The 114th annual UPSES week-long Festa do Espírito Santo this year runs from May 12 to May 19.
The Festa, “Feast of the Holy Spirit,” is one of San Diego’s oldest ethnic celebrations. It is held on the grounds of UPSES Portuguese Hall, 2818 Avenida de Portugal, and St. Agnes Catholic Church, 1140 Evergreen St.
This year, the cultural and religious event begins on Mother’s Day, May 12, culminating on the following Sunday, May 19, with the traditional Festa parade beginning at 10 a.m. The parade follows a route from the UPSES Hall to St. Agnes, where High Mass is celebrated and the coronations of the festival king and queen take place at 11 a.m. with church choir singing.
Festa events on Sunday, May 19 also include a bazaar featuring Portuguese delicacies, drinks, and children’s games.
Every year, a host family is selected to organize the Festa and raise funds to support the UPSES Hall. The sponsoring family is in charge of hosting eight fundraising events up to and including Festa do Espírito Santo itself. This year, the Schoeffel family is the Festa hosts.
“We are honored to be hosting the 2024 UPSES Festa,” said Bridget (DeSilva) Schoeffel. “My husband, Brennand, and I are excited to bring the community together, honoring our ancestors and Portuguese heritage and traditions. We are in awe of the countless volunteers who remain devoted to our Festa and tirelessly volunteer year after year.
“We would like to extend an invitation to all of San Diego, and beyond, to join us on May 17 at 6 p.m. as we raise our flags and kick off the (final) three-day (weekend) celebration. We look forward to seeing everyone.”
Since 1922, the chapel next to the UPSES Hall has been used to house the Crown of the Holy Spirit during the Festa. On Pentecost Sunday, devotees of the Holy Spirit visit the chapel to pray and offer a donation of monies or Portuguese sweet bread (sold to raise funds) to continue the religious celebration.
The Festa has been celebrated by the Portuguese for the last 700 years amid the lore of Queen St. Isabel, who was said to have rescued her countrymen from starvation. The festival has been mounted in San Diego since the City’s first Portuguese families settled here in 1884. It was first formally organized in 1910.
“We celebrate the Catholic Festa, which is one of our main events,” said Babita Souza, president of the nonprofit UPSES. She pointed out the event’s significance is that it “anchors this community (Point Loma) and its hall built and paid for by fishermen as a way to keep the community close. The hall is a way of keeping us united. Once a year, everyone comes together, sees and visits each other, and celebrates the Festa.”
Souza noted the Festa is an ethnic Portuguese Catholic event adding that the celebration is “very much rooted in tradition and very important to the UPSES Hall.”
U.P.A.S.E.S HISTORY
In 1920, M.O. Medina saw the need for a common place for the Portuguese community to gather to celebrate the Festa do Espírito Santo, “Festival of the Holy Spirit.” He developed a committee to begin gathering the funds needed to build a chapel and community hall. He also led his committee throughout California to procure donations although roads were difficult to travel.
To complete construction work on the chapel, boat owners would leave a crew member at home paying him 25 cents a ton for his efforts.
In 1922 the Portuguese community of San Diego proudly inaugurated the United Portuguese Azorean Society of the Holy Spirit, Capela or the U.P.A.S.E.S. Chapel and Hall. The chapel is one of only two original California Portuguese chapels. As more Portuguese immigrated to San Diego, the need for a larger hall was recognized, as there were immigrants from the Azores, Madeira, and mainland Portugal. The community pooled together resources and acquired financing. The original hall from 1922 was then moved and a new hall was constructed. In 1948 the current U.P.S.E.S. Inc. Hall was opened. Medina served as the first president and remained so for 51 years.
2024 FESTA ROYALTY
Queen: Briley Elizabeth Schoeffel
King: Jaden Andres Delgado
Jr. Queen: Cadence Elizabeth Doughty
Jr. King: Laurens William Youmans
Small King: Gage Tristan Goebel
Small Queen: Vaida Madilena Virissimo
