My Memoirs - Citizen of the World

Canonical License was obtained for a procession of the Ecce
Homo, already known by the people of Sāo Miguel as Santo Cristo
dos Milagres (Holy Saint of Miracles).
Today, the procession is preceded by a full week of festivities
every year, beginning on a Friday, at the Campo de São Francisco
Square. The square is illuminated with thousands of lights on the
façade of the Church and the Convent as well as all over the large
square. There is a lot of music and booths selling food, beverages
and entertainment. All philharmonic Bands of Sāo Miguel, and
many from the other islands, come for the celebration. On
Saturday, the statue is transferred from the Convent of Esperança
to the Church. Sunday is the day of the great procession, which
passes through the main streets of the city of Ponta Delgada. All
the streets are decorated with flowers arranged as beautiful
mosaics, looking like an authentic art piece. Each family takes
pride in exposing their best embroidered bedspreads called,
colchas, hanging from the verandas of their houses along the route
of the procession. Every family, even the poorest, buys new
clothes for that special occasion.
A special note: Humberto Moniz, a cousin of mine from my
mother’s side, with his crew, have been donating many weeks of
work, free of charge for many years, to the beautiful decorations
and the illumination of the façade of the Santo Cristo Church, the
Convent and the entire Square.
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