2018 Our Lady of Loreto Feast in Lowell, MA

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Teve lugar no passado fim de semana em Lowell, a festa de Nossa Senhora do Loreto, com a presença de várias centenas de pessoas que desfrutaram do bom tempo do fim de agosto para um fim de semana de devoção religiosa e de animação cultural.

As festas tiveram início no sábado com a atuação de dois conhecidos artistas da comunidade, o Enio e o Arlindo Andrade com a sua banda que abrilhantaram o arraial nas instalações do Holy Ghost Society onde não faltaram os petiscos típicos de Portugal como as sardinhas assadas, as espetadas de carne e as famosas malassadas.

No domingo após a missa na Igreja de Santo António a procissão saiu para percorrer as ruas nas imediações da igreja onde várias centenas de pessoas assistiram e acompanharam a procissão. Durante a tarde nas instalações do Holy Ghost Society houve concerto da Banda Filarmónica do Espírito Santo e também as atuações de Vana e de Tony Borges á noite houve arraial com o grupo de Luis Neves Show.

Na Segunda-feira dia do trabalhador “Labor Day” durante a tarde realizou-se missa em honra da Nossa Senhora do Loreto, este ano dentro das instalações do Holy Ghost Society devido ao calor excessivo que se verificou durante o fim de semana.

Após a abertura do bar e da quermesse houve arraial com David de Melo e a Banda Internacional encerrando assim as festas da Nossa Sra do Loreto de 2018.

A celebração da festa da Nossa Senhora do Loreto tem uma longa tradição na ilha Terceira, Açores, onde existe uma hermida de Nossa Senhora do Loreto, a mais antiga da freguesia dos Biscoitos, concelho da Praia da Vitória, construída em 1540, por Pedro Anes do Canto.

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The feast of Our Lady of Loreto took place this past Labor Day weekend in Lowell, MA.  There was a great turnout at the event with the presence of several hundred people who enjoyed the great summer weather that will soon not be around. The Holy Ghost Park was filled with religious devotion, great food, and music for everyone to enjoy.

The festivities began on Saturday with the performance of two well-known local artists. Enio Rebolo opened the evening entertainment by performing to an animated crowd. He was followed by a great performance by Arlindo Andrade and his band. Both artists brightened the evening at the Holy Ghost Society Park where there was plenty of traditional Portuguese food like grilled sardines, carne no espeto, bifanas the famous malassadas and many other favorites

On Sunday, after Mass at St. Anthony’s church, the procession proceeded down the usual streets in the vicinity of the church. There were several hundred people attending and following the procession along its path.

In the afternoon at the Holy Ghost Society Park, Lowell’s Holy Ghost Philharmonic band delighted everyone with their music. Following, there were performances by Vana and Tony Borges.  Later in the evening, everyone was treated to the Luis Neves Show. The band’s performance had just about everyone in the crowd dancing and singing along throughout the evening.

Due to the excessive heat that occurred on Labor Day afternoon, Mass was held inside the Holy Ghost Society hall. After the opening of the bar and the kermesse, there was music with David de Melo and the International Band closing the feast of Our Lady of the Loreto of 2018.

The celebration of Our Lady of Loreto has a long tradition in the Terceira Island of the Azores where there is a temple of Our Lady of Loreto, the oldest in the Parish of Biscoitos, county of Praia da Vitória, built by Pedro Anes do Canto in 1540.