Friday the 13th

April 14, 2007

Since Portugal is predominantly a Catholic country, we have been a part of many Christian celebrations in the last six months. Yesterday was Friday the 13th and we took part in our first pagan celebration. Three cars full of friends and family traveled to the second highest mountain in Portugal to a village called Montalegre. Montalegre is located in the North of Portugal about 45 minutes from Chaves. It is known for having a history of sorcerers, spells and witchcraft. The town therefore celebrates Friday the 13th with an astounding event which begins at midnight.

We drove through dark mountain roads to Montalegre around 10:00pm on Friday night. Walking from our car through the narrow streets up towards the castle where the celebration was to take place, we all zipped up our jackets and turned up our collars as the high altitude brought a chill in the air. As we approached the castle, loud, eerie music boomed from the castle that loomed above. The castle was lit with barrels of fire, adorned with colorful banners and people in medieval costumes could be seen running along the edges. Seeing the castle like this made it easy to imagine the very same castle when it was inhabited hundreds of years ago. A loud voice called from a speaker within the castle inviting us in to watch a witch be held on trial for her evil spirit. There were easily 1000 people of all ages inside the great stonewalls at this late hour. The music though eerie was enchanting with the pulsating rhythm, the dancers on the walls moving to the beat and the fires burning all around us. The air was filled with smoke and the smell of kerosene. A witch was sentenced to death for her evil ways and then pushed off the high castle wall into the burning flames below. Though it was all a performance, it had credibility considering where we were. Next the ghost of the witch flew over our heads (held by a harness) in white flowing clothing. The lighting and the mystical music again played to our senses causing a chill to run up my spine. A priest in ancient robes said a prayer and they boiled firewater (the Portuguese version of moonshine) in a large caldron and then invited us all to sip the sweet concoction. The crowd pushed forward without order for a taste. The firewater was sweet and strong. The performance lasted only 30 minutes – but what an experience.

In addition to the excellent performance, the local restaurants all were a part of the celebration. Outside of the entrances to the restaurants were ladders leaning against the doorways causing people to pass under for bad luck. Inside, umbrellas were open and silverware was crossed. Drinks were served out of hornshaped mug.. People had come from all over to enjoy the festivities. In Portugal, it is typical to see many generations of families out enjoying a meal or an event together. I love the family aspect of this country.

We left Montalegre after the show and didn’t arrive to Chaves until the wee hours of the morning. I awoke the next day unsure of whether the night’s events truly had taken place. Given the strangeness of the whole event and the late hour, it felt more like a dream than reality