Festa do Espirito Santo

The Festa do Espirito Santo is usually held on the seventh Sunday after Easter but can be held on any Sunday between Easter and Pentecost Sunday.  It is celebrated by many groups in the Portuguese communities across B.C. It usually involves a procession with some participants carrying baskets of bread on their heads, the crownings of queens of the festivals and a community meal. Prominently displayed at each festa is a crown topped with an image of a dove.  It is carried during the procession and then placed on exhibit during the festa.  After the procession, lunch is served and includes a special soup called Sopas do Espirito Santo. Each group has their own way of making it, but it usually involves beef broth, large pieces of bread and mint.

This festa is being celebrated almost every weekend this month by a different non-profit group.  So if you missed one, don’t worry, you can attend the next one.

Saturday, June 3rd & Sunday, June 4th (Vancouver)

Our Lady of Fatima Portuguese Parish in Vancouver will be holding their Festa do Espirito Santo (Feast of the Holy Spirit) on the weekend of June 3rd and 4th. At the festa will be visiting preacher, Frei Pedro Cabral, OFM, of São Miguel, Açores.  Come on out to the festa to meet him and welcome him to Vancouver. Everyone is invited to attend and enjoy the delicious Sopas do Espirito Santo (Holy Spirit Soup) prepared by the church volunteers. See the schedule below for more details.

Saturday, June 3^rd
5:30 pm Rosary
6:00 pm Mass followed by the blessing of the food.

Sunday, June 4^th
8:30 am Mass (Portuguese)
10:00 am Mass (English)
11:30 am Mass and Procession
The festa will be held after the Procession in the church hall.

Address: 1423 East 13^th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
Website: Our Lady of Fatima Portuguese Parish (Vancouver)

Sunday, June 4th (Osoyoos)