Ancient devotion, medieval traditions, and a week of celebrations return to the streets of São Miguel’s first capital

The historic town of Vila Franca do Campo will once again bring its patron saint, Saint Michael the Archangel, into the streets this Sunday, May 3—continuing a tradition that stretches back to the earliest days of settlement on São Miguel Island.

For centuries, both the town and the island have invoked Saint Michael as their protector. That devotion remains deeply rooted, with May 8 still remembered as the traditional date of the Apparition of the Archangel—a feast once mandatory in the Catholic liturgical calendar until the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Today, the universal Church celebrates the Feast of the Three Archangels on September 29, but local tradition in Vila Franca continues to use its own calendar, occasionally adjusted to avoid overlap with the major festival of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres.

This year’s celebrations run from April 29 through May 6, culminating in the iconic “Procession of Labor” on Sunday. The bells of the town’s imposing parish church—among them a historic bell gifted by King João III in 1554—will announce the arrival of the Archangel, who is carried through the streets holding a sword and shield bearing the inscription Quis ut Deus (“Who is like God?”), a reference to the Hebrew origins of the name Michael.

The Sunday procession preserves a distinctly medieval character. Patron saints representing traditional trades and professions accompany the Archangel, reflecting a time when guilds and workers marched under the protection of their respective saints—attendance once considered obligatory. Today, many of these sacred images are cared for year-round by local families and institutions. In the days leading up to the procession, they are displayed in decorated rooms, open for public visitation.

Among the figures in the procession are Saint Peter Gonçalves (fishermen), Saint Anthony (potters), Saint Crispin (shoemakers), Saint Joseph (carpenters), Saint John (masons), and Our Lady of Peace (military), among others—each symbolizing a profession or social group. After the festivities, the statues return to the homes of their caretakers, where they will remain until next year.

The weeklong program blends religious observance with community celebration. Events began April 29 with a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peace, followed by Mass. Thursday features confessions and a solemn Eucharist, along with evening festivities and live music.

On May 1, the traditional opening of the “rooms of the patron saints” draws crowds, alongside performances and youth ceremonies. Saturday brings parades, auctions, children’s activities, and local food traditions, including roasted pork and livestock auctions—hallmarks of Azorean festa culture.

Sunday, the centerpiece of the celebration, includes a solemn Mass at 11:30 a.m., the grand Procession of Labor at 6 p.m., and a concert. Events continue into Monday with dance performances and conclude on May 6 with the return of the image of Our Lady of Peace to her sanctuary.

If the weather cooperates, organizers say, the invitation is clear: Vila Franca do Campo stands ready to welcome visitors to one of the Azores’ most enduring and symbolically rich traditions—where faith, history, and community converge in a living expression of identity.

Translated and adapted from a story by Hélio Ponte for the newspaper Correio dos Açores- Natalino Viveiros, director.