June 13 - St. Anthony's Day in Lisbon

nPosted on June 13, 2020

Key Points

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nWhen you hear that a particular holiday is one huge block party, a street fair, a crowded festival featuring eating, drinking, and being merry – you gotta suspect that the event is cancelled in 2020. I checked and discovered that Lisbon’s usual St. Anthony’s Day (and especially June 12 St. Anthony’s Eve) celebrations are indeed cancelled because of COVID-19.
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nOne of the traditions of St. Anthony’s Day is for men to give their loved one a potted basil plant decorated with a paper carnation and a message of love.
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nEven though this feast day is supposed to be about St. Anthony, the patron saint of Lisbon, it’s often called the Festival of Sardines – and the food stalls crowding the streets often feature folks grilling sardines. Apparently the smell of grilled sardines and basil is pretty strong!
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nPaper garlands strung between buildings, wine and sangria and beer, a parade, jumping over bonfires (!), and staying up all night long are other features of the usual St. Anthony’s Eve.
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nTwo of the most unusual celebrations are: (1) Many people write a prayer on a piece of paper and then stuff the paper into a small bread roll. In turn, the roll is stuffed into the frame of St. Anthony’s picture! (2) There are mass wedding ceremonies! Starting with a 1958 wedding ceremony for 26 couples, held at the Church of St. Anthony, this tradition has become a way for people who cannot afford a big wedding to still have a massive celebration!! The newlywed couples even get to walk in their bridal finery in the parade!
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