Holy Week
Paraty’s 2026 Holy Week religious program ran from March 29 to April 5, with Masses and rites at Matriz Church and Rosário Church, as well as processions tied to the traditions of the Historic Center.
- March–April · Mar 29–Apr 5, 2026
- Matriz Church · Rosário Church
- Ended
From Palm Sunday to Easter
The documented 2026 religious program began on Palm Sunday, March 29, and ended on Easter Sunday, April 5. The opening service took place at 7:30 p.m. at Matriz Church (Nossa Senhora dos Remédios); services on the following days were divided between Matriz Church and Rosário Church.
The municipal tourism calendar gives the shorter date range of March 30 to April 5. This page uses March 29 as the starting date because the parish program expressly includes Palm Sunday on that date. Because the 2026 program has ended, future times should be confirmed when Nossa Senhora dos Remédios Parish publishes the next schedule.
Services and rites held in 2026
The Procession of the Encounter (Procissão do Encontro) left Matriz Church on March 31 at 7:30 p.m. At the same time on the following evenings, Matriz Church hosted Tenebrae on April 1 and the Mass of the Lord’s Supper with the Washing of Feet on April 2.
At midnight on April 3, the Fogaréu procession began at Matriz Church. Good Friday continued with the Veneration of the Cross at 3:00 p.m. and the Passion of Christ at 7:30 p.m. The Easter Vigil was held on April 4, and the Easter Sunday service closed the program on April 5, both at 7:30 p.m. at Matriz Church.
Churches, streets, and sacred heritage
Holy Week connects Catholic liturgy with the churches and stone-paved streets of the Historic Center. Processions such as Procissão do Encontro visit small Passion shrines known as Passos da Paixão, which are preserved within building façades, while the Fogaréu remains part of a community tradition passed down through generations.
The Paraty Museum of Sacred Art’s museum plan documents the use of liturgical objects from its collection in Holy Week ceremonies and the Fogaréu’s traditional passage through Santa Rita Church. The published 2026 program, however, identifies Matriz Church and Rosário Church as the locations of its services.
Dates, locations, and status
- Documented religious program: March 29–April 5, 2026
- Date range in the tourism calendar: March 30–April 5, 2026
- Status: ended
- Published locations: Matriz Church and Rosário Church
- Documented rites: Procissão do Encontro, Tenebrae, Washing of Feet, Fogaréu, Veneration of the Cross, Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday service
- Future program: not yet published
Sources and last review
- Paraty Municipal Gazette No. 1996 — 2026 tourism calendar date range
- Nossa Senhora dos Remédios Parish / PASCOM Paraty — religious program reproduced by Eu Amo Paraty
- Paraty Museum of Sacred Art — liturgical collection and Fogaréu tradition
- Paraty City Hall — historical context for services and processions in the Historic Center
- Last editorial review: August 30, 2026
Monthly update
September 10, 2026.
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