Bishop Myron J. Cotta, D.D May Reflection

by Bishop Myron J. Cotta, D.D.  |  05/19/2024  |  From the Clergy

I hope all is going well for you as we journey through the Easter Season in anticipation of the Solemnity of Pentecost. As we wait for the outpouring of the Gift of the Holy Spirit, I would like to share with you that I have received a unique invitation from the Bishop of the Diocese of Angra, Azores, to preside at the solemn celebration of the most popular and most attended religious event held within the nine island archipelago of the Azores which are located roughly 1,000 miles west of mainland Portugal in the mid-Atlantic Ocean.

This religious festa - festival - is celebrated on the Island of São Miguel in the capital city of Ponta Delgada. The festive days give honor to Jesus, portrayed as Ecce Homo. The revered wooden bust image of the suffering Christ is the focal point of devotion for thousands of pilgrims. As a grandson of Azorean immigrants, it is quite an honor and privilege to be invited to participate in this festa known as the Festa do Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres - the Festival of the Lord Holy Christ of the Miracles. The festa begins May 3 and thru May 9, 2024. The high point of the festa is the Sunday Mass and solemn procession in which the sacred image of Senhor Santo Cristo is carried through the streets of the city. I invite you to go online and log in to RTP Açores in order to experience this unique religious celebration. Below, you will find information regarding the history of this devotion to Christ Jesus. Ponta Delgada: Preparativos para as celebrações do Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres de 2024 14.04.24 (youtube.com) Pray for me as I travel to the Islands, the roots of the Azorean diaspora present on the West and East Coasts of the United States and, here, within our Central Valley of California. It is truly an honor for me to represent the Portuguese community within our Dioceses of California, especially our Diocese of Stockton! God bless.

In the Peace of Christ,

Bishop Cotta