Traditional Cuisine in Brazilian Popular Catholicism Festivities: The Azorean Holy Spirit Pastry in Florianópolis

This article presents some reflections – based on field research and abundant in visual sources – on the character, importance and vulnerability of traditional Azorean cuisine in the popular religious celebrations of the Divine Holy Spirit in the region of Florianópolis (State of Santa Catarina), focusing especially on Divine Holy Spirit pastry. The pastry is used for production of a special kind of a thanksgiving bread, which can be bought during a charity auction at the festival. Baked according to traditional Azorean recipes in the shape of a body part, a person’s whole body or an object for which the worshipper who commissions it would like to symbolically thank the Holy Spirit for having performed a miracle of healing, the product is an elements of the Azorean cultural heritage in need of protection.