Tradition of the Pilgrimage of the Ascension takes place nine kilometers to Mata do Bussaco

A nine-kilometre walk, between Casal Comba and the Mata Nacional do Bussaco, in the municipality of Mealhada, promises to revive, this Thursday, the tradition of the Pilgrimage of the Ascension, which celebrates the ascent of Jesus Christ to heaven.

“We will, as in the past, walk from the place where we live to Mata do Bussaco. We will leave Casal Comba at 09:00 and we expect to arrive at 12:00, after covering about nine kilometers on foot, with two or three short stops in between”, said Helena Cruz, from the management of Rancho Folclórica de São João de Casal Comba .

Speaking to the Lusa agency, Helena Cruz explained that more than two dozen members of the Folklore Ranch will depart from that location, some dressed up, and will be joined, spontaneously, by other people who intend to make the pilgrimage.

“During the walk we collect the bouquet of abundance, just as it was done in the past. We picked up various elements from nature such as the corncob, the poppy, the olive branch, the vine and each one has its own symbolism,” he described.

The Ascension is a festival in the religious calendar, dating back to the 4th century after Christ, which celebrates the Ascension of the Lord to Heaven, 40 days after Easter.

In Mealhada and the region, the date was celebrated at the highest post, Bussaco, with gatherings of families and friends.

The tradition will be carried out in the Mata Nacional do Bussaco, with the farnéis coming together for a shared lunch and followed by dancing in a circle and a Folklore festival, where four groups from the municipality of Mealhada will participate.

“It’s a beautiful moment of conviviality, with a tradition that we want not to be lost, despite it not being a public holiday. In the past, it was an important religious holiday and lots of people gathered to celebrate it,” he recalled.

A crafts fair will be held in the Gardens of the Palace Hotel, run by the Mata do Bussaco Foundation, which will have around four dozen stalls.

“Entrance to the Mata is free for residents of the municipality of Mealhada and neighboring municipalities, namely Mortágua, Penacova and Anadia. It is a day of conviviality, as was done in the past, in which the pilgrimage is no longer on foot, apart from the groups that try to recreate the tradition, but many people make the journey by car”, indicated the president of the Mata do Bussaco Foundation, Guilherme Duarte.

The Ascension Festival coincides with Mealhada Municipality Day, in which tribute will be paid to municipal workers who have served between 25 and 30 years of service this year.

For the president of Mealhada City Council, António Jorge Franco, this is a day of great solemnity, which he believes is the right time to publicly thank the workers for their many years of service to the community.

“Remembering the tradition of the great Pilgrimage of the Ascension, a day for families and friends to meet in this celebration of so much meaning, I leave the challenge to the people of Mealhada to revive this centuries-old tradition. Return to Bussaco and enjoy nature, the pilgrimage and the events scheduled for this date”, appealed the mayor.