A religious Portuguese festival will take place in full this weekend for the first time in three years.

The Santo Cristo Festival will feature food and live entertainment, including a headlining performance from Portuguese-Canadian musician Eddy Sousa.

The event will be the first full celebration since the Covid-19 pandemic started.

Santo Cristo is an Azorean tradition dating back to the 1700s where an image of Jesus Christ, usually a Renaissance-style of the Ecce Homo, is venerated.

Celebrations start on Saturday with an 8pm mass at St Theresa’s Cathedral, followed by a feast and the removal of the statue of Senhor Santo Cristo from the chapel.

It will be followed by live entertainment at the Bermuda Athletic Association Field in Pembroke, including music from DJ Scoobay of YGS.

The following day will start with a mass at 1.30pm at St Theresa’s, followed by a procession from the Cathedral down Dundonald Street, through Woodlands Road, to Laffan Street and back to the Cathedral.

Festivities will continue at BAA with a bazaar, food and drinks, an auction, live entertainment, and a raffle at 8pm.

Alongside music from Mr Sousa, the events will also see performances from the Vision School of Dance, Sierra DeSousa, Caroline Araujo, Amalia Pontes and the Vasco da Gama Folklore dancers.