The celebrations in the churches of the Third Order of St. Francis, festivals and culture among the secular Franciscans in the Portuguese Empire, eighteenth century

The festivals, during the eighteenth century, played an important role in the daily religious and lay institutions, among which the Third Orders of St. Francis. These associations organized distinct celebrations in order to promote the institution in the local religious field, spread their devotions, and at the same time broaden their recruitment. This article examines some elements of the celebrations held by the Third Orders of St. Francis in different cities of the Portuguese empire (Braga and Sao Paulo), aiming to understand the meaning and value attributed to the celebrations inside the churches by these associations. To perform this study were primarily used the accounting books of the institutions in order to glimpse the investment in the celebrations and their characteristics. From the gathered information we find a large spending with the ceremonies and the maintenance of worship by the Third Orders of St. Francis, indicating the importance given by these associations to celebrations and festivals performed in their temples.