Pão-por-Deus

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The Pão-por-Deus (Bread for God's sake) celebration is a Portuguese tradition celebrated all over Portugal by children up to the age of 10 or older on 1 November, the same day of Dia de Todos-os-Santos (All Saints' Day). It is the soulmass-cakes given to the poor on All Saints Day.[1] The name of this custom may vary through the many regions of the country. For instance, in and around Leiria it is known as "Dia do Bolinho" ("The day [to ask] for cake").

Customs

Bolinhos e bolinhós
Para mim e para vós,
Para dar aos finados
Que estão mortos e enterrados
À porta da vera cruz,
truz, truz
A senhora está lá dentro
Assentada num banquinho
Faz favor de vir cá fora
P'ra nos dar um tostãozinho, ou um bolinho!
[2]
Bolinhos e bolinhós
(cookies and sugary cookies)
For me and for you ,
To give to the deceased
Who are dead and buried
To the beautiful, beautiful cross
knock , knock
The lady who is inside
Sitting on a stool
Please get up
To come and give us a penny
[3]

From early in the morning (8 or 9 am) children meet together and walk around the neighborhood, knock at all doors and local stores and say "Pão-por-Deus" to the adults they meet.

People at home give them small gifts such as broas (small bread-like cakes flavored heavily with anise and nuts), chocolates, candy, nuts, fruit, or in some cases, money.[4]

At the local stores the offers are different. A store may give the children treats or a sample of a product they sell: bakers give a little bread, fruit stalls give some chestnuts, and so on.

In the Azores the children are given a cake called "caspiada" during this ritual begging.The cakes have the shape of the top of a skull.[5]

The Pão-de-Deus or Santoro is the bread, or offering, that is given to the dead, the Molete or Samagaio (also called sabatina, raiva da criança (child's rage)) is the bread, or offering, that is given when a child is born.[6][7]

Origins

There are records of the day of Pão-de-Deus in the 15th century.[8] On 1 November 1755 in Lisbon, after the vast majority of the city's residents lost everything to the Great Lisbon earthquake the survivors had to ask for this bread in the neighbouring towns.

See also

References

  1. ^ Vieira, Antonio.Portuguese & English
  2. ^ A canção ródia da andorinha
  3. ^ A canção ródia da andorinha
  4. ^ Tobias, George (3 November 2008). "Lajes Airmen share Halloween tradition". Lajes Field. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
  5. ^ Intermuseus Dezembro 2006 nº 7Direcção Regional da Cultura
  6. ^ Vir à luz —práticas e crenças associadas ao nascimento António Amaro das Neves Revista de Guimarães, n.º 104, 1994, pp. 51-81
  7. ^ [Actas / International Colloquium on Luso-Brazilian Studies - Volume 1 - Página 162]
  8. ^ Elucidario das palavras, termos e frases, que em Portugal antigamente se usárão..., Volume 1
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