Did you know that there are more than 30,000 saints? I would never have thought of it, pagan that I am, if I hadn’t seen a pop-up shop in one of the small alleys in the heart of Coimbra, selling beautiful kitsch clothing.
Specially for the occasion of one of those Saints birthdays, it seemed
Curious, I poke my nose around the corner and ask: “Excuse me for being curious, but has this become a theater clothing store?” I had a medieval festival in mind. There are plenty of them everywhere in the summer. Very fun, lots of people dressed up, you get your food in a wooden bowl with a wooden spoon, and if you’re lucky there will be duels on horses.
The senhora smiles and answers friendly: “No, this is especially for the processions of Santa Rainha Isabel. From July 4 to 14 there are processions and festivities, and especially children dress up. Much like little angels.” I look around again and enjoy the gold trim, embellished collars, and lace headgear. I probably would have loved this when I was a kid (still do now, by the way). Too bad I didn’t grow up portuguese!
The story of Santa Rainha Isabel is special, and testifies to different mores and different times. Because she gave food to the poor, her husband (not a saint, not even holier then thou) accused her of stealing food from the royal kitchen.
Imagine, from your own kitchen! Your own husband, your own fella! Who is responsible for those poor people! We can call that different mores, for sure. Fortunately, there still was the divine hand – the Deus ex machina – that intervened and quickly turned the “stolen” food into roses. Sweetly scented roses fell from her apron, and her husband had nothing more to say.
Later, when son Afonso had grown up and thought he would like to take over his father’s job, the same fella had objections to that. Nowadays we would have heated discussions about this, about patriarchy, toxic masculinity, social inequality, inheritance law, death tax and so on, but back then things were still fairly simple: son grows up, father has to ef off, and mother only has to be sweet.
This mother was apparently not just sweet, but a woman with a warm heart and a spicey character, which you could already tell from that “stolen” food for the poor.
Now that her son was challenged by her husband, for a duel of all things, nothing like a loving father who would do anything for his child, she became pissed. “Take me first, if you dare,” she apparently said, “do you dare, against such a child? Come on, take me on first, if you have the guts!” as she drove her horse among them.
You can conclude from the story that it happened more or less like this, probably in slightly different terms, because if she had been such a petulant, weepy saint, she would probably have laid herself on top of her son, crying and calling for her husband to kill her first.
All respect to Santa Rainha Isabel, because apparently she was the First Feminist Saint!
(The Pope probably didn’t know the whole story.)
I suspect that most people who participate in these processions have a slightly different view on this … but that’s okay, because Rainha Santa Isabel anyhow gets the credit she’s due. It seems to be a splendor of a procession, going from the monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova (another, non-competing, much more traditional saint, adept of Saint Francis) to the bridge over the Mondego.
It’s quite impressive, because the procession back to the monastery takes place in silence.
That’s what protest groups today should try. Makes a much more impression than that strange shouting they always do. Shouting the same thing all the time seems quite tiring to me. On the bridge, there are fireworks to celebrate Santa Rainha Isabel’s birthday.
Anyway, both Santas in this story are good friends, it seems, and don’t get in each other’s way.
That’s how it should be – saints among themselves, right?
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We moved here in 2000 from Rotterdam, Holland to the Termas-da-Azenha, Portugal.
A big step, especially with two small children.
We are busy to rebuild one of portugals cultural heirlooms: Termas-da-Azenha, an old spa which has been turned into several holiday houses, rooms and a campsite.
You’ll find mosaics and paintings everywhere.
Since 2018 we call ourselves the first B&B&B in the world – Bed & Breakfast & Bathrobes. You can buy a home-made unique bathrobe/housecoat with us.
Each week a little blog about what is happening around us. An easy read. A few minutes in another world. A little about what it going on in Portugal. If you plan your holiday to Portugal, it might be a nice preparation
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