Events · Religious
Senhor Bom Jesus Milagroso 2027: Pico's great pilgrimage
Every 6 August, pilgrims make their way to São Mateus on Pico to honour the Senhor Bom Jesus Milagroso. In 2027 the feast day falls on a Friday.
2 min read
Updated 18 October 2026
Photo: Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, PORTUGAL · CC BY-SA 2.0
Beyond the Holy Ghost festivals shared by every island, the people of Pico hold a particular devotion to the Senhor Bom Jesus Milagroso. Its home is the sanctuary in São Mateus, in the municipality of Madalena, and its great day is 6 August. In 2027 that is a Friday.
A statue from Brazil
The image at the centre of the feast was brought from Brazil in the 19th century by Francisco Ferreira Goulart, a son of the parish, and by 2024 it had been venerated in São Mateus for 162 years, as recalled in the Diocese of Angra's homily for that year's feast. It shows Christ as Pilate presented him to the crowd, crowned with thorns and wrapped in a purple cloak. The church that houses it is a diocesan sanctuary, according to the regional tourism board's guide to religious traditions.
What happens
The celebrations take place in the days just before and after 6 August, as Visit Azores describes, and peak with the solemn feast Mass at the sanctuary on the day itself. Pilgrims and romeiros make their way to São Mateus for it, some of them on foot. The detailed programme of Masses and processions is announced locally each summer, so check it once you are on the island.
If you are staying in Madalena or across the channel in Horta, plan your visit to São Mateus around the feast Mass on 6 August, the high point of the celebrations.
- When
- 6 August 2027, 00:00–23:59
- Recurs
- Every year on 6 August, with celebrations in the days around it
- Where
- Santuário do Senhor Bom Jesus Milagroso, São Mateus, Madalena
- Price
- Free
- Organiser
- Santuário do Senhor Bom Jesus Milagroso (Diocese de Angra)
