The Pilgrims

It was sometime after the 6:30 a.m. bell that the chant started. The bells in the belfry rang every half hour at the top and bottom of the hour. Six bells had tolled and the 6:30 bell had rang. 

The tune was unfamiliar, basically a chant. The words were presumably Portuguese as that was the language spoken at Sao Pedro Catholic Church. The church itself was a white stuccoed cement building with dark brown trim, typical of all the churches on the island. The chant was followed by a few moments of silence, then words spoken aloud and further chants. Because of the cement structure, the rich sound carried to the neighbouring hotels and apartments.

A group of men ranging in age from about ten years old to upper sixties or early seventies years exited the building quietly without speaking before the bells rang 7:00 a.m. Each carried a tall wooden walking stick with a cross carved on top. They were dressed the same but at the same time, they were dressed differently. Each wore a hooded heavy cloak in dark colours, often plaid, and around each neck, a colourful scarf was tied. Some scarves were bright, some were floral, and some were dark with a bit of colour. Each wore rosary beads around their neck and each carried rosary beads in their hands. They moved as a group but with an organized formation which was directed by the mestre (leader).

Hours later, the sound of the chants carried across the city. The men were heard before they were seen. With narrow streets lined with row houses, cobblestone streets and sidewalks and without vegetation, the acoustics were what one would expect in a monestery....beautiful hollow and haunting music. 

What was witnessed, was a group of men from the same rancho (region) making their pilgrimage for Lent. By coincidence, the following day, our tour guide was a young romeiro (pilgrim) that had already completed his pilgrimage for Lent 2025. He kindly explained what the pilgrimage was about.

In 1522, the capital of Sao Miguel was Vila Franca do Campo. During the night of October 21st to October 22nd of 1522, a great earthquake struck at 2a.m. and buried a large part of the capital city. The earthquake destroyed houses, churches and the city in its entirety. At daylight, people from the mountains and farms gathered and started digging. Over 5000 lives were lost in the earthquake. Nine days later (October 29, 1522), the first procession or pilgrimage took place. Soon after, the capital of Sao Miguel was changed to Ponta Delgada.

The pilgrimages have continued for over five hundred years but the journey has changed to the season of Lent. Several ranchos or groups of romeiros train and prepare for the annual pilgrimage which always begins at Vila Franca do Campo and ends at Vila Franca do Campo. In total, each rancho walks 281 kilometres clockwise around the island in eight days with scheduled stops at one hundred and thirty one parishes. At each building, they stop and tap their walking stick on the top step before entering for a service of music and prayer.  They walk from dawn to dusk, rising at 3:00-3:30 a.m. to prepare for the day. At the end of the day at the pre-scheduled stop, they share a meal with a host family or community and find sleeping accommodations in church halls or homes. The pilgrimage is for men with deep religious convictions.

During our eight days on Sao Miguel, we witnessed three different ranchos travelling around the island on their pilgrimage. The trip to the Azores was to fast forward into spring (and by chance alone miss the ice storm) but the experience of the romeiros was a surprise that will remain in my memory for life.

Photos: Diniz Borges