First Mass in Brazil
The first mass in Brazil was celebrated by Portuguese friar and bishop Henrique de Coimbra on April 26, 1500, a Sunday, on the beach of Coroa Vermelha, in Santa Cruz Cabrália, on the southern coast of Bahia.
History
The event was described by Pero Vaz de Caminha in a letter which he sent to the King of Portugal, Manuel I, informing him about the arrival in Brazil, then called Ilha de Vera Cruz, by the fleet of Pedro Álvares Cabral that was heading to India.Those who participated in the mass were the Portuguese members of the expedition, mostly sailors. Cabral and Caminha were also present. Pero Vaz de Caminha made this interesting account:
Some indigenous people peacefully accompanied the Catholic mass, seeming to imitate the movements made by the Portuguese, such as sitting down. This fact led Caminha to conclude that the future conversion of the natives to Catholicism would be an easy and peaceful mission.
In the following days, the Portuguese tried to demonstrate to the indigenous people the respect they had for the cross, kneeling one by one and kissing it. Some indigenous people made the same gesture, which led them to be considered innocent and easy to evangelize. Vaz de Caminha also requested the prompt arrival of a clergyman from the King to baptize them in order to learn more about their faith.
Legacy
The day is still celebrated as a holiday in Portugal, in the municipality of Belmonte, Cabral's hometown.The cross used in the mass is displayed in the Treasury-Museum of the Braga Cathedral, having been used in the inaugural mass of the city of Brasília.
Victor Meirelles' painting
In the 19th century, the event was portrayed in the painting The First Mass in Brazil, one of the main works of the artist Victor Meirelles. The painting, dated 1860, was inspired by Pero Vaz de Caminha's Letter, written over three centuries earlier.The painting was classified and exhibited at the Salon of the École des Beaux-Arts in 1861.