In Portugal, it's time for people to open their doors to Compasso to celebrate Easter
March 30, 2018
It's Easter Time. In Portugal, the tradition of "Compasso" is celebrated in small towns. Here Easter means time of fasting on Fridays until Christ's resurrection celebration. Usually people won't eat meat and sacrifice some of their favorite dishes.
When the Holy Easter Sunday comes, the tradition is to open the doors to the Compasso. A small group, leaded by Juiz da Cruz (The Cross Judge) usually named by the local priest, will carry Jesus on the cross through the streets and enter in every house to bless it. Ringing a bell to let people know they're arriving, it's common to find flower carpets on the entrances of every house as sign of welcoming.
After saying a prayer with the family, the "Judge" offers the cross for each family member to kiss Jesus feet. The families will offer food to the visitors and give a symbolic amount of money to help the local church. By the end of the day, and after visiting all the homes, the Cross returns to the Church for a final celebration.
This is also the time of the year to eat pão de ló, a traditional spongy yellow cake, with a bit of a lemon, that gets better when cooked in a traditional wood oven and served with some cheese and Porto.
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