Last Saturday, 13 June, was the traditional Feast Day celebrating Saint Anthony, the much loved patron and protector of children and the family. It was also the first of three feast days in June, inculding Saint John on the 23rd and Saint Peter on the 28th. Collectively, these days are called the Festivals of June and they include a rich popular culture of food, music, costumes, rituals (both secular and spiritual), and more. And as, you can see above, Céu do Planalto in Brasilia was all dressed up with colorful and magical decorations.
Opening the Santo Daime Festival of June, the celebration of Saint Anthony involves a full night of singing and dancing the hymnal of Padrinho Sebastião and more. Totalling nearly 200 hymns, the ritual stretches from around 9pm until the morning.
There's really no way to describe or document ceremony like this in words, so here is a sequence of videos moving across the entire night...
With the morning sunlight flooding into the Salon, Lucío Mortimer's final hymn (received just before his passing) was sung with tremendous joy. It speaks of Lucío's illumination and of his great love for Padrinho Sebastião.
No work is quite complete without a birthday. Here's Lucas...
These past two months, during which I have been here at my home-away-from-home Céu do Planato, have been a time of joyous reunion for me. So many friends and loved ones are here. And what a beautiful new church! So much to be grateful about. As I will return soon to Acre for the remainder of the June Festival, I am feeling a saudade already. I give vivas to the whole community and a special PARABÈNS to Gabriela and Marcelo who will be married at the ceremony of São João.
I LOVE YOU ALL.
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