Catholic St. Anthony's Day
Description:
The name of St. Anthony of Lisbon and Padua is one of the most revered in Portugal, and the day of his glorification is celebrated by Lisbonans as City Day with noisy festivities and unstoppable fun.
The traditions of Lisbon’s glorification of Saint Anthony date back to the eighteenth century. His church in front of the Cathedral in Lisbon (where, according to legend, his parents lived) was destroyed by an earthquake.
In 1812, the Church of St. Anthony on collected voluntary
They were rebuilt and became better than before. Funds for the restoration of the temple were collected by the whole world. Even the children ran around the courtyards and asked for “coins for St. Anthony”, building altars decorated with paper lace, flowers and homemade images of the beloved saint. And now every year for St. Anthony’s Day, children prepare homemade altars and ask for “coins for St. Antonio”, however, now this money goes to children’s sweets and fun.
What did the Portuguese love about Anthony? First, it patronizes love and happy marriages. On the eve of the feast of St. Anthony, it is customary for girls to guess in a very unusual way: you need to fill your mouth with water and hold it until you hear the name of the future groom. According to many reviews, this is a completely trouble-free way.
Young people write notes, asking Antony for help in arranging love affairs, and throw messages in a box in the church of Santo Antonio da Se along with donations. And also young men give their lovers small pots with colorful lush paper carnations, in the petals of which a love message or a lyrical poem is hidden.
Sometimes the carnation is accompanied by another gift: a painted toy, a beautiful fan or other charming thing to win the location of the beauty.
Needless to say, according to the general opinion of the Portuguese, the happiest marriages are concluded on this day! Young couples must sign up months in advance to play Casamento de Santo Antonio, and endless strings of wedding cars and festive motorcades plow the city’s central streets to popular joy. And observers enjoy the happy atmosphere of universal love, absorbing the sardines so popular these days.