Village in the municipality of Castro Verde maintains tradition of “rattling” houses at Easter

The Easter tradition of “Hallelujah Saturday” remains alive in São Marcos da Ataboeira, in the municipality of Castro Verde (Beja), where around 30 people will return this year to rattle through the village houses.

The initiative, organized by the Parish Council together with the group “Amigos da Aleluia”, dates back to the middle of the last century, always taking place on the Saturday before Easter.

«It’s a beautiful tradition, the only one that exists in the municipality of Castro Verde and that continues to be dynamic and active, in which people end up being anxious every year, waiting» for it to happen, the president of the Board told Lusa agency from Sara Saturnino Parish.

The mayor reinforced that this is «a very different and very interesting tradition», which means that many people from São Marcos da Ataboeira also visit the village on this day, «with the aim of watching and ensuring that the Alleluia continues».

According to tradition, on “Hallelujah Saturday” a group of people get together “at dawn”, walking around the village and the rest of the Alentejo parish.

During the tour, participants enter houses, shaking the rattles in their hands, always leaving through a different door.

“Legends say that [esta tradição] it brings good things and blesses the house if the group ‘rattles’ it inside», explained Sara Saturnino, adding: «People are very keen to open the door to the group, so that it can rattle inside their homes».

Then, in São Marcos da Ataboeira, the “Amigos da Aleluia” head to the village church, entering through one door and leaving through another, and then walk nine laps around the building, always ‘rattling’.

At the end, participants sing a song to São Marcos, patron saint of the parish.

In the beginning, this tradition was ‘reserved’ for men, but now «there are already women and children who ‘rattle’ the hallelujah», observed the president of the parish council.

Furthermore, he continued, “he has already joined [ao grupo] a whole series of younger people, who are also interested in continuing the tradition and have been quite dynamic and active».

This year, “Hallelujah Saturday” in the parish of São Marcos da Ataboeira begins at 7:00 am, passing through the towns of Figueirinha, Guerreiro and Salto.

At 9:00 am, the group begins the street in São Marcos da Ataboeira, with entry to the church scheduled for 11:00 am.