The articles written by the PÚBLICO Brasil team are written in the variant of the Portuguese language used in Brazil.
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I think that of the various processions that we have news of, the Círio de Nazaré is the largest Marian procession on the planet. There are more than three million people over two days. Today, there will be more than 2.7 million faithful. Yesterday, there were more than a million during the transfer, all walking through the streets of Belém, like a great river that takes over the city. All waters mix. This is the miracle of the Taper. Everyone is there, everyone opens their doors to welcome friends and family home. The table is always set, the owner of the house can even go to sleep, but the table is replenished all the time.
In everyone’s house, the same food is on the table. You can change the service, crockery, crystal and cutlery. From the simplest to the wealthiest families, the maniçoba is the queen. The indigenous dish is made by cooking maniva leaves and lasts seven days. Its preparation begins many days before the candle. As the second Sunday of October approaches, a strong smell of this herb takes over the city. An acrid, acidic smell of forest sap. It is from this sap that the people of Pará are made.
The wild cassava leaf, which has purple stalks, is highly poisonous when raw. These leaves are crushed and placed for cooking. Wild cassava is not consumed like potatoes, but is all used for northern seasonings. Flour, tapioca dough and tucupi are made from it. The pan is placed on the stove – it is never cooked in a small pan. Whoever wakes up first turns on the fire. Whoever passes by the kitchen adds more water. The last one to sleep turns off the heat.
The next day, the process starts again. The first person to wake up lights the fire and adds water, stirring constantly so it doesn’t stick. From the seventh day of cooking, it is delicious. On the seventh day, it is time to add all the meat used in the feijoada. The longer you cook it, the better it will get. In Pará they say that a good maniçoba is an old maniçoba. It is around her that the family gathers.
During the Círio, there are no social differences. We are all equal under the mantle of Our Lady of Nazareth, magnanimous, who carries her baby on her lap. Our Lady of Nazaré, which, for us, Pará, is Naza, Nazinha, Nazica, Nazoca, Nazarezinha. Our mother and friend. We ask her for what is not asked in front of others. What we are ashamed of and we don’t have the size to achieve. She is our confidant in our anguish and our most acute problems.
Our Lady embraces and forgives everything. Take care of everyone. That’s why our dear philosopher Leandro Karnal said that, if there were a Círio day in the world, wars wouldn’t proliferate. It would be a day in the world of absolute peace, love, happiness, conviviality, gratitude and faith.
Between one celebration and another, there is the Chiquita party. A great LGBTQIA+ party. Everyone leaves Chiquita straight for the procession. This is the miracle of faith. An ideal world without barriers and prejudices, where peace, fraternity and respect for others are everywhere. This is the moment we live in Belém today. So, happy Círio. Peace, love, light and gratitude. Ask Our Lady, she will answer.
A huge kiss from your Fafazinha. Happy Taper to you.
