the time, the works were frequently interrupted. During the reign of King Denis I (r. 1279–1325), significant modifications were introduced, and his son, King Afonso IV, redirected part of the church’s revenues to build the town’s defensive walls. Later, in the 15th century, Kings Afonso V and John I granted the town tax exemptions to facilitate the continuation of the church’s construction. The most substantial renovation occurred under King Manuel I (r. 1495–1521), who decided to almost completely rebuild the structure, retaining only minor elements of the previous buildings. Despite these efforts, the church was only completed during the reign of King John IV (1640–1656), following the Portuguese restoration of independence.

The church is a prime example of Manueline (Portuguese late Gothic) architecture, characterised by rich and symbolic decorative elements. The main portal features a flattened arch adorned with rosettes and is flanked by columns topped with finials. The side door’s frame is attributed to João de Castilho, a court architect during the Manueline period who resided in the region for two years. The interior follows the 'hall church' typology, with three naves separated by cylindrical columns and covered by ribbed vaulting, reminiscent of the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon. The keystones of the vaults bear the royal arms of King Manuel I, crosses of the Order of Christ, and armillary spheres. In the main chapel, there is the remarkable set of sixteen panels attributed to the school of Grão Vasco, dated between 1520 and 1535, depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary and the Passion of Christ (depicted above, from left to right: the Nativity; the Epiphany; the Flight into Egypt). Originally part of a large altarpiece, these artworks were dismantled during the Baroque period, but many of the panels have survived and are now displayed on the side walls of the chancel. Additionally, the church houses Baroque gilded altarpieces, Manueline sculptures, and a Gothic tomb set within an arcosolium.

[sedesapostolica]

Pope Leo XIV prays at the tomb of his predecessor Pope Francis.

[traumacatholic]

"Habemus Papam! We have a Pope!

The Cardinals gathered in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel have elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Pope, who took the name Pope Leo XIV."

[catie-does-things]

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Capela dos Ossos | Chapel of Bones (Évora, Portugal)

The Chapel of Bones, annexed to the Church and Convent of São Francisco (St. Francis) in Évora, is one of Portugal’s most striking Baroque ossuaries. Erected in the 17th century, it followed the model then in vogue, clearly inspired by ossuaries in Italy and Bohemia, the Chapel of Bones embodies an architectural model of penance and contemplation that spread across Catholic Europe around this period.

The chapel served both a spiritual purpose and a practical necessity. Local tradition holds that three Franciscan friars from Galicia arrived in Évora around 1224, and brought with them the Franciscan spirit of humility and reflection rooted in the teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi. Thus, in the 17th century, the chapel was erected in the place where the friars' dormitory and praying room used to be. It is a dark space deliberately, where the natural light only enters through three narrow windows on the left side. Within Catholic devotion, the Chapel of Bones holds a special significance as a site for Lenten pilgrimage and for veneration of the image of “Senhor dos Passos” (Our Lord of the Steps), known locally as Senhor Jesus da Casa dos Ossos (Lord Jesus of the Chapel of Bones). This figure, depicting Christ’s agony on the way to Calvary, enhances the atmosphere of penitence and devotion within the chapel.

Conversely, the chapel also offered a solution to an urgent practical issue: the overcrowding of monastic burial grounds. At the time, the city’s numerous convents had accumulated human remains in forty-two monastic cemeteries, occupying valuable space. To make better use of that land, the bones were exhumed and relocated to serve a new, symbolic function, becoming the decorative and structural fabric of this unique chapel. The walls, arches and eight pillars that make it up are covered with thousands of human bones and skulls, carefully arranged with geometric precision and held together with brown cement. The frescoes decorating the vaulted ceiling, dating from 1810, feature a variety of symbols illustrated by biblical passages and others featuring the instruments of the Passion of Christ. In addition to the bones, the chapel is also decorated with religious statues and Renaissance and Baroque style paintings.

The epitaph above the entrance, “Nós ossos que aqui estamos, pelos vossos esperamos” (We bones that here do lie, for yours do we bide), sets the tone for the experience that follows, summing up the chapel’s purpose as a memento mori. In fact, the Bone Chapel is supposed to leave a lasting impression on the visitors, with the intention of provoking through the imagery alluding to death, compelling us to pause from worldly distractions, to reflect on the transience of earthly life and the consequent commitment to a permanent Christian experience—these themes were also in tune with the spirit of the religious counter-reformation, according to the norms of the Council of Trent. Overall, it is estimated that there are around 5,000 human skulls found there, among countless bones, decorating this monument of penitential architecture.

There's an old tale that used to explain the presence of the two mummified bodies hanging on the chapel wall. For centuries, it was believed that these bodies belonged to a father and son who had mistreated the mother. On her deathbed, she had supposedly cursed them so that their bodies would never decompose. However, a scientific investigation conducted in 2014, revealed that the remains in fact belong to an adult female, aged between 30 and 50, and a young girl of around two and a half years. The woman exhibited signs of poor oral health, including the loss of several teeth before death, and suffered from degenerative conditions common for her age. Although, the reason why they were specifically hung on the walls still remains a mystery. After centuries hanging from chains, the bodies suffered from vandalism and deterioration. So, during the recent restoration work that followed the scientific research, the mummies were carefully conserved and are to this day displayed in glass sarcophagi. This not only aids in their preservation but also allows for a more respectful presentation.

[withercat22]

Requiescat in Pace, Pope Francis.

Pray for the repose of his soul.

[resplendentmackerelsky]

Incredibly ironic last tweet from the pope

[lilaccatholic]

How beautiful that he has entered into life eternal the day after the most glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ ❤️

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Paleo-Christian Epitaphs of Silveirona (Early Iberian Christians)

Photograph taken during an archeological site in May 1934, to some of the archaeological and osteological remains of the late paleo-Christian necropolis of Silveirona (Portugal), including two gravestones with Christian epitaphs.

Latin transcriptions with the respective Portuguese and English translations: «SABINVS VOR H(onestu)S VIXIT ANNOS LXXV REQ(uie)VIT IN PACE Đ(ie) III IDVS MARTIAS ERA ĐLV» English: “Sabinus, an honest (respectable) man, lived 75 years. Rested in the peace of the Lord on the 3rd day of the Ides of March of 555 ERA* (= March 13 in the year 517).” Portuguese: “Sabinus, homem honesto (notável), viveu 75 anos. Repousou na paz do Senhor no 3° dia dos Idos de Março de 555 ERA (= 13 de Março do ano de 517).” At the bottom: «✠ TALÃSA FAMO[sic]LA DEI VIXSIT [sic] ANNOS XLIIII ET REQVIE(vi)T IN PACE XV CALE(ndas) SEPTEMBRES ERA DLXXXII» “Talassa, servant of God, lived 44 years and rested in peace on the 15th day of the Kalends of September of 582 ERA (= 18 August 544)”. “Talassa, serva de Deus, viveu 44 anos e repousou em paz no 15º dia das Calendas de Setembro de 582 ERA (= 18 de Agosto de 544)”

The paleo-Christian necropolis of Silveirona is located in the parish of Santo Estevão, in Estremoz (Alentejo), is one of the sites that better illustrates the transition between the Roman funerary customs to the emerging Christian practices during Late Antiquity, still deeply rooted in the Hispano-Roman traditions. Discovered by chance in 1934 and excavated by the Portuguese archaeologist Manuel Heleno, the site consists of two distinct areas: a Roman necropolis (mid-2nd century to the 4th/5th century), and another necropolis that features early Christian inscriptions and dates from the first half of the 6th century.

Example of a funeral plaque from the 1st-2nd century AD, that was reused and found in a tomb in the said Paleo-Christian necropolis:

Latin transcription: «LABERIA GALLI • F(ília) • CATVLLA • AN(norum) • LV (quinquaginta quinque) • H(ic) • S(ita) • E(st) S(it) • T(ibi) • T(erra) • L(evis)» Eng: “Here lies Laberia Catula, daughter of Gallus, aged fifty-five. May the earth be light to you”.

Through the epitaph, the Roman wished to perpetuate her name, because he thought that, somehow, he would continue to live in an underground world (pagan belief). May the earth be light upon you (phrase also found in the other tombstones), was the wish naturally expressed by whoever read the tombstone in her memory.

*ERA is abbreviation of the Hispanic Era. In addition to the Julian calendar, the Iberian Peninsula also used this calendar, introduced 38 BC, and fell into disuse with the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar (late middle ages).

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Paleo-Christian Epitaphs of Mértola (Early Iberian Christians)

At the end of the 19th century, archaeological excavations, particularly in the Rossio do Carmo area, uncovered traces of a Paleochristian basilica in Mértola, whose structure—featuring columns, capitals, mosaics, and funerary stones—dates from approximately the 5th to the 8th century. In the Basilica’s necropolis, several funerary graves were found with epitaphic inscriptions predominantly in Latin, sometimes adorned with early Christian iconography, such as the cross pattée (✠), the Chi-Rho (☧), the dove 🕊️, the palm leaf 🌴, and other geometric motifs.

Latin transcriptions with the English translations of the paleo-Christian epitaphs (left to right): i – Andreas famvlvs Dei princeps cantorvm sacrosancte aeclisiae Mertilliane vixit annos XXXVI reqvievet in pace svb die terteo kalendas Aprilies era DLX trisis 𝛂☧ω Eng: “Andreas, servant of God, prince of singers* of the sacrosanct Mertiliana Church, lived 36 years, rested in peace on the 3rd day before the Kalends of April, in the year of 563 ERA** [which in our calendar corresponds to the 30th of March, 525 AD]” *literally, “chief singer”, i.e., leader or main singer of the choir. **ERA is abbreviation of the Hispanic Era. In addition to the Julian calendar, the Iberian Peninsula also used this calendar, introduced 38 BC, and fell into disuse with the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar (late middle ages). ii) Festellus famulus dei vixit annos VI sex requiev[i]t in pace d[i]e VII Kalendas Martias [a]era DLXV hora pro me Eng: “Festellus, [male] servant of God, lived 66 years, rested in peace on the 7th Kal. Mar. 565 ERA [23 February 527 AD]. Pray for me!” iii – Fistellvs ❧ v[ir] ❧ hon[es]t[v]s ❧ vixit ❧ an[nos] ❧ LXX ❧ req[v]ievit ❧ in pace ❧ d[ie] ❧ VIII ❧ kal[endas] ❧ decem[bres] ❧ era DXLVIII ✠ Eng: “Fistellus (or, Eistellus), an honest man, lived 70 years, rested in peace on the 8th Kal. Dec. 548 ERA [24 November 510 AD]” iv) For[t]vnata famvla dei vixit annos XXII, reqvievit in pace d[ei] V Kal[endas] Ianvarias [a]er[a] DLXV ☧ Eng: “Fortunata, [female] servant of God, lived for 22 years, rested in the peace of the Lord on the 5th Kal. Jan. 565 ERA [28 December 527 AD]” v) Cyprianus famulus dei vixit annos XXX requievit in pace die VIII Kal[endas] Septemb[res] [a]era DLXX quinq[ue] Eng: “Cyprianus, [male] servant of God, lived 30 years, rested in peace on the 8th Kal. Sep. 575 ERA [25 August 537 AD]” vi – Orania p[ha]mvl[a] D[e]i vixit ann[os] t[r]es reqvievit in pace d[ie] Idvs Novemb[res] era DXL AS Eng: “Orania, servant of God, lived 3 years, rested in peace on the 12th ides of Nov. 540 ERA [2 November 502] anno suo [in her own year]” vii) ✠ Rufina relegiosa famvla XPi vixit an[nos] p[lus] m[inus] XXXXV reqvievit in pace D[omi]n[i] d[ie] V kal[endas] octob[res] era DCXXV Eng: “Rufina, a religious servant of Christ [i.e., a nun], lived for more or less 45 years, rested in the peace of the Lord on the 5th Kal. Oct. 625 ERA [27 September 587 AD). viii) ☧ Amanda fam[vl]a XPi vixit annos plvs min[v]s XXXII menses V reqvievit in pace D[omi]ni svb d[ie] VII Kal[endas] Mart[ias] era DLXXXII Eng: “Amanda, [female] servant of Christ, lived for more or less 32 years and 5 months, rested in the peace of the Lord, in the 7th Kal. Mar. 582 ERA [23 February 544 AD]” ix) Aianes hon[esta] fem[ina] fam[vla] d[e]i vixit annos pl[v]s m[inv]s XXVIII reqvievit in pace d[omi]ni d[ie] V Non[as] Ivlias [a]era DLXI AS ❦ Eng: “Aianes, honest woman, servant of God, lived for more or less 28 years, rested in the peace of the Lord on the 5th Nones of Jul. 561 ERA [3 July 523 AD] anno suo [in her own year]” Latin text marks: Fleuron/Hedera (punctuation) – ❧ ❦ Christian symbols – ✠ ☧ 𝛂 ω

Due to its strategic location on the banks of the Guadiana river, this former Phoenician trading port was named Myrtilis Iulia, under Roman rule. This municipium (town) became a dynamic entrepôt for the extraction and trade of minerals and agricultural products, while the land and river routes allowed connections with other regions of the Iberian Peninsula and the Mediterranean.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the town became under Visigothic rule, a period during which Christianity was consolidated in the region. Built next to the old Roman road that connected the town to the city of Beja, the Church of Mertill or Mertilliana, was revered as a major ecclesiastical institution with special status (see the Andreas epitaph).

During the Islamic rule of the Iberian Peninsula, the city became known as Mārtulah, and was eventually reconquered by the Christians in 1238 – and thus, finally becoming its current name post-Reconquista, that is, Mértola. The mosque was reconverted and renamed into the Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation, which was subsequently granted to the Order of Santiago.

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Frescos da Villa Romana de S. Cucufate | Roman Villa of St. Cucuphas’ frescoes (Alentejo, Portugal)

17th-century frescoes inside the chapel of the Medieval convent at the Roman villa of São Cucufate (from left to right): i) Interior of the chapel, showing the “fake” altarpiece painted on the main altar (executed by the Évora artist José de Escovar), and other decorative elements, such as the several angels playing music and symbols of the Sun, while the surrounding walls covered with portraits of saints by unknown authors; ii) Fresco representing Saint Didacus of Alcalá; iii) Fresco representing Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Benedict; iv) Fresco representing Saint Anthony with the Baby Jesus. AR 3D model-viewer: https://globaldigitalheritage.org/model/frescos-at-medieval-convent-sao-cucufate-port/

The Roman Villa of Saint Cucuphas, located in Vila de Frades within Portugal's Vidigueira municipality, stands as one of the country's most significant Roman archaeological sites in the country. The site's origins trace back to the late Neolithic period, with evidence suggesting early human activity. However, the establishment of the Roman villa occurred around the 1st century AD, and expanded significantly in the 4th century, transforming into a two-story palatial residence. It includes two main sections, the pars rustica (production areas) and the pars urbana (the owner's residence).

Following the decline of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the site was abandoned, but continuously inhabited by the subsequent occupation of the Visigothic and Moorish people. During this time, the site was occupied and adapted into a Christian basilica (discovery of Visigothic Paleo-Christian graves nearby), that was probably consecrated to Saint Cucuphas (Cucufate, in Portuguese), a holy martyr executed in 304, in Catalonia (in modern-day Spain), during the Diocletian persecutions. According to various traditions, his remains were brought to Portugal by two monks, Paulo and Secundino, who buried the saint's body in a cave near the villa.

In the following centuries, the site was occupied by two Christian monasteries dedicated to the saint, founded at different times and with churches built in different locations within the ruins. The first church was built between the 9th and 10th centuries, during the Muslim occupation, and the second was built in the 13th century, after the Christian reconquest (Reconquista). The last church remained in use until the 18th century, and still retains some Roman architectural elements.

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Santinhos or Registos (“little saints” or “Records”) — Portuguese Catholic Traditions, Feasts & Devotions II

From left to right:

i) Crucefixo (Crucifix) – print covered with green velvet, paper flowers and pearls, braids; ii) Cristo (Christ) – print covered with plain grosgrain fabric, embroidered with gold thread and beads, gold braids, and cord. from: Fatela, Paulo – Mão com Alma, artes e ofícios tradicionais em Coruche, ed. Associação da Charneca Ribatejana, 2014, pp. 17-18. Photo credits: Carlos M. Silva

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Santinhos or Registos (“little saints” or “Records”) — Portuguese Catholic Traditions, Feasts & Devotions I

From left to right:

(i) Santíssima Virgem (Blessed Virgin) – an antique laced print from 1901, made of natural damask, embroidered with silk, sequins, gold thread, gold canutilho (purl) and golden braid; (ii) Santo Ambrósio (Saint Ambrose) – a print attributed to the 17th century, made of cotton damask, embroidered with silk, sequins, gold thread, gold canutilho and golden braid; (iii) Santa Ana e Nª Srª encimadas por anjos (Saint Anne and Our Lady, crowned by angels) – a print made of natural damask, embroidered with silk, sequins, gold thread, gold canutilho and golden braid; (iv) Santa Emília, virgem mártir (Saint Emmelia [of Caesarea], virgin martyr) – a water-coloured print attributed to the 17th century. The image is encircled by flowers in a patra serrated pattern on natural damask, embroidered with sequins, gold thread, gold canutilho and stones, recovered from an antique piece. from: Fatela, Paulo – Mão com Alma, artes e ofícios tradicionais em Coruche, ed. Associação da Charneca Ribatejana, 2014, pp. 17-18. Photo credits: Carlos M. Silva

~*•°.♱.°•*~

The Santinhos or Registos are devotional prints that represent an important expression of popular religious practice in Portugal. Originally derived from the miniatures or illuminations found in medieval manuscripts, these images—typically depicting God, Our Lady, and the saints—were cut out from worn pages and repurposed as devotional objects. With the advent of the printing press in the 15th century, it became possible to produce these registos on paper using techniques such as woodcut, engraving, and lithography, thus enabling their widespread distribution at an affordable price.

These objects of devotion not only served to adorn homes and shrines but also functioned as protective symbols and markers of significant life events (such as baptisms, first communions, and other religious ceremonies), as well as accompanying festivities and pilgrimages. Over the centuries, the registos have maintained their essentially devotional character, while today they also boast a strong decorative appeal, blending traditional techniques and materials with more contemporary designs.

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“A leitura da sina do Menino Jesus” (Reading the Fate of the Christ Child) by Josefa de Óbidos, 1667. Painting acquired by the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum, MI USA.