Portugal Traditions for Easter

mcoelho813
Oct 6
3 min read

Updated: Oct 22

How is Holy Week Celebrated in Portugal?

Ovoa, Church in Santa Comba Dao, Portugal

Domingo de Ramos = a bunch of flowers or bouquet, usually rosemary, bay leaf, olive, (bouquet of GOOD LUCK)

The village people gather

In the street

The priest prays and blesses the Ramos, then he leads the procession to the church

He performs a regular mass

He told us

If there is a bad storm, burn some of the bouquet,s then use the ashes for Ash Wednesday

Palm Sunday

As Jesus entered Jerusalem, people waved palm branches and threw them in front of him as he rode a donkey into town. Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter in the Christian religion. The palm branch is a symbol of victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life. Palm branches were considered symbols of victory and triumph at the time.

In Portugal, there is a tradition of godparents offering a folar/ Easter Bread to their godchildren. The godchildren are supposed to gift their Godparents almonds or flowers on Palm Sunday.

Architectural detail of a church building with cross, statues, and balconies. Portugal Travel

How is Easter celebrated in Portugal?

Good Friday (Sexta-feira Santa) and Easter Sunday (Páscoa) are both national holidays in Portugal and the main days of the annual festivities.

Easter is an important holiday in Portugal. Families attend Church, visit the cemetery, and then go home to gather and enjoy a large meal together. The lunchtime meal is usually a lamb stew. During Holy Week and Easter Sunday, the Portuguese people participate in processions and family dinners on Easter Sunday. Godparents share gifts with their children. It is customary for Godchildren to give their Godparents candy or flowers on Palm Sunday. The Godparents give their Godchildren candy on Easter. Easter lunch is a big meal usually consisting of lamb stew. The Portuguese enjoy Easter bread after their meal, called Folar.

Here is the recipe for Easter bread

Ingredients

1 kg flour
250 g softened margarine
100 g sugar
3 boiled eggs + 3 eggs
3 dl warm milk
11 g dry baker's yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fennel
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Beaten egg for brushing
Flour for sprinkling

Preparation

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Pour the flour onto the table, make a hollow circle inside the flour like a volcano, add the salt, fennel, cinnamon, sugar, margarine, eggs, and yeast mixture, mix well and knead the dough until it comes loose from the table and your hands. Make a ball of dough, place it in a bowl dusted with flour, cover it with a linen cloth, and leave it to rise in a warm place until it triples in volume.

2. Put the dough again onto the table, and set aside 300 g of dough. Shape the remaining dough into a ball, flatten it out, place it on the greased baking tray, place the hard-boiled eggs on top, and press them down a little. Shape the remaining dough into rolls and cover the eggs. I like to make the bread look like a braid. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise for another 30 minutes.

3. Beat an egg. Brush all the dough with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool.

What is the importance of almonds at Easter?

Almonds, better known as amêndoas in Portugal, are a traditional treat during Easter. They represent the resurrection or spring fertility. Godparents often give their Godchildren almonds for Easter. Amêndoas are available in many variations: chocolate-covered, sugar-coated, candy-coated, and colorful. They can be purchased in bakeries, grocery stores, and bookstores.