1. EASTER TRADITIONS IN PORTUGAL
PÁSCOA
Centro Escolar de Portela

2. In this time of the year we celebrate the rising of
Jesus from the death.
The Resurrection Day is celebrated after 40 days
from Carnival, the beggining of the Lent.

3. RELIGION
Braga in the north of Portugal has a festive atmosphere
during the “Semana Santa”(Holy Week). The Ecce
Homo Procession on Good Friday, led by the Farricocos
(barefoot men in tunics with hoods) ,is one of the most
peculiar parts of the Portuguese religious tradition.

4. On Easter Sunday, church bells woke up people to
announce Jesus ressurrection, people went to the mess
and then went back home to wait for the priest.
Everybody received the priest at home so that the
whole family and the house itself could be blessed with
holy water. All people used to kiss the holy cross.

5. All streets were beautifully decorated with
flowers on the floor and the richer people used
to put at the windows rich embroidery
coverlets.

6. EATING TRADITION
In Easter the tradition is eating almonds and
chocolate eggs.
“Pão de Ló”, a traditional cake..

7. THE “FOLAR”
In Portugal, godparents and godmothers always
offer a “folar”, the Portuguese Easter cake, to
godchildren in tribute to the feast of
Ressurrection of Jesus.
“Folar” recipe:
Ingredients:1 kg flour, 5 dl of milk, 250 gr butter or margarine, Salt, 35 gr of
bakers ferment, 1 spoon of coffee of herbsweet, 100 gr of sugar, 3 eggs, 1
teaspoon of cinnamon.

8. PREPARATION OF THE “FOLAR
Dissolve the ferment in some warm milk and, with 200 flour gr, make a
mass. Let to leaven .
Work the remaining flour with the eggs, the sugar and the milk, until
obtaining a very light mass, with plenty of body. Add the margarine
later, salt, to herb-candy and the cinnamon.
Work well the mass and, finally, join it the ferment that was to leaven.
Work the mass until it comes off of the hands and of the alguidar(
plastic pot). Cover with a cloth and let to leaven during 2 at 5 hours in
warm place.
After that time, divide the mass in balls and flatten them. On each one
it places 1 or more hard eggs, according to the size of the base of the
mass.
Hold the eggs with some mass ribbons. Paint with a brush with egg
yolk and cook in hot oven.

9. THE EASTER SUNDAY LUNCH
Apart from Christmas Lunch , we can say that Easter
Lunch is the most important meal of Portuguese
Christians. Traditionally, on Easter Sunday, we have a
meat plate: generally kidgoat or lamb, but a lot of times
also Pig (roasted pig or ham).
In some areas they include in Easter menu a stuffed pie
of several meats and eggs.

10. Visited sites:
www.esec-eca-queiros-lsb.rcts.pt/.../festival.html
www.traditions.no.sapo.pt/portuguese_easter.htm
www.at1ce.org/themenreihe.p?c=Ceremonies
www.visitportugal.com