The Queen Saint Isabel

We spent the greater part of July in Portugal with Diogo’s family. Since his parents moved back and we began visiting annually, I’ve made it a goal to explore new regions of Portugal and, eventually, branch out to other parts of Europe for weekend trips. This year, I completed the first phase of my “Portugal survey” with a visit to the Douro Valley. Aside from that short couple’s getaway, we spent the majority of our time in Diogo’s hometown, Figueira da Foz.

One weekend, Diogo’s mom suggested a trip to Coimbra—just a 30-minute drive away—to see the Procession of the Queen Saint Isabel. We’re not used to seeing religious traditions collectively celebrated as religious (Christmas and Easter being the obvious examples of religious traditions collectively celebrated as secular). For this reason, it was a real treat to stand along the city streets and watch the procession of the old and young dressed as Queen Saints, among religious and non-religious spectators alike.