Festa do Divino Espírito Santo

The great feast of the Holy Spirit in the Azores, in the Impérios and the processions of Terceira.

The Império do Divino Espírito Santo in Praia da Vitória

In the Azores, the feast of the Divino Espírito Santo — the Holy Spirit — is the greatest celebration of the islands’ religious year. At the Impérios decorated for the feast, and in the processions that cross the towns, the devotion is renewed with the crownings, the music and the bodo — the sharing of bread and meat with the community.

History and traditions

The devotion of the Holy Spirit came to the Azores with the settlement of the islands, and there it grew into one of the strongest traditions of the Atlantic. The Impérios — the houses of the Holy Spirit — are the heart of the feast, and the cult has its great centres in islands such as Terceira, where the celebrations of the towns, from the crownings to the bodo, keep customs centuries old.

O que esperar

The Impérios decorated for the feast, with their flowers and silks.
The crownings and the processions through the town.
The bodo — the sharing of bread and meat with the community.
The sopas do Espírito Santo and the sweets of the feast.

Visiting

The feast is celebrated each year at Pentecost, in May or June, with the date that changes every year, and around the season of the Holy Spirit through the spring. Confirm the programme of each island and town with the local sources before your visit.