The practice of the Romeiros de São Miguel, formerly called “visit to the houses of Our Lady”, is affirmed as a phenomenon of great ethnographic importance due to the originality of the elements used and also due to the persistence that this tradition has had in maintaining throughout the centuries.
It is believed that this tradition started during the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions of the XVI century, in Vila Franca do Campo, as a response by the population to calm the fury of these natural disasters.
As the years went by, the parishes of the various parishes began to organize pilgrimages, which consist of faith walks around the whole island for 8 days.
During these walks, groups of pilgrims – between 30 and 200 in each parish – stop by the various churches and hermitages – about 100 temples – worshipping the Virgin Mary and the Blessed Sacrament.
The pilgrims usually stay overnight in the parish halls of the churches or in some houses of people who are available to welcome them. Some of their relatives have the opportunity to visit these places and deliver more food and clothes to continue their journey. In addition, some people from the parishes offer the dinners and lunches to the pilgrims.
Also, during their journey, the pilgrims pray the rosary and chant various prayers like the hymn of Our Lady (Hail Mary).
Each pilgrim presents a typical costume covered with elements such as a shawl by the shoulders, a handkerchief by the neck, a bag on the back, a rosary and a stick in the hand.
When walking, the group adopts a formation with 3 wings, that the wings on the sides are composed of the pilgrims, in front of each wing a guide and in the middle wing the master, the boatswain, the soul-searcher, the soul procurator and the crusader.
This tradition occurs from the beginning to the end of Lent.
