Tonight Christ stopped at Vidigal

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João Goulart, the main road, which winds up along the steep slope of the  Vidigal favela, is normally teeming with traffic -  motorcycles, cars and lorries cruise up and down at breakneck speeds. 

Normally, but not on the evening of Boa Sexta-feira, The Good Friday, when everything comes to a standstill during the enacting of the way of the suffering Christ.



The darkness is lit up by  twinkling candles, carried by hundreds of pedestrians - all following the young man, who's designated to carry the cross up the hill.

Along the route, neighbors have erected candlelit alters, each displaying a small figurine of the virgin Mary. They stand, praying, while the procession slowly passes by.

- Pai de Misericórdia durante esta época de arrependimento olhai com compaixão para nós.

The priest, walking in front, belts out the words.

- Father of Mercy during this time of repentance, look with compassion on us.



We walk solemnly up the alleys - until the two of us find out, the procession is actually supposed to go through no less than 15 stages before reaching the top.

Embarrassing to say: At the marked this afternoon, we bought a very nice, small yellowfin tuna, which we looked so much forward to put in the oven.

After about an hour, we slipped out of the procession, went back home - and the tuna is now simmering on a bed of green peppars and lime.


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