Romaria da Sra. D'Agonia

Our Lady of Agony Festival (= Romaria da Sra. D'Agonia) is a popular saint's festival that takes place in the city Viana do Castelo, every year in August. This city, located in the North of Portugal, near the sea, provided and enhanced activities like fishing and others related with this. This festival started to be a yearly tribute to Our Lady of Agony, a Saint that protects the fishermen fom the agony of the wild sea. Fishermen work and die in the sea in search of resources to feed their families. Every family seeks the protection of the Saint, and every year this festival is meant to pay her a homage for keeping their lifes safe. Viana do Castelo is a city also known as the city of Love. Here we can find the beautiful embroideries and gold jewelery always with hearts dedicated to the great love of one's life. People enjoy these celebrations, as there are a lot of events taking place in the streets: music, dance, parades, handicrafts, and good food. The city becomes very colourful with the street pavements ornamented with different colours of salt or flowers. Every citizen works in the ornamentation of their own street together with the neighbours. Women wear traditional dresses and real gold jewelry. Here women are worth a fortune, as you will see in this set of photographs. And they tell us of their History and Traditions. This festival starts and ends with religious celebrations. More than must-see atractions, these are emotional moments that create ties from one generation to the other. In this world of globalism, these traditions help us keep our national identity and culture.