An hour and a half passed before the doors of the Salão Nobre da Irmandade da Lapa, in Porto, opened this Saturday, and a queue with hundreds of people was already forming at the entrance. The reason was simple. “It’s not every day we get to see something like this”, could be heard among people of all ages, Portuguese and foreigners, under the already hot 25 degrees. Some knew what they were coming for and even told family and friends to arrive early to avoid the confusion of the afternoon, others flipped through city maps and guides to somehow anticipate what they would see live and in color minutes later.
Before traveling temporarily to Brazil, as part of the bicentennial celebrations of Brazilian independence, the heart of King D. Pedro IV, kept in Porto for 187 years, is exhibited for the first time open to the public. The line moved at a good pace and, while he waited for his turn, Carlos Costa calmly explained to his wife the history that crosses Portugal and Brazil. “I’m from the Northeast, I’ve lived in Porto for four years and I always wanted to witness this moment,” he confesses to the Observer. “I had already visited the Church of Lapa several times, I knew that D. Pedro’s heart was there, but I never had the opportunity to see it up close, so today I will not forget it. I hope to be able to take several photos to show my family in Brazil.”.
A few meters further on are the sisters Madalena and Maria Sousa, already impatient and holding a bottle of water. They came from Maia by bus on purpose for the occasion and guarantee that curiosity is more than enough. “We found out about this from the newspapers and we decided to come and spend a different morning,” Madalena begins by explaining. “I have never seen the heart of the king, not even through photographs, I go completely in the dark”, says the sister, assuring that she is not afraid of being impressed when seeing an organ that is almost 200 years old. “I have my husband very badly in the hospital, I doubt that this will surprise me.”
This article is exclusive to our subscribers: subscribe now and benefit from unlimited reading and other benefits. If you are already a subscriber, log in here. If you think this message is an error, please contact our customer service.
Source: Observadora
