Day 41. Friday 18 April.

Have enjoyed reading the WVUC Order of Service for Easter Sunday – joint production of Sue and John. A beautifully constructed service with lovely, meaningful words…love lives.

A dreary, misty, occasionally drizzly morning.

Into Tavira early afternoon, primarily to attend a Good Friday service at the Igreja de Santiago. Arrived about an hour beforehand, jagged a parking spot (there were heaps!) and wandered. Climbed the only real hill in town, arriving in good time via the Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo and the Tavira Castelo – the latter a castle remnant with a manicured garden. Earthquakes destroyed much in the 18th century, and re-building was problematic ($), hence not as grand as in Spain.

Being Good Friday, we expected to find businesses closed, but no…with lots of tourists about, cafes & boutiques were buzzing and cobblestone road workers were hard at work.

The church had the usual ornamentation, with Jesus statues covered in purple fabric. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, the central figure above the altar was Santiago, a change from Mary or Jesus.

A fairly full house, which included quite a few who were visitors like us – probably around 250 attendees. A simple procession of the priest and his assistants came down the aisle and the priest then lay face down on a carpet before the altar for some minutes – the service then became a familiar if not known ritual: this time in Portuguese rather than Spanish, so equally unintelligible although we caught the drift. And there seemed to be a sermon. Towards the end, there was a three part chant: first part from a  leader, a response by the priest and then a sung response from the choir (seated in the mezzanine above the back). It went on and on and on, with members of  the congregation standing/fidgeting (not just us).  T later commented that it reminded her of the kind of repetitive chanting we’ve heard in services of the Sai community at Curtin. The leaders then withdrew to the side, picked up a cross with a Jesus figure on it, and proceeded down the centre aisle to the front. The congregation then came forward to kneel and kiss the cross.  We did not take part in that ritual, but quietly withdrew, having acknowledged the significance of this day as best we can while out of our own spiritual space.

Slight rain on the way home, but no inconvenience. The fire is lit, and the house is cosy.

Dinner. A very tasty chicken/rice/vegetables pot.