It’s a party in Soure, but I’m too early. At 10 in the morning it’s not a party yet, everyone is still recovering from the night before. And it looks like it was quite a night!
September 19 is the birthday of Saint Matthew
The special Saint of Soure. One of Jesus’ friends. Unlike “our Saint” (the dutch Saint Nicolas, who gives presents to the children on the 5th of December) he doesn’t hand out presents. Perhaps not so strange, because he started his career as a tax collector. There’s no handing out in collecting tax most of the time. Tax collectors weren’t popular in Jesus’ time either. That’s probably why he accepted the invitation to become an apostle, who knows.
He must have been inspiring, apparently, given the works of art that bear his name. The Matteus Passion is one of the most famous (J.S. Bach), the paintings of Anthony van Dyck or Carvaggio are admired by many people, Michelangelo started a statue of him (but never finished it), and Pasolini made a film about his gospel.
Somewhere in the north of Portugal, near Vila Real, there is a place called Mateus but they didn’t name him as their patron saint. Soure did.
That is because a hermit, Rício, built a temple in the 12th century not far from Soure, and called it after Saint Matthew. King Manuel I restored it in the 16th century and expanded into a nice little chapel. Manuel the First had a very unique style, which you can see throughout the country, because he was also quite productive. Or inspirational, or dictatorial, who will tell …
By the way, the little chapel is not far from that nice little lake, near Paleão (if you don’t know what this is about, you should click through). Soure prides itself on being Terra dos Templários, the Order of the Knights Templar – just so you know. Anyway, most of the partygoers in Soure probably don’t know anything about this, and they probably don’t care. The festivities last almost a week these days.
There’s a funfair, lots of performances, lots of food and drinks, lots of chatting and laughing. Standard items are “Onion Market” “Wood Market” “Nut Market”. My highlight was the “Ceramics Market”, check it out:
Soure does quite a lot for its citizens, I have to give the municipality credit for that. A week of festivities, with a funfair, good food & drinks, performances every day, nice things to take home – great.
Credits photos: https://smateus.com/
The nicest thing is the belief (superstition?) that the weather on September 19, the real birthday of Matthew, predicts the weather for the coming winter. So if it is rainy, it will be a wet winter. If the sun is shining, a sunny one. A bit cloudy with a good sun in between: a mixed winter.
The last ones are the best, by the way, then it will not be too wet, and not too cold. Last September 19th the sun was shining brightly.
We’ll keep you informed!
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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.
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