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Madeira is a small Isle, however, has a lot of events during the Summer, practically all over the Island: we have the parties of São Vicente, in August, the biggest one that attracts Madeirenses from every corner as well as tourists, the Rali Vinho da Madeira (Madeira Wine Rally), the party of Nossa Senhora da Luz (Our Lady of Light), the Nossa Senhora do Monte celebration (Our Lady of Monte celebration), the Madeira Wine Festival, the Festival of Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Festival of Our Lady of Mercy), in Caniçal, between many others.
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| Parties of São Vicente |
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| Madeira Wine Festival |
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| Madeira Wine Rally |
This said, one of the most exciting Summer events in Madeira is Os Fachos, taking place in Machico.
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| Machico |
In the beginning of the Portuguese discoveries, the glorious Era of the fiftieth Century, João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira sighted in the distance the island that was to be baptized, Madeira. They disembarked in Machico, today one of the most populous areas in Madeira, and “on the clear morning of that day, the eyes of the navigators were dazzled by the spectacle that the earth constituted”.
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| A commemorative plaque marking the place where the first explorers disembarked on Madeira. You can read "Here disembarked Tristão Vaz Teixeira and João Gonçalves Zarco in 2 of July of 1419". |
Says the legend that before these two notorious discoverers, others had already stepped on in Madeira. According to the story, between the end of the fourteenth century and the beginning of the fifteenth century, a young English man named Robert Machim, a legendary knight of the court of King Edward III of England, was in love with Ana de Arfert, whose feelings were mutual. Unfortunately, their love wasn't seen with good eyes by her family that wanted her to marry a nobleman. With some friends, Machim managed to escape from England with his love before she married another man and was separated from him forever. They were supposed to go to France, but a storm made them lose their route. The couple didn’t have an experienced pilot, so they were lost at sea for days. This until they finally discern something, a big green point. They were scared, and it was normal due to the circumstances, yet they approached. They had no choice: Ana was sick for spending too much time in the sea, so they landed in the cove that today is the Bay of Machico. Curious and excited, they explored the area, later noticing that another storm was coming. Therefore, the group of people hide between the roots of a tree that was there, since the diameter of the circumference of the trunk was so big, that its base was a cavity that managed to wrap up many people. After the violent tempest, they noticed that the sea had taken their boat. Consequently, a few days later, Lady Ana, still ill, died tormented. Devastated, Machim buried his beloved in the same tree that had protected them before, lifting a large cross over her grave. Machim was inconsolable, with a tremendous sadness, desolation, the worst feeling a person can have, he was affected by a huge melancholy. Less than a week later, he joined his Lady, the love of his life, in death.
It is said that the remaining members of the expedition tried to survive on the Island. They recorded on the cross the ephemeral history of the love of Machim and Ana. Some of them died while others resisted to the passage of a Moorish ship that rescued them and took them to North Africa to be sold as slaves. It is believed that one of these persons managed to escape his destiny as a slave, surviving to tell the history of the couple in love to the Portuguese people. In addition, it is also told that years later, when João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira arrived in the Island, they discovered the cross and the inscriptions. For this reason, because of this love story, Machico was the chosen name to give to this town.
Machico is beautiful, and this legend is my favourite one from my Island… such a lovely but at the same time, tragic story. It wasn’t necessary to write this legend here since this text is about a tradition, but I feel that you, as a reader, would connect more to the narrative and subsequently to this article, knowing more about this place.
The tradition of the Fachos happens with the lighting of the flasks in the mountains above the valley of the city, on the eve of the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, the last weekend of August. The event has the proper authorization of the entities and counts with the support of the Municipal Firemen of Machico so there is no danger. Os Fachos are designed using materials such as wire, spikes, burnt oil and cotton balls. They represent allegorical figures with letters, names and designs alluding to the feast.
Notably, guess what? I have another story to tell you! You may be thinking why Madeira has this tradition, why wake up one day a year and go to the mountains in Machico to build an amount of wood or metal structures, with boat shapes, and light them with fire?
According to the historians, the first Catholic mass in Madeira was in Machico. João Gonçalves Zarco had a chapel built, which was called the Chapel of Christ, latter Chapel of Mercy because it was the seat of the Holy House of Mercy. On October 9, 1803, the river overflowed, flooding the town of Machico. The waters invaded the Chapel, partially destroying it, and dragging the image of Our Lord on the Cross into the sea. The tale says that an American ship coming from Funchal, collected the Cross that miraculously floated, taken her to the Cathedral of Funchal. In 1813 the chapel was rebuilt and the image was transported to the chapel, on a ladder, during the night, accompanied by fishing boats and received by the fishermen, who carried torches and sang hymns to the Lord. When the boats entered the bay, the bells rang without anyone touching them. After this event, the chapel was renamed Chapel of Miracles.
Os Fachos is a magical event. If you forget the fact that practically everyone is with their phones captivating the moment, taking pictures of the ships made of fire in the mountains or at the path of fire in the valley, is like you are witnessing some event centuries before, a gorgeous and unforgettable event. I am glad that the people in Madeira maintained the tradition in honour of the Blessed Sacrament.
I hope you liked to know more about Madeira and this wonderful tradition in Machico!
Would you like to come to Madeira and see it one day?
And what about the Legends? What are your thoughts about the love of Ana and Machim?
Here are some more photos of the tradition:
Furthermore, if you want to, you can also see this video that I found on the internet. Since the event was last week, and I went to see it, I could have taken pictures myself and do myself a video, but I forgot my phone at home. On the other hand, I enjoyed the moment and that is what matters the most for me. The video has a few years, yet I think you get the idea of the party.
Nb: I do not own any of these videos and pictures and I am not trying to infringe copyright here.
Would you like to come to Madeira and see it one day?
And what about the Legends? What are your thoughts about the love of Ana and Machim?
Wishing you all a lovely week!
Mariana Nunes
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