WASHING BONFIM (Marcelo Moraes)

The Feast of Bonfim is a religious celebration that takes place in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Occurs on the second Sunday after Epiphany in January, with solemn masses and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament by the chaplain of the Church of Bonfim. The Party should not be confused with the traditional washing of Bonfim, african-religious character, which occurs on Thursday that precedes, with great participation of the people, animal-drawn carts decorated and traditional Bahian with their vessels with water fragrant, better known as water smell. Theodosius Rodrigues de Farias, Portuguese army officer, Lisbon brought an image of Christ, who, in 1745, was conducted with great accompaniment to the church of Penha in Itapagipe. In July 1754, the image was transferred in procession to his own church, the Holy Hill, where the assignment of miraculous powers became the Lord of Bonfim object of popular devotion and pilgrimage center mystical and syncretic. Were then introduced profane and superstitious reasons in worship. Washing festive happens to the output, the morning of Thursday, the traditional procession of Bahia Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Praia, which follows the foot to the top of Bonfim, to wash with water and mop the smell staircase and atrium of the Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim. All are dressed in white, the color of the Orisha, and walk 8 km in procession from the off the Conception to the wide Bonfim. The highlight of the festival occurs when the church steps are washed for 200 Bahia dressed the character of their vessels that bring the shoulders - pour water on the stairs and in the lobby of the church to the sound of clapping, drumming and songs of African origin. Once the religious part, the party goes off in Bonfim, with drumming, dancing and drinks stalls and typical foods.