In this village of Ponte de Lima, the beat is made with women’s scarves on their heads and to the sound of violins

In the village of Vitorino das Donas, Ponte de Lima, a centuries-old tradition dictates that the elements that make up the Easter compass wear women’s scarves on their heads and are accompanied by an orchestra featuring the sound of violins.

And this year, the tradition was fulfilled again.

“There is no specific date for the beginning of the tradition, but it arose from the prohibition of men wearing hats during religious acts. On hot days, as usually happens around Easter, to protect themselves from the sun, the men who kiss the cross began to wear women’s scarves or ‘cachenés’ tied at the back of their necks”, explained the parish priest of Vitorino das Donas, Paulo Gomes, in an interview with Lusa in 2018.

The steward of the cross “carries a white linen towel across his chest, symbolizing the altar of the church”.

Another particularity of that event, which takes place over two days – Sunday and Easter Monday – is the musical accompaniment provided by Vitorino das Donas’ round orchestra, made up of more than 20 members.

“The round is made up of instruments, mainly string instruments, such as violins, violas, guitars and mandolins and the occasional wind instrument. The musicians are all local and play melodies in each of the houses visited by the Easter beat”, explained Paulo Gomes.

The beat “is accompanied by a crowd, with several dozen people who, from house to house, offer festive greetings”.

In addition to the butler of the cross, the parade includes two stewards of the baskets “where, in the past, offerings were collected to support the parish priest”.

“They collected eggs, cereals, among other products. Today, in the symbolic domain, only the parish of Facha continues to fulfill this tradition, collecting an apple for each house in the village. The apple, as an ancient symbol of sin, overcome by the resurrection of Christ”, stated the priest.

The boys at the boiler (container with holy water), the bell and the foot of the cross (a wooden structure that allows the cross to be fixed when the compass stops at a house), all wearing scarves on their heads, are other elements that make up the compass pascal.

Another characteristic, which is not exclusive to this region, is that, every two years, a meeting of the crosses of Vitorino das Donas and Facha takes place, in an area where the two territories intersect.

The meeting, which symbolizes the fraternal relationship between the two villages, “is held in a public space where butlers exchange their respective crosses and baskets”.