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Day of Portugal is celebrated June 10
Posted 6/7/2012 Updated 6/7/2012
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Commentary by Eduardo Lima
65th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
6/7/2012 - LAJES FIELD, Azores -- The Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities is the formal name for the country's national day, which is celebrated every year on June 10.
The Day of Portugal, a national holiday, also commemorates the life of the greatest Portuguese poet of all times, Luiz Vaz de Camões, and recognizes the valuable contributions of the Portuguese immigrants worldwide.
In this day, it is customary for the President of the Republic to decorate Portuguese citizens, civilian and military, who have distinguished themselves in several areas or are being recognized for heroic acts.
The official ceremonies of the Day of Portugal are usually held in a different city every year. The city of Angra do Heroismo had the privilege of hosting the ceremonies in June 2003 and being the center of attention throughout the country.
This year's ceremonies will take place in the city of Setúbal, located south of Lisbon, the country's capital.
Camões is the author of the epic poem "Os Lusiadas" (The Lusiads), considered one of the finest and most important works in Portuguese literature. This poem focuses mainly on an eccentric interpretation of the Portuguese discoveries.
In "Os Lusiadas," Camões portrays the Portuguese people as descendants from Lusus, companion of Dionysus and mythical founder of Lusitania, and loosely describes the country's history until the mid 16th century -- concentrating on giving a heroic edge to the journey of the famous Portuguese discoverer Vasco da Gama, the first European to reach India by sea.
The day is also commemorated in most of the Portuguese communities abroad, namely in Europe, the U.S. and Canada.
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