Bom Jesus Church Square - Fão / Esposende

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog :-)

Before leaving Fão, I had to turn around because just as I was about to leave I saw a small bandstand. I love bandstands, they remind me of my summer holidays.
I really like remembering my childhood because we were very free, lots of kids on the street, summer nights that seemed to last forever (just like school holidays), cycling, playing hide and seek... What did you guys use to do when you were kids?

Once at the bandstand, I stopped to take in a little of my surroundings. There was already more movement here, perhaps because it was the end of the day and people were returning. I even managed to come across one of the old ladies who was next to the bird cage and who was happily riding her bike.
Seeing the avenue in the opposite direction allowed me to realize that there was a walkway surrounded by trees (now bare) with benches to rest on. I hadn't noticed any of this when passing by in the car.
In the opposite direction, a couple had a picnic in the car, taking advantage of the heat. Perhaps they bought the fresh fruit with which they satiated themselves from one of the many local vendors and producers who set up their stalls on the side of the road. The things we see when we leave the highway and follow the national highway are incredible. It may take longer, but we can always see something new.

Here I also found the Temple of Bom Jesus de Fão.
The narrative of Bom Jesus de Fão is surrounded by a legend that talks about miraculous images that appear on beaches or riverbanks. In this case, the image appeared on the Cávado River without one of its hands and was found by a woman among the firewood she collected on the beach, with the intention of burning it. Surprisingly, the image did not burn. Since the 18th century, this extraordinary event has given the image miraculous power, being considered the original image of the sanctuary.

Currently, the predominant representation is that of Christ carrying the cross towards the final moment of his sacrifice, known as Senhor dos Passos. He is seen as a protector and companion of the pilgrims who seek him with devotion during the Via Crucis. The image of Christ's suffering, whether as the scourged Lord carrying the cross, or as crucified, had a profound impact on the devotional history of our sanctuaries and on popular devotion.
In the garden on the side of the church a strangely shaped figurine caught my attention.
Without any identification, it led me to look for information about it.

It is a replica of an original piece by the artist Ascânio, born in Portugal, more precisely in Vila de Fão. He moved to Brazil and has lived and worked in Rio de Janeiro since 1959.
This version of the sculpture was unveiled in 2021 at this location. The original version of this piece can be found since 1983 on Botafogo beach in the Argentina building in Rio de Janeiro.

I hope you enjoyed.
See you around.
Wishing you much peace and health

Those who pass by us do not go alone. They leave a bit of themselves, taking a piece of us."
Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince.

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Text & Photography by @Onyfest

With love @onyfest