The President of the Government, Vasco Cordeiro, will participate as guest of honour in the Holy Spirit Festivities in New England, the greatest Azorean cultural manifestation in the Diaspora. The festivities will take place in Fall River, Massachusetts, from August 22 to 26.
On Friday, August 23, Vasco Cordeiro participates in the blessing ceremony of the "pensões" (charitable offerings) to be held at the Kennedy Park. The ceremony will be presided over by Teodoro Faria, Bishop Emeritus of Funchal.
On the following day, the President of the Government will take part in the "Bodo de Leite" procession and the ethnographic parade, which will culminate with the traditional distribution of milk and sweet bread to all those attending the event.
The President of the Azorean Government will meet with the members of PALCUS (Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States) on Sunday, the most important day of the festivities. This event is followed by the solemn coronation mass that will be concelebrated by Teodoro de Faria and George Coleman, Bishop of Fall River.
During the afternoon, Vasco Cordeiro will take part in the coronation procession as well as official entities, "mordomos" and philharmonic bands from New England, Canada and Portugal; the procession ends at Kennedy Park.
The Holy Spirit Festivities will close on Monday, August 26, with a dinner to be held in Westport. The event is expected to be attended by nearly four hundred people and representatives from several institutions linked to the Azorean Communities.