Figure 1.--Pão por Deus (Bread by/for God) is a Portuguese tradition that takes place on November 1st, when the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of All Saints. In the morning the children go house by house asking for bread. They say: "Pão por Deus". Once they received some bread, nowadays some cookies. Here we have a photo taken in 1960s in Odivelas, near Lisbon. Notice how mother has carefully combed their hair and added hair bows.

All Saints Day is another Catholic religious holiday celebrated im many other countries, especiall Catholic countries. It celecrates all the Catholic saints, meaning those who have ahieved the beatific vision in heaven. Attention is given to those who have no special feast days of their own. It is allso a day to honor the dead with religious celebrations and visits to the cemetery. The 1st of November is also remember in Portugal as the day Lisbon was struck by the the devestating Great Earthquake of 1755, which left the city in ruins. Lisbon was set ablaze and tsunamis rushed upon the shore into the city. The earthquake struck mid-morning when many families attended the high religious holiday, inside the city churches, where many thousands were killed. One feature of All saints Day is 'Pão-por-Deus' (Bread for God’s sake). In some areas of the country children keep the Pão-por-Deus tradition by going door-to-door in the morning asking for bread. nowadays some cookies. It ia kind of Portuguese version of Trick or Treat ans occurs at the same time. We have a photo taken in 1960s in Odivelas, near Lisbon. All Saints Day is a public holiday in Poerugal. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

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Created: 12:04 PM 6/15/2019
Last updated: 12:04 PM 6/15/2019