Bogota Tiempo - New Book Documents Music and History of Arrábida Pilgrimages

A new bilingual publication has been released that documents the musical traditions, historical evolution, and religious significance of the Círios da Serra da Arrábida, a major annual pilgrimage in Portugal’s Setúbal region. The work, titled "Círios da Serra da Arrábida," is coordinated and edited by José António Carvalho and aims to preserve the cultural heritage of these celebrations through a multidisciplinary approach.

The book features contributions from multiple authors, including Rodrigo Manuel Ribeiro and Rui Mesquita Mendes, whose texts provide detailed analyses of specific aspects of the pilgrimage. Ribeiro’s chapter focuses on the musical accompaniment that has accompanied the Círios since their inception. He notes that after the founding of the Sociedade Filarmónica Perpétua Azeitonense, musicians became integral to the celebration, composing "contradanças" specifically for the event.

Ribeiro highlights that at least two new contradanças are composed each year and performed in the villages along the pilgrimage route. The chapter references musical archives dating back to 1912, listing numerous contributors linked to the association and the Círios, including Silva Paranhos, Santos Tavares, Alfredo Caineta, Agostinho Caineta, Joaquim Caineta, Diamantino Perdigão, Pedro Marquês de Sousa, Duarte Zacarias, and António Alface. The text also recommends Pedro Marquês de Sousa’s 2013 doctoral thesis on music bands in the Lisbon District for further context on the musical contributions to the Círios.

Rui Mesquita Mendes’ contribution examines the documented history of the Capela de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, also known as El Carmen, from the 16th century onward. The chapel’s preservation and reconstruction were supported by popular devotion, noble protection, and royal aid. The narrative traces the site’s history from its possible founder, Álvaro de Mascarenhas, who served as commander of the Arrábida between 1489 and 1502, to the acquisition of the land and hermitage in January 1840 by D. Pedro de Sousa Holstein of the House of Palmela.

Mesquita Mendes describes the sanctuary as a center for pilgrimage and noble stays, integrated into the striking landscape of the Arrábida. He attributes the chapel’s extensive documentary record to several factors, including the implantation of the Order of Santiago in the region, the actions of commanders and the Dukes of Aveiro, royal intervention by the House of Infantado, the organization of brotherhoods, popular religiosity, and the evolution of the historical landscape.

The publication is presented in both Portuguese and English and includes approximately 190 photographs produced between 2011 and 2025, along with illustrations by Helena de Mancelos. The work contains over fifty bibliographic references and notes from ten texts signed by five authors. It seeks to capture the essence of the Círios as a genuine expression of religious spirit that combines sincere faith with traditional festive diversion.

The book reflects on the enduring appeal of the pilgrimage, referencing a 1896 observation by João-Fernandes in "Arrábida – Publicação Comemorativa da Festividade Celebrada pelo Antigo Círio de Setúbal." João-Fernandes described the Círios and romarias as not only an expression of religious spirit but also a celebration that unites the precepts of worship with innocent, poetic, and traditional entertainment cherished by the people.

W.Cano--BT