Community Corner
Feast of the Holy Ghost Brightens the Borough
Traditional Portuguese observance memorializes descent of Holy Spirit upon Queen Isabel, who was later sainted, in the Middle Ages.
This weekend marked the traditional Feast of the Holy Ghost in the Borough, put on each year on Labor Day Weekend by the Stonington Portuguese Holy Ghost Society.
On Saturday evening, the Westerly Band led a procession to St. Mary's Church to retrieve the symbolic crown and scepter, winding through all the old Portuguese neighborhoods south of Cannon Square before finishing at the Portuguese Club.
Sunday morning, a street procession brought the crown and scepter back to the church for a 10:30 a.m. Mass and blessing of the crowns, followed by a spirited parade and procession back to the Portuguese Club where the "masses" were fed traditional Portuguese fare.
For a wonderful account of the Feast of the Holy Ghost, see Betsy Wade Boylan's essay on the Stonington Historical Society's website. It will bring back memories for many who remember the festival from the 1960s and '70s. And enjoy the short video of this year's parade and procession from St. Mary's to the Holy Ghost Society.
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