One of the most important religious festivals on the island is the “Festa do Senhor das Milagres”, which is celebrated annually in October in Machico
The occasion commemorates the floods of October 1803, when the chapel of the Senhor das Milagres was destroyed and a precious image bearing the same name was lost out to sea. According to legend, the image was recovered three days later by an American fishing vessel and returned to the cathedral in Funchal.
IN 1813 after the restoration of the destroyed chapel the image was sent back to Machico, where it resides in the rebuilt chapel of “Senhor das Milagres”.
The festival is marked by a solemn procession of people bearing the image to the mother church in Machico where it resides until the following day. Thousands of people bearing candles and lighted torches quietly proceed through the streets and there is an absence of loud music and other festivities which are typical of feast days in Madeira.
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