Candlemas in Mourão

This weekend has been Mourão's biggest celebration of the year, in honour of Our Lady of Light, the patron saint. Woken early both days with loud firecrackers, and a firework display last night. It's now our eighth time being part of it, and the biggest yet. The town has been absolutely packed. We couldn't get into church this morning.

Police on magnificent horses, brass band, the archbishop under a canopy (which Cecílio helped carry, grinning away, as he does), little girls dressed as Our Lady, with gold crowns on their heads, babies in pushchairs, grannies proudly showing off their grandkids, old folks with Alentejano capes and canes, teenagers clustered together, everyone carrying a candle, clouds of incense, intermittent earsplitting firecrackers.

Decided, this year, to focus on the folk lining the streets. the lights and bedspreads out of windows, and the crowds around the stone image, dressed in blue and gold. It ended with the most amazing laser and firework show, bits of which I've put on my WhatsApp status if you're interested.

Gratefuls:
- lunch out of town celebrating Ermelinda's Mum's 83rd birthday
- seeing lots of old friends, including Ricardo and his parents
- a foretaste of what it will be like when the true King rides into town

For those of you who, like me, use Blip as your third University, here an in depth look at the tradition of Candlemas, plus some lovely art.