Whenthesacreddescendsintothestreets

Iemanjá Festival 2018 - Arrival of the Mother of Water

“Odô Yiá, Odô Yiá / rainha das águas, sereia do mar!” — the chant accompanied by the rhythm of atabaques, abês, and agogôs announces a very popular celebration in Rio de Janeiro, the Feast of Iemanjá, on February 2nd. The procession travels more than 25 kilometers separating the Mercadão de Madureira, in the North Zone, from Copacabana beach, where offerings scented with lavender and white rose petals are cast into the sea.

Photo: Thiago Diniz - Man receiving a blessing in downtown Rio - 2013

Image description: This is a photograph of an outdoor ceremony. On the left side, we see a person wearing a robe with golden patterns and a colorful headscarf. They are standing and appear to be performing a ritualistic action on another person. The person who is the target of the ceremony has their back to the camera and is wearing a white t-shirt with a red print. In the background, there is a metal fence with golden decorative elements. There are also green trees in the background, suggesting that the ceremony is taking place in an open location, possibly a park or green area.

Gratitude to Iemanjá also shapes the New Year's Eve celebration in Copacabana, now known as the biggest in the world. Perhaps not all its followers realize it, but the ritual of jumping seven waves on the beach — so common among cariocas — has roots in umbanda. The number refers to the seven orixás: Oxalá, Oxum, Oxóssi, Xangô, Ogum, Obalauiê, and Iemanjá.

Photo: Thiago Diniz - Faithful inside a church in Centro - 2013

Image description: This is a photograph of a religious ceremony at a temple. On the left side, we see an area decorated with red and white flowers, along with a statue of a sacred figure. On the right, there is an image of a figure mounted on a horse, dressed in traditional clothing and wearing a crown. The background features classical architecture with gold and blue details. In the central part, a crowd of people is gathered, watching the ceremony.

Festivities like these are not exclusive to a single religious tradition. Their elements, quite often, mirror the typically Carioca syncretism. Proof of this is the washing of the more than 380 steps of the staircase of the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Penha, which marks the end of the novena and kicks off the Festa da Penha, bringing together the faithful from the most diverse beliefs. In the past, it was perhaps the second most popular festival in Rio, second only to Carnival.

Image description: The image is a photograph of a festive event, possibly a carnival celebration, with people dressed in traditional costumes. On the left side, there is a white flag with blue symbols, including an elephant and a crown. The phrase "DESDE 1951" is written in blue at the bottom of the flag. On the right, a man is smiling broadly, showing his teeth, and making a gesture with his right hand. He is wearing a hat adorned with crystals and beads. In the background, other people are present, some wearing hats and white clothing. The sky is clear and sunny.

And there are also dates that are celebrated in different ways by multiple matrices or traditions. This is the case, for example, of the Feast of São Sebastião, patron saint of the city of Rio. The celebrations, on January 20th, usually begin with a mass at the Catedral Metropolitana and a procession led by Capuchin friars setting out from the Basílica de São Sebastião. But also with umbanda giras dedicated to Oxóssi.

Image description: This is a photograph of a smiling woman wearing traditional dress with blue and white elements. She holds a large basket of flowers on her head with both hands. The woman is smiling broadly, showing white teeth. In the background, there is a crowd of people, some also dressed similarly, suggesting a public celebration or festival.

The same happens with the fireworks that open the early morning of April 23rd, the so-called “São Jorge dawn,” followed by the procession that goes through the city streets, gathering the faithful in tribute to the warrior saint. In the terreiros, the same celebration is animated by drumming for Ogum, accompanied by feijoadas offered as ebó to the orixá who holds dominion over iron and fire.

Offering for Iemanjá at the Mercadão de Madureira