Nicolinas

The significance of the cult of Saint Nicholas in Guimarães during the 17th century is indicated by historical evidence such as the 1663 construction of a chapel dedicated to the saint, and statutory documents including 1691 statutes for the Brotherhood of Saint Nicholas. Although academic celebrations related to Nicholas in Guimarães can be traced back to at least 1645, they appear to predate that period; historians date the beginning of the Nicolinas to the 14th and 15th centuries, when the European cult of Saint Nicholas arrived in the city. During the 19th century, the festivities were celebrated less frequently and at irregular intervals, until 1875, when they ceased. Previously limited to one day (6 December), the celebrations were extended. Originally called the St. Nicholas Festivities, João de Meira renamed them during the early 20th century, and they became known as the "Nicolinas". The new format was initially two days, with the programme for 6 December announced by a town crier who walked the streets of the city on 5 December. This was eventually extended to the present eight-day format, beginning on 29 November and ending on 7 December. == Main festivities ==

The festivities take place every year from 29 November to 7 December and include several events, from the Pinheiro (the most popular) to the Baile da Saudade (the end of the festivities). The Nicolinas are organized by the Nicolinas Festivities Committee (Comissão das Festas Nicolinas), a group of 10 male students from Guimarães' high schools. The committee is elected annually by students on the last Friday of September at the Toural Fountain. have also been eligible to participate and vote for committee members. Pinheiro and Ceias Nicolinas The festivities begin on 29 November with the planting of a pinheiro (pine tree) and the Ceias Nicolinas (Nicolinas Supper), held in honor of Saint Nicholas. These two events are the Nicolinas' most popular, especially among the youth of Guimarães. The name Pinheiro, describing the entire festivity, originated in the second half of the 19th century. Before that, references to the first Nicolinas festivity mentioned the "raising of the flagpole" or "the flag", rarely connecting the "flagpole" with the tradition of planting a pine tree. After the Nicolinas Supper, participants gather at the Cano (at the Campo de São Mamede, named after the Battle of São Mamede) and await the start of the Pinheiro procession. The pine tree, traditionally the region's tallest, is provided by the Martins de Alvão family; it is prepared on the day of the procession by members of the committee. Decorated with candles, garlands, and banners with satirical and critical commentary on current issues, the pine is placed on a long cart and pulled through the city center by bulls. Celebrants march alongside the pine playing the traditional Toques Nicolinos on caixas and bombos (drums made in special workshops across the city for the festival) or walk on the sidewalks. The parade ends next to Santos Passos Church, where the pine is raised and planted; this marks the beginning of the Nicolinas. Until the 20th century, the pine tree selected for the event came from the forests surrounding the city. It was traditionally replanted at the Toural, but the practice changed during the late 1700s as urban expansion began to encroach on the area. The location for replanting the pine changed several times before settling next to Santos Passos Church. In addition to students, people of all ages from Guimarães, nearby towns or from the rest of Portugal are spectators or participants. Teens and young adults often get drunk at the start of the procession, which older Nicolinos call "a distortion of the tradition, fueled by convenience". At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the number of people attending the Pinheiro did not fall despite restrictions. Attendance was unexpectedly comparable to previous years, which was attributed to the cultural importance of the festivities to the residents of Guimarães. It was similar in 2021, when about 50,000 people attended the Pinheiro procession. Despite the negative opinion in the rest of Portugal about a large gathering of people during the peak of the pandemic, the Social Democratic Party defended the festivities; their vice-president, André Coelho Lima (who hailed from Guimarães), attended the Nicolinas. In 1905, João de Meira wrote that nothing would prevent the festivities from taking place if there was a single student in the city willing to fight for them. Novenas The Novenas are a series of nine masses, one celebrated every morning between 29 November and 7 December in the 18th-century Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição. The masses are also known as Novenas de Azurém, for the parish where they are held. The Nicolinas Novenas are distinct from novenas celebrated elsewhere, celebrating the city's culture more than religion. They began during the 18th century due to the obligation to "hold sung masses every year, on the 7th and 8th of December, by the young chorists of the " dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Posses and Magusto The Posses (possessions), when Guimarães students gather food to distribute, were originally held on 6 December before being moved to 5 and then to 4 December. They begin at 9pm on 4 December, and only students who are members of the Nicolinas Festivities Committee can participate in the gathering of food; non-members, however, may attend. The Posses procession begins on the Campo da Feira, winds through Guimarães' historic center, and follows a route which stops at houses where the owners have agreed to donate food. When the Posses are completed, the Magusto ceremony begins around a bonfire where the students offer the collected food. Chestnuts and wine are traditionally shared, with socializing throughout the night. The Magusto was held at the Toural until 1862, and has been held on Santiago Square since the 1990s. The sharing of goods among students and residents symbolizes the bond between them. During the Pregão, a committee member known as the Pregoeiro proclaims a text at five locations throughout the city center and leaves from the Campo da Feira for the Convento de Santa Clara. After the Pregão is said, he proceeds to Martins Sarmento High School, the Senhora Aninhas House, the Torre dos Almadas, and the Toural. The text, usually composed by a committee member, includes criticism of the year's events. It often uses satire, irony and sarcasm to criticize politicians, modern life or local affairs. The Pregoeiro recites the Pregão at five different locations across the city, mark the Pregão's earliest known occurrence, but earlier proclamations were probably undocumented. Guimarães historian and writer João de Meira wrote the Pregões of 1903, 1904, and 1905. His contributions established a standard for future Pregões. Maçãzinhas while boys below offer apples attached to the tips of spears. The Maçãzinhas, previously known as the Cortejo das Maçãs, are among the Nicolinas' most iconic festivities. They are held on 6 December, Saint Nicholas Day, the day honoring the central figure of the festivities. The Maçãzinhas trace their origin to the Romantic movement, inspired by Romanticism in France, England and Germany. In the morning, preparations are made for the feast. Boys go to the Oficinas de San José to build and decorate the carts which will be used in the parade. The ribbons' colors have specific meanings. Adorned with sayings, symbols, and messages, the ribbons help the boys to choose the right girl to present the spear; if a boy has a particular girl in mind, he uses a larger, pink bow ribbon. The Maçãzinhas preserve courtship customs and attract a number of teens each year. In 1954, a group of old Nicolinos revived the tradition of the dances. is open to all Guimarães students. Baile da Saudade debuted on 30 November 1945 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the resurgence of the Nicolinas. The ball was repeated in 1946 and 1947 at the Jordão Theatre. Roubalheiras The Roubalheiras (thefts) involve the theft of items ranging from flower pots to cattle. It takes place on a random night between 29 November and 7 December (the length of the Nicolinas), and the night is hidden from everyone except the committee and local authorities. is the headquarters of the AAELG, the Guimarães High School alumni association. The Roubalheiras previously coincided with the Posses on 4 December, in which boys would relocate food, harvest tools and carts to confuse the adults. In 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, it had the highest number of stolen items in Roubalheiras history; pilfered items included a bull and a trailer, backhoe loader and road-paving machine. The variety of stolen items expanded in 2023 and included a goalpost and football bench from the Afonso Henriques Stadium, scooters and bicycles, supermarket trolleys, and a number of gas heaters. The number of items in 2024 was smaller, but the theft of animals (including a goat) continued. == Smaller festivities ==

Moinas The Moinas, also called Moinas Nicolinas, are rehearsals held every Saturday in November before the 29th (the day of the Pinheiro). The rehearsals are an opportunity for people intending to participate in the festivities to tune their drums and practice the Toques Nicolinos, particularly the song made specifically for that Moina. Attendees at the Moinas usually wear white. Rehearsals begin at Mumadona Square and end near the Toural Fountain. Refreshment stops are made, most notably at the House of the Santoalhas. Dízimo de Urgezes The Dízimo de Urgezes (Tithe of Urgezes), is held on 4 December. Urgezes customs were a forerunner of the Posses festivity. The event was restored by the [Urgezes junta de freguesia (parish board) on 30 October 1999. The Dízimo de Urgezes ceremony is based on a symbolic offering, traditionally money and foodstuffs, by the Junta de Freguesia of Urgezes to the committee. After a speech, a committee member is ceremoniously lifted by the others to retrieve a basket with that year's tithe which is lowered from the balcony of the Junta de Freguesia building by its president. == Cultural elements ==

Monument The Monumento ao Nicolino (Nicolino Monument), honoring the Nicolinos, is next to Santos Passos Church and near the pine tree raised during the Pinheiro. Planned since 1993, it was approved by the City Council in 1999 but faced cancellation in 2002. The project was revived on 19 July 2007 with in funding, to coincide with the start of the 2007 Nicolinas; after construction delays, the monument was dedicated on 25 January 2008. Created by local plastic artist José de Guimarães, the monument symbolizes a fluttering cape, once an element of the academic attire worn by committee members. Costumes Two costumes are worn for the Nicolinas: Traje Académico and Traje de Trabalho. The costumes, conceived in the 16th century, were introduced as the festival's traditional garments at the end of the 19th century. The Traje Académico is worn by current or former committee members. It is a black overcoat with satin bands and pleats at the back, fastened with three buttons; each sleeve has three buttons near the cuff. Accompanying the overcoat is a plain black waistcoat without lapels. The trousers are straight-cut with pockets, worn with a simple black belt. Black shoes, with or without laces, are worn with plain black socks. A black cape has clasps on the collar and is usually worn folded over the left shoulder or draped over an arm or shoulder. For special occasions, a collared shirt is worn; a necktie is replaced by a black bow tie (or a white one during the Pregão for the Pregoeiro) and white gloves. Bracelets, earrings, piercings, or rings are discouraged. raising a drumstick in the air. It was designed by Gomes Alves and António Augusto Correia during the mid-1950s. == Intangible cultural heritage candidacy ==

The Nicolinas were proposed as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage (ICH) candidate during the 2000s and 2010s. The initial application followed an exhibit of materials related to the Nicolinas which included photographs of the 2000 Nicolinas by José Bastos and an oil painting by Paulo Varregoso Mesquita. Projections showcased photographs of aspects and motifs of the centuries-old festivities. The visual presentations also included brief texts about "Nicolinas as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity". The idea to nominate the Nicolinas began with a 2005 paper by University of Minho professor Lino Moreira da Silva and a motion by politician André Coelho Lima. The festival has been waiting since December 2016 for the Direção-Geral do Património Cultural (DGPC) to proceed with its application for inscription on the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, In a December 2024 interview, Moreira da Silva (author of several books on the Nicolinas and a key figure in the festival's ICH candidacy) said that the Nicolinas' preservation is "in danger"not of disappearing, but of degradation. According to Moreira da Silva, younger people are negatively influencing aspects of the celebrations which do not interest them. He said that many view the festivities simply as an occasion to drink and have fun, which is acceptable only if the Nicolinas' original meaning and cultural significance are maintained; excessive alcohol consumption, praxe, and the exclusion of women from the committee may deter future candidacies. == See also ==