celebrate the Festa Do Senhor Santo Cristo -- the Festival of the Lord Christ.

Anna Faria told The Royal Gazette that the festival, which is a huge holiday in the Azores, had been observed for several years by the local Portuguese Community.

"It is always celebrated on the fifth Sunday after Easter,'' she explained.

"It was started in the Azores and when people move away they take this tradition to wherever they live.

"It's a huge holiday in the Azores. The Monday is a public holiday and a week of activities lead up to the festival. A lot of people usually go back home for the festival.'' Ms Faria said the festival dated back to the 1700's.

"In order to set up a convent in the Azores, two sisters went to Rome to get permission from the Pope,'' she explained. "The Pope was so impressed by the sisters' devotion and faith, he presented them with a statue of Christ to take back home.'' Ms Faria said the statue was taken back to the Azores and was placed in the Vila Franca do Campo. It was later moved to Ponta Delgada for safekeeping and has remained there to this day.

The local Portuguese community has planned a number of activities to mark the Festival of the Lord Christ.

A mass will be held at St. Theresa's Cathedral in Hamilton this evening at 8 p.m. when a statue of Jesus, surrounded by an arc of flowers, will be taken from a small chapel to the altar.

Ms Faria said this was called the Procession of the Faithful.

"It is taken very seriously,'' she explained. "It is an very emotional and nostalgic reminder of the main festival back home.'' The highlight of the festival follows a Sunday afternoon mass at the Cathedral, Ms Faria said.

"The procession will come out of the Church, along Cedar Avenue to Dundonald Street and around the block,'' she said. "There will be little girls dressed as angels, boys carrying banners and men dressed in red cloaks.'' Ms Faria added that the Bishop of Hamilton, the Portuguese Marching Band and the congregation will also follow the procession.

"It's a smaller version of the one in the Azores,'' she pointed out. "This will be the third year that a procession has been held.'' Ms Faria added that the first processional was held in 1698.

After the processional, the Portuguese community will go to the BAA field for some merriment.

"Hundreds of people come by,'' she said.