Cult of the Holy Spirit
The Cult of the Holy Spirit (Portuguese: Culto do Divino Espírito Santo), also known as the Cult of the Empire of the Holy Spirit (Culto do Império do Divino Espírito Santo), is a religious sub-culture, inspired by Christian millenarian mystics, associated with Azorean Catholic identity, consisting of iconography, architecture, and religious practices that have continued in many communities of the archipelago as well as the broader Portuguese diaspora.
Worship of the Holy Spirit was inspired by the figure of Joachim of Fiore (†1202),[2] a medieval monk who was considered as a millenarian prophet who, on the basis on his interpretation of the Book of Revelation, postulated that around the year 1260 a Third Age of history would begin.
These theories became associated with the Fraticelli strand of the Franciscan Order, and were later condemned by Pope Alexander IV in 1256, after the so-called scandal of the Eternal Evangel caused by Gerardo of Borgo San Donnino.
These acts of faith were heavily influenced by Franciscan spiritualists, who were members of the first religious order that colonized the Azores, and brought with them traditions that were being extinguished on the mainland by Catholic Church orthodoxy.
[4] The cult's principal centre of devotion was in Tomar, which was also the location of the priory of the Order of Christ, charged with the spirituality of newly discovered lands (including the Azores).
The new colonies were, in the beginning, subordinate to the priory in Tomar, later the archbishop of Funchal, and finally, the new bishopric of Angra do Heroísmo, which were overseen by the Order of Christ, who nominated new clerics, oriented the faithful and supervised the religious development.
In the 19th century, the traditions spread to Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Connecticut and California in the United States, as well as to Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia in Canada.
In a letter sent to Italy from Goa (India), the Jesuit missionary Fulvio Gregori reports: "The Portuguese used to elect an Emperor by the Feast of Pentecost and it was so also in this ship St. Francisco.
Then, on the day of Pentecost (Easter or Holy Spirit), all dressed to perfection, at an altar on the bow of the ship, where there was more space, with beautiful cloths and silverware, they led the Emperor to Mass, with music, drums and courtiers.
[7] Many irmandades admit that voluntarism is common, when one of the brothers will make an offering or promessa (English: promise) to the Holy Spirit, necessitating an act of benevolence and charity.
The emperor will then depart for his home, accompanied by his cortège and the brotherhood, and led by the Holy Spirit's standard, the foliões, the crowns surrounded by the poles (in a rectangular form) and trailed by the faithful.
[9] The modern tradition, influenced by religious immigrants, is shortened to include a brief cortège procession (usually on the same day of the coronation), and ceremonial transfers of the crown to the home of the emperor, all performed throughout the summer.
Similarly, after ritually kissing the dove on the silver sceptre, the faithful are empowered to rise with the crowns while benedictions are made in the name of the Holy Spirit, while the hymn is played.
The esmola or pensão (English: charitable offering) is constituted by a portion of beef cattle (specifically killed for the event), bread and vinho de cheiro (a high alcohol content wine derived from the Isabel caste grapes).
As part of the rituals leading-up to the function, a cortege will also proceed through the community with a cow (which will later be slaughtered for the feast), decorated with colourful paper flowers and accompanied by the foliões.
[12] This secondary cortege, proceeding the events of the coronation and bodo, stops at the door of each family who contributes money, while hymns and chants are made, and the traditional briança music played.
