Guaratinguetá, the city of Friar Galvão

The Brazilian Saint

Source:  http://www.maganews.com.br/

Guaratinguetá, the city of Friar Galvão

The city where the first Brazilian saint was born has begun to welcome more and more tourists

  An increasing number of tourists is visiting Guaratinguetá, a city with a population of 110,000 about six kilometers from Aparecida. In 2006 the city welcomed an average of about 50 tourist buses at weekends – now it is 200 buses. Religious tourism will boost the local economy. New hotels and restaurants will be built. The Santo Antônio Cathedral and Friar Galvão Museum are two of the most popular places for tourists. In a small room at the back of the Cathedral the famous Friar Galvão pills are produced. In total about 90,000 pills are produced a month. The pills are also produced in theMosteiro da Luz, in São Paulo, where about 5,000 units are distributed a day.

A brief biography of the Brazilian Saint

    Friar Galvão was a tall and handsome man. He came from a traditional and rich family, but preferred to turn his back on comfort to become a Franciscan monk. In 1762 he went to live in São Paulo and it was there that he was ordained as a priest. At that time he was famous for performing miracles. One of his great works was the construction of the Mosteiro da Luz.  He got the money for the construction through donations. Friar Antônio de Sant'Anna Galvão was born in Guaratinguetá in 1739 and lived in that city until he was thirteen years old, before living for a while in Bahia. He spent sixty years of his life in São Paulo, where he died on December 23^rd 1822. Friar Galvão will be canonized thanks to two miracles attributed to him, which have been recognized by the Vatican. Some researchers, however, believe he performed over 30,000 miracles.

Vocabulary

1 increasing – cada vez maior

2 bus – ônibus

3 to boost – impulsionar

4 pill – pílula

5 handsome – bonito / bonitão

6 to turn his back on – exp. idiom. = abrir mão de

7 Franciscan monk – frade franciscano / monge / frei

8 ordained – ordenado

9 priest – padre

10 miracle – milagre

11 living for a while – morar por pouco tempo

Matéria publicada na edição de número 36 da Revista Maganews

The world’s biggest Saint John!

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Popular culture – Festa Junina - Part 1

The world’s biggest Saint John!

Brazilians love a good Festa Junina, but in the Northeast they are even crazier about it...

Caruaru is a small city of about 300,000 people, in Pernambuco State.

Campina Grande has a population of 385,000 people and is in Paraíba State. During the month of June these two cities go through a great transformation. The government and the residents organize themselves to make Festa Junina into a massive tourist attraction. In 2009 each city was visited by about 2 million tourists, as well as journalists from all over Brazil who went to cover the events. In the Northeast it is common for a Festa Junina to be called “Saint John”.  Campina Grande says it organizes “the world’s biggest Saint John.” But Caruaru says the same thing.  Each city holds dozens of events in a period of at least 30 days, including shows played by leading names in Brazilian popular music. Throughout this period, the parties [1] drive the local economy, creating hundreds of jobs and business opportunities. The hotels are packed full [2] and local traders [3] sell more wares [4].

The Northeastern way to party

The passion of the Northeasterners for Festa Junina goes beyond Caruaru and Campina Grande to most cities in the region. While in the South and the Southeast the bonfires are lit [5] only within the[6] arraiais, in the Northeast it is common for every house to have its own bonfire, after 7:00PM. Another typical tradition in the Northeast Festa Junina is the formation of several different party groups, formed by the residents of cities to help organize the parties. These party-goers [7] walk the streets of the city, going from house to house. They are welcomed and given food and drink. The musical style in a Northeastern Festa Junina is predominantly forró.

Matéria publicada na edição de Junho / Julho da Revista Maganews (número 55).

Áudio:  Haley Alcântara

Foto – www.saojoaodecampina.pb.gov.br

Vocabulary

1 parties – festas / festejos

2 packed full – lotado

3 trader – comerciante

4 wares – mercadorias

5 to be lit – ser acesa (o)

6 within the – dentro dos

7 party-goers – aqui = “festeiros”

---

Popular culture – Part 2

The world’s biggest Saint John!

Brazilians love a good Festa Junina, but in the Northeast they are even crazier about it...

Caruaru is a small city of about 300,000 people, in Pernambuco State. Campina Grande has a population of 385,000 people and is in Paraíba State. During the month of June these two cities go through a great transformation. The government and the residents organize themselves to make Festa Junina into a massive tourist attraction. In 2009 each city was visited by about 2 million tourists, as well as journalists from all over Brazil who went to cover the events. In the Northeast it is common for a Festa Junina to be called “Saint John”.  Campina Grande says it organizes “the world’s biggest Saint John.” But Caruaru says the same thing.  Each city holds dozens of events in a period of at least 30 days, including shows played by leading names in Brazilian popular music. Throughout this period, the parties drive the local economy, creating hundreds of jobs and business opportunities. The hotels are packed full and local traders sell more wares.

The Northeastern way to party

The passion of the Northeasterners for Festa Junina goes beyond Caruaru and Campina Grande to most cities in the region. While in the South and the Southeast the bonfires are lit only within thearraiais, in the Northeast it is common for every house to have its own bonfire, after 7:00PM. Another typical tradition in the Northeast Festa Junina is the formation of several different party groups, formed by the residents of cities to help organize the parties. These party-goers walk the streets of the city, going from house to house. They are welcomed and given food and drink. The musical style in a Northeastern Festa Junina is predominantly forró.

Vocabulary

1 parties – festas / festejos

2 packed full – lotado

3 trader – comerciante

4 wares – mercadorias

5 to be lit – ser acesa (o)

6 within the – dentro dos

7 party-goers – aqui = “festeiros"