Lanço da Cruz is now an Intangible Heritage of Portugal
The centuries-old tradition of Lanço da Cruz, celebrated between Cristelo Covo (Valença) and Sobrada (Tomiño, Galicia), has been officially registered in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage.
The decision was published this Thursday, June 6, in the Official Gazette of the Republic. A public ceremony to present the recognition plaque to the City Council of Valença is planned for the near future.
Lanço da Cruz is a unique manifestation of cross-border Easter culture, celebrated annually on Easter Monday, bringing together thousands of participants from both banks of the Minho River in a pilgrimage that combines expressions of Christian faith and ancient pagan rituals linked to water.
This recognition is also the result of a concerted effort to value and promote Valencian cultural heritage. In just over a year, the City of Valença has seen two expressions of identity registered in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage — the Feira dos Santos de Cerdal and now the Lanço da Cruz —, the result of persistent work involving documentation, institutional coordination and awareness-raising with the competent bodies.
For the Mayor of Valença, José Manuel Carpinteira, “the classification of this festival as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Portugal is a source of great pride for Valença and represents an added responsibility in preserving and promoting this major symbol of our border identity, shared with Tomiño, Minho and Galicia, Portugal and Spain”.
The Sanctuary, the Senhora da Cabeça and Cais de Sobrada picnic park and the Minho River itself are the central settings for this emblematic Galician-Minho pilgrimage, which is celebrated with great fervour and popular participation.
With this recognition, Valença now has two assets registered in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage: the traditional Feira dos Santos de Cerdal and Lanço da Cruz, reinforcing its role as a reference area in preserving the traditions and cultural identity of Alto Minho.
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