It is once again the season for the traditional Bacalhau and the sampling of this year’s new wine, with roasted chestnuts also being a welcome addition.
São Martinho Church will be the focal point, with the festival already started. The optimal day to attend is Monday the 10th, as it precedes São Martinho on the 11th, promising a vibrant festival with an abundance of food, beverages, and music.
Madeira is not expected to experience a “São Martinho Summer,” which we have had for the last few years, but this year with temperatures expected to fall and a depression moving in, it shouldn’t spoil the night or the day on the 11th.
There are at least two hypotheses that explain the summer of São Martinho . The first relates to what was experienced at Saint Martin’s funeral. It is said that, while transporting his body to the funeral in the city, it rained torrentially . Suddenly, when the body was close to the city, it stopped raining and the sun began to shine brightly . The brutal meteorological transition was so evident that, according to the pilgrims who accompanied the body, even the roses bloomed .
But the most famous hypothesis, which we have all heard at some point, is that Saint Martin tore his cloak in half to provide shelter for a naked, cold beggar . Immediately, God rewarded the Saint with a few days of mild and pleasant temperatures , which put an end to the gloom of Autumn, and gave a break with mild temperatures, before winter set in.